UX Strategy & Visual Design
Business Name Generator
Overview
As part of a broader brand update to Shopify’s site, I led the redesign to enhance the Business Name Generator by integrating AI to deliver smarter, more relevant name suggestions. The refreshed experience includes editable prompts and industry tags, improving usability and supporting discovery. This redesign not only aligned with our new visual system but also helped the tool reclaim its top ranking on Google.
I led the end-to-end design effort: defining structure, creating high-fidelity designs, developing interaction patterns, and crafting a visual system that felt cohesive with our suite of branding tools. I also worked cross-functionally to scope and present the experience to senior stakeholders, and iterated based on early performance metrics and usability signals.
Existing design
While Shopify’s Business Name Generator had strong organic visibility, the quality of the generated names was inconsistent and often too generic to be useful. The tool lacked the intelligence to understand nuance or context, which led to uninspired results and high drop-off rates. At the same time, the interface felt outdated and disconnected from Shopify’s evolving brand. We needed to improve the quality of name suggestions, enhance usability, and modernise the experience—all while ensuring the tool remained a high-intent acquisition surface.
Key Solutions
We reimagined the experience from the ground up, leading with an AI-powered interface trained to surface high-quality, brandable business names. The redesign featured:
- A clean, dark-themed UI aligned with Shopify’s visual identity and branding tools
- A prominent search interface with editable prompts to encourage experimentation
- Clearly labelled industry tags to guide new entrepreneurs with limited direction
- AI-generated results that could be refined by modifying the input query
The experience was structured to reduce bounce rates and increase engagement, introducing subtle animation and layered storytelling throughout the page—from step-by-step guidance to FAQs and SEO-rich content. We initially explored a live preview feature but pivoted post-launch after data revealed it created unnecessary friction in the naming flow.
Outcomes
- Improved User Satisfaction: AI-driven customisation significantly enhanced the relevance of generated names, with positive feedback from users.
- Higher Conversion Rates: Simplifying the workflow led to more users completing the name generation process.
- Maintained #1 Organic Search Ranking: Despite significant updates, BNG retained its leadership as the top organic search result for business name generators.
- Enhanced Brand Perception: The refreshed design resonated with users, had significant improvements to the mobile experience and received good feedback on the dark-mode aesthetic and neon accents.
What I Learned
- The importance of data-driven pivots: Removing the store preview panel was a tough but necessary decision informed by user engagement metrics.
- The need to balance creativity with usability: While visually engaging features can excite users, they must align with core user goals.
- The value of maintaining brand identity while updating a product: Consistent branding paired with functional improvements ensured the tool remained competitive and relevant.
