The intellectual property of a firm can be categorized into majorly two categories: Patents and trademarks. A trademark is nothing but a recognizable logo of the company, graphical representation, or expression which makes it unique. Such a unique representation of the firm’s logo or design helps in proper recognition of the company among individuals. And the trademarks that are used to look for the services are often called as service marks. Every now and then the technological advancements in the company are taking place whether its a website or an app.
The new craze about the apps and website as the business owners are adopting technological ways and methods to expand their business online. Though the app may be made available for free there is a need to develop an app though it might be a game, educational app, or any other kind of app. Though there are free apps available in the market and which also has some additional purchases which generate a massive revenue with its usage. If you download apps frequently from the play store or app store then you must have observed that there are apps with similar designs and titles. It becomes so confusing to choose from the apps and after a bit of frustration, you ask for someone’s help or ask them for a direct link for the app.
The imitator of the apps is expecting you to click wrongly on the apps. This makes it crystal clear why you need to have a trademark for your name of the app. Currently, there are huge battles been carried out by the huge software firms on a daily basis for trademark and patent registration. Such battleships prove the importance of securing your app and getting your trademark registered before the need to prove your identity arises. With the help of trademarks, a company ensures that this uniqueness and title make it stand unique among the competitors even a similar name or design can not get used by others. Specific designs and functions of the app might be a subject matter to securing the patents and copyrights.
So trademarks help in protecting and securing the name of the app and the logo which is connected to the app. If a competitor creates another app that appears similar to your app and if you have completely registered and got your trademark. Customers and users of the app can easily bring out the difference between your app and the competitors. A trademark that is secured will further assist in assuring the customers that they are downloading an app that is original and not the copied version.
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Let’s discuss the 5 simple steps to obtain your trademark for the app:
Come up with an original name for your app
- Every day there are new apps getting launched in the stores. This is the foremost step where you need to showcase your creativity.
- If the idea behind the app is unique then the name which is simple yet descriptive may get the desired results.
- If the uniqueness is not registered then the app might face severe problems with regards to its authenticity later on.
- Rephrasing the words, fabrication of uncommon words and phrases can be the best option for the title of the apps.
- If you want to use the name as your logo for the app, a version based on different styles creates a unique logo.
- Deciding the background of the logos and the effects will protect the trademarks up to a larger extent and plain texts are mostly used in creating such logos and designs.
Conduct research on your app name
- With around millions of apps in the market, this can be a long and substantial process.
- There are numerous classes that get applied to the apps and software by USPTO ( United States patent and trademark office) which makes the apps unique and helps users to note down the differences with them.
- To cover all the bases via each class which can be categorized to be in the same trade channel of the app.
Retain a trademark attorney
- In researching a name and finding out the best option which suits the app, the time and resources allocated to searching out the best option would be a too tedious and time-consuming process.
- An attorney for trademarks has professional knowledge of what actual keyword is to be searched for, from where it is to be searched, and how.
- The tools which are available in the public domain or through the website of USPTO are completely different and are more elementary when compared with a trademark attorney.
- On both sides, whether it is submission or examination side this is what takes place when the app reaches the govt authorities for its approval.
- As the app gets enclosed by a variety of areas such as guidelines for trademarks, hiring a trademark attorney is the best option to get the desired results for the apps.
Submit your trademark application
- The Trademark attorney will be able to process your application’s paperwork with the review process in a definite loop and as quickly as possible.
- After delivering all the important information and submission of required documents.
- The process to procure a trademark will take around 6-8 months. As it is a time-consuming process the attorney will make sure that the complete file fo information is been delivered to the government officials.
- Having a trademark not only ensures the protection of your app name but it also ensures that the app would not face any rejection.
Follow up on the trademark filing for your app
- Working on the assumption that your trademark app has got its approval and everything is working according to the plans.
- And along with the confidence to distribute your apps when no other company can come and try to use the same name and confuse users. This is where the confidence of app owners gets doubled.
- Once the app gets launched in the stores, keeping a track of what are the results that pop up when you begin your search with the name of the app and ensure that no other company is trying to breach the registered trademark.
- There are numerous app channels that can aid in tracking the breach when somebody tries to use the registered name or logo.
- Ensuring that the app is protected and secured such channels can serve as the best defenders for your app.
Wrapping up
The technological era is evolving at a rapid rate and along with rapid movements new cybercrimes are emerging on a daily basis, Protecting and securing your uniqueness is the need of an hour and trademarks are the best ways to protect it.