Files naming and branding

[darek]

Guys, I've been emailing Mike about this, but I'm wondering what other people think, so please speak up and add your coments

I've been suggesting that Mike should consider changing the name. It was, presumably, supposed to make it blend with other Apple native apps, but there are three issues right now:

* it's very hard to google, Files being a very generic term
* it will be difficult to brand, again, Files is just too generic
* if you somehow succeed with the previous two, Apple could decide to create a new file manager, call it Files.app (like the new Photos.app) and then there'll be a problem

Just look at this text from the website: "Files Manager Free. Files for OS X Files is a modern file manager." If I were to recommend this to a friend, I wouldn't even know how to start

Friend: Do you know a good file manager?
Me: Yeah, Files Manager.
Friend: So, do you know one?
Me: Yes, Files Manager. Files actually.
Friend: Yes, for files. So what's the name of it?

You know where this is going

This is the classic Al Ries on branding. I'm not sure if you're familiar with his books, but i.e. from his "22 laws" book, see slide 35 here: http://www.slideshare.net/ProfessorMath ... laura-ries

I'm not even talking about issues with positioning (SEO) for Files in Google.

I love this app and I'd like to see it succeed and that's what got me thinking about the naming and branding. Perhaps now is a good time to consider the name change, huh?

[Kabuto]

I know nothing about branding, promotion or SEO, but you concern seems legit I myself had hard time googling for Files.

I must say that you third point ("Apple could decide to create a new file manager, call it Files.app") is quite unlikely, since they already have a file manager (Finder), and they will most likely just improve it instead. Can't argue with the other two, though.

[don]

I would actually second that.

When I was just starting on the mac platform a dual pane file manager was my number one concern. So I searched for a far manager like option. Unfortunately "Files Manager" did not come up in any of my searches and it was a sheer luck that someone mentioned it on one of the forums. DO not remember though where exactly.

The product in a very good shape and I'd say proper marketing is a must now.

[mike]

Guys, I generally agree that "Files" name is not great name from the branding point of view.
But just wondering about one thing - are we using different Googles?
Here're query positions for mine:
1. file manager mac 4.4
2. mac file manager 4.7
3. mac file explorer 4.6
4. file explorer mac 4.1
5. file manager for mac 4.9
6. file explorer for mac 4.8
7. mac file browser 8.1
8. os x file manager 2.2
9. file browser mac 7.6
10. osx file manager 1.5

[darek]

Mike, you know, it does rank very surprisingly well for these keywords. And yet... I've been searching for a good commander for Mac for good few years now and yours only came up very recently (and I'm not even sure whether I've found it through Google or some other way). Maybe that's because the site is new. Maybe that's because I was looking for a "commander" In any case, even if you drop the SEO argument, the branding part still stays

[don]

Let me recap my history.

Norton Commander
Volkov Commander
Far Manager
Files Manager

Total Commander was there somewhere.

Hmm. I definitely like "commander" over "manager"

"Admiral" sounds nice too (joking).