How to Choose Your Social Media Moniker

Posted by admin in Web Marketing on 02 12th, 2010 | View Comments

How to Choose Your Social Media Moniker

by dotJenna ♥ Revised February 15, 2010

Your Social Media Moniker is the name that will represent you throughout the web, expanding to all social networks of which you are a member. Much like a domain name, your unique name for social media will be used to help people find you quickly and easily. It should describe who you are and what you do or what you believe in–all within 12 characters or less. If you follow my advice, you will use this one Social Media Moniker all throughout the web on all the social networks you will be joining — YES! You’re going to be joining lots in the future– we all will.

Your Social Media Moniker can serve as a business card and will also be on your business card like an email address. When you’re out “socializing” face-to-face, you can simply spout off your unique Social Media Moniker and viola! Instant name recognition–even without a pen. Pick the right social media handle, and anyone can find you–especially if it’s memorable.

Your Unique Web Moniker is like your domain name, only it’s the part of you that goes out and about to places like Twitter, YouTube, Digg, FriendFeed, Gmail, Google Buzz and many, many more. It’s best to have a Moniker that stays the same, so people can find you all over the place, and you don’t have to worry that your name is already taken. I’ve compiled some tips for picking a Social Media Moniker that will help you increase your name recognition online and off.

1. One Name
You need one name to carry you through all the social media sites, otherwise it will be hard for people to remember.

2. Your Name
Your Unique Web Moniker should be some variation of your real name. If your name is super-unique, then you’re lucky. Go and register it in the main social sites to secure it for later, even if you’re not using those networks yet. (ie: JaneZeel)

NOTE: Do not use your real name if it is hard to spell–unless it is already very well known in your market. Example: Since Sandi’s name is spelled weird, I recommend that she use the mispelling of her name that is more common. I think she should do this to make her page more easy to get to for people who don’t know how to spell it.

Either that, or if your name is too hard to spell, you may not want to use it at all. Find something easier. Think simple, simple, simple. You want to be able to shout it out in the grocery line and have the other person remember it without having to write it down.

3. Short (12 Characters or Less)
The smallest character allowance so far among social media websites is Twitter, which only allows space for 11 characters. Your Unique Web Moniker needs to fit on Twitter because Twitter is a very important site for social media.

4. Characters Only
Avoid strange characters and underscores. These are very hard to convey when you’re in a hurry, and will be even harder for your followers to remember.

5. Memorable
If you are not using your name, pick something that is memorable, since the goal of social media is to increase notoriety, you need a name that rolls off the tongue.

6. Descriptive
You may also want to add something that reflects what you do such as: “jimmyrealtor.” Just make sure it’s available on the major sites.Your Unique Web Moniker should relate to what you do, while also giving you room to grow and expand. It should also

7. Company or Industry
If you already have a popular name that is on the web, such as your title or your company name, you may want to use that throughout your social networks instead of your own name.

7. Not too cute.
Think of a name that matches your business.
Search for that name on the web (without spaces) ie: “RobPaulRealty”

8. Domain URL available.
Try to get a name that is also available in the domain name format, if possible. Check GoDaddy.com to see if your chosen name is already taken.

9. No Trademarks
Do not use major brand names or trademarked names, unless you own full rights, or else you may be forced to give your name upo later and waste your hard-work. It’s not allowed, for example, for a Realtor to use the word “realtor” in her name because the term realtor is owned by NAR. Likewise, you shouldn’t use your company name if you’re an agent of say, “AFLAC.”

Social Media URL

Your Unique Web Moniker will serve as your URL for the many social media sites out there, such as:

Look at the following list to see how your Unique Web Moniker will be incorporated into your social media domains.

Even if you’re not active on these sites yet, you should check to see if it is available in the major social sites, just in case.

Twitter – Allows you to change name later.
Gmail - Makes receiving email way-easy.
YouTube - Gives special URL page.
Facebook – User Name granted if over 200 friends.
GoDaddy – Register the domain, if available.

Unique Web Moniker Examples

Here are a few Unique Web Monikers I found on Twitter to give you an idea of what to name yourself. Please don’t copy! Think of your own original, unique name using your own fresh ideas.

The list goes on, but you get the point.

Tools for Checking Your User Name Availability

Here are tools for checking the availability of your brand as the user name on hundreds of popular social media websites:

1. Knowem.com
2. Namechk.com

You should immediately register your user name on every social media site you can think of in order to secure it from squatters.

Selecting Your Own Web Moniker

Take time to think about your Unique Web Moniker. Decide who you want to be and how you want to be represented. Consider who you are today, and who you may want to be tomorrow. Choose a name that is easy to remember, represents your business and helps people recognize you quickly. Make sure the name is available across the major social media sites of today, and chances are good it will still be there when new sites crop up tomorrow. Be careful in what you choose–once you get started, it’s hard to go back!

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