Sometimes, the first name you choose isn't the right one. This is the short story of why I changed the name from Blogtally to Hakanai, and what I learned in the process.

The SEO Challenge

When I launched this analytics platform in January 2025, I named it Blogtally. The name was meant to evoke an analytics tool ("tally" meaning "count" in English) specifically designed for blogs. Shortly after, I merged Blogtally with another product I had created in 2024 called RssFeedPulse (the Broadcast module).

Two months into this journey, I discovered a critical problem: Blogtally had virtually no SEO visibility. The name was too similar to established products like Tally.so and Tally.xyz, and their blogs were dominating search results.

When Google suggests that your brand name is a spelling mistake, you know you're in trouble.

Time for a Change

I wasn't particularly attached to the original name anyway, but this SEO issue made the decision clear — I needed a new identity.

Enter Hakanai.io.

The name "Hakanai" comes from a Japanese word (儚い) that conveys ephemerality and transience — a fitting concept for a tool that tracks the ever-changing digital landscape of content and audience engagement.

What This Means For You

This change does require some action from current users:

• Tracking scripts need to be updated - If you're using our Pulse module, you'll need to update the tracking script on your site
• Newsletter signup forms - Forms for collecting newsletter subscribers will need to be updated to use the new domain

We've sent a dedicated email to all affected users with specific instructions on how to make these updates. Your existing data remains intact, and your login credentials stay the same.

All Blogtally.com URLs now redirect to Hakanai.io, but for optimal performance and to ensure continued functionality, we recommend updating your implementation as soon as possible.

Lessons in SaaS Naming

This experience taught me valuable lessons about naming a SaaS product:

1. Check search visibility early - Before committing to a name, search for it extensively and analyze the results
2. Consider similar names - Look for products with similar names, especially in adjacent industries
3. Test domain and brand combinations - See how your domain and brand name perform together in search
4. Be willing to pivot quickly - If you discover issues, it's better to change early than invest in a problematic name

Looking Forward

While changing our name so early might seem like a small setback, it's actually set us up for stronger long-term growth.

Thank you for being part of this journey.