The Journey to Sumo.com
Sumo is a suite of marketing tools for eCommerce shops. Founded in 2010, initially, AppSumo.com was just a tech newsletter. The team built a set of tools for internal use over four years and then realised they can use them to help other entrepreneurs grow their business. That’s how SumoMe was born.
Soon, the SumoMe team faced significant challenges with its name and domain name. Noah Kagan, co-founder and CEO of Sumo, values domain names highly, a lesson he learned from his days at Facebook and Mint. Kagan, who saw Facebook drop “The” from its name and Mint’s $8 million investment to transition from MyMint.com. He understood that a good domain is critical to effective branding and marketing.
The team set out to secure a short, easy-to-remember and unique domain for the company. They secured SumoS.com as a compromise solution, but Noah remained determined, sending emails every six months for seven years until his persistence paid off. In February 2017, the company purchased the domain name Sumo.com for $1.5 million.
Why Sumo.com?
Simplicity
Dictionary word .com domains are associated with prestige due to their rarity and the sense of market leadership they convey. The domain Sumo.com is an example of this, offering a name that is both short and strong. Its simplicity reinforces the brand’s commitment to clarity and impact in all its offerings.
Anyone can have a two or three word name. But one word names? They carry more prestige. Just ask Madonna.
Noah Kagan in an interview for Entrepreneur.com
Memorability
Short .com domains are easy to remember and have a higher trust factor, as seen in the success of other concise domain names.
The point is, at the time Wesabe was our biggest competitor. When’s the last time you heard about them? Exactly. That four letter domain sounded more trustworthy than that weird competitor’s name. There’s just something about those four letter words.
Noah Kagan in an interview for Entrepreneur.com
Brand Identity
Owning Sumo.com allows the company to solidify its position as the original and most authoritative ‘Sumo’ in its market, eliminating any confusion with other similarly named entities.
Do you know how many companies have “Sumo” in their name? It’s a lot. You may find yourself in the same situation where there are tons of variants of your name. Standing out just gets harder when people confuse you with other companies. That’s why we went right to the source. There are many copycat Sumo names in the market but by owning Sumo.com (free marketing tools for websites), we’re positioned as the original. We are the Sumo.com.
Noah Kagan in an interview for Entrepreneur.com
Sumo.com: More than a Domain
In addition to being a dictionary word, Sumo.com is also a CVCV domain name. These types of domains have a positive and bouncy sound, making them appealing to customers of different languages and cultures. Renowned brands such as Nike, Dove, Visa, Sony, Lego, Bose, Puma, and others utilise the power of CVCV domain names.
The Sumo team made a great PR out of the rebrand, covering it across media and even dedicating a creative page explaining the reasoning behind it on their website.
We spent $1.5 million on our name to show you how serious we are about being around forever.
Sumo.com website
So, how does your domain name embody the essence of your brand? How simple, impactful, memorable, is it? How can a more strategic domain choice elevate your brand presence and credibility?
Your domain often forms the first impression of your brand, and it’s important to consider whether the domain you choose matches your brand’s identity and future goals.
Whether you’re a small business owner or a large corporation, a premium domain name can help boost your brand and increase your online presence. If you’re ready to take the next step, contact us to learn more about our premium domain name options and how they can benefit your business.
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