A simple domain that’s difficult (for me) to remember.
I like when companies create a brand around a solid one-word brand.
Amazon.com, Bing.com, Medium.com.
But there’s one website with a name like this that, for the life of me, I can never seem to recall: Thumbtack.com.
Thumbtack lets you describe a project you need done, such as fixing a door or a photography shoot, and then experts respond with bids for your project. It’s a good service and it has what should be a good, simple, and memorable domain name.
Yet, for some reason, whenever I need to use the service I sit here racking my brains trying to remember the website’s name. I end up going to Google and typing in something like “handyman” to find the search result for Thumbtack.
Is Thumbtack not as good of a name as I think it is? Why do I have trouble recalling this brand?
christopher brennan says
why not just look for the service you want instead of visiting a lead generating site.
personally as a home improvement provider and domainer i wouldn’t dream of buying a lead and i’m sure most established contractors wouldn’t either.
so basically lead sites are selling to the lower end of the service provider pool.
Andrew Allemann says
This one is a little bit different. You post more details about what you want and contractors who are interested respond…they aren’t just sold leads. I wouldn’t use it for anything big
Trader Dave says
It’s easier to remember if you can make an association with the word and visualize it. For example, I think thumbtack is suppose to be old school post it note. You put your things to do on a piece of paper and then you thumbtack it to a cork board. Also, I use it over the other online companies because the contractors get a much better payout percentage.
Cheers!
Danny says
I think thumbtack is very good we advertise on the site and we very much appreciate the site
Josh says
I think the issue for most (not just you) is words that are no longer commonly used are just not as easy to recall. Unless you use the word thumbtack all the time and I am the weird one lol It’s one of those words you say then recall what exactly it is again, now that I mention it who uses them anymore apart from an office? I cannot ever recall having had to think of the word for at least 25+ years now. Even then it was just tacks, more common used by fleeing bank robbers to deflate tires or getting back at a bad neighbor 😉
Shane Cultra says
You are old. That’s why 🙂
Andrew Allemann says
Looks who’s talking 🙂
shanecultra says
Ha. I’m certainly old but I have no problem remembering thumbtack.com I wish I owned it. Most of the contractors I talk to said they are getting so much business from it that they have only been using it to secure jobs. I hadn’t even heard of it until this year.
Eric Lyon says
“Pushpin” replaced “Thumbtack” years ago. As Josh stated, it really comes down to repetition. The most successful brands (Regardless of the name) are easily remembered due to consistent repetition in brand exposure. Since Pushpins are used more than thumbtacks these days, the consistent repetition would make pushpin the easier one to remember. However, if Thumbtack were to launch a more consistent brand exposure campaign, they could easily bring the word back into households. The reality of it all is that it requires a lot of capital to maintain a great branding campaign.
Michel Payette says
Quit smoking that stuff!
William says
Have no problems remembering them because after I used the site once, they will send out periodic emails to remind/bug/pester previous users to use them again. I just need to remember to change my communication preferences.
The name does relate to an object commonly found on a job posting bulletin board, so the word association works for me. As for the service, it’s not bad at all. I posted an appliance install request and got two bids quickly. The guy who got the job said he pays about $6/lead whenever a potential customer clicks through, otherwise they aren’t charged.
Snoopy says
The word isn’t common enough or short enough to be memorable. Wouldn’t even be sure what the word means but for the logo.
Lee says
Perhaps I’m cynical, but this appears to be a thinly veiled advertisement.
Andrew Allemann says
For what?
Paul says
I don’t know why so many of the people commenting here complete miss the point of your posting. This isn’t a discussion of the merits of a website like thumbtack.com, it’s about the domain name itself. The author had trouble recalling it when he needs it. The post could be about any kind of service. For example, he wants to post a video, but can’t remember the name of YouTube.com. He wants to sell something by auction but he can’t remember ebay.com. He wants to buy a book but can’t remember Amazon.com.
I think that the name thumbtack.com is a little too plain to be memorable. Unlike Staples.com (another plain name), it doesn’t seem to have more than one meaning and I don’t immediately associate it with seeking bids for services. In fact, the word “thumbtack” makes me think of the bulletin board over my desk and all the business cards that I have posted there. When I need a plumber, I call the number on the plumber’s card. This is the opposite of seeking bids.
Consider this: one of the most successful companies in this field is called Angieslist.com. I never would have thought that this is a good name for a home service website, but the proof is in the success.
Shani 101domain says
Very relatable, happens to me all the time! Definitely something brands should consider when registering a domain name for their business but it’s funny because it’s not something you would normally take into consideration, even though I’m sure it happens to us all.