Getting found online is necessary to remain competitive and building your overall brand awareness. Search engine optimization is the starting gate in achieving higher search engine rankings and is only one part of your social media strategic marketing plan. The other big component is engaging and building relationships. There are many different social media applications and choosing the right name to represent you or your company to build recognition and credibility is a part of the overall strategy.
The “norms” of social media are ever changing as what was once viewed as a “What are you doing” has now become more of what value can you provide to followers. This can range from top news stories, business trends, small business branding ideas to book reviews, sports discussions, etc. As a small business owner you are representing the business however you still have personal interests outside your business. How do you decide which name is the right name for Twitter and other social media profiles?
8 Tips for Creating Your Twitter Name
1. Company Name. Selecting your company name for a big, established brand is the obvious. We know that there is a real person behind the name however they tend to stay right on target with their brand, its offerings and customer service. Smaller companies it is not so obvious. Using the company name does create awareness about the company however your personal brand gets lost and what happens when you leave the company?
2. Descriptive Product/Service Company Name. This works best if you have a company name that is not descriptive to what you do.
3. Descriptive Name. This is not company specific nor a nickname. This is a name that is associated with you or you make associated with what you do. @problogger is probably the most well-known descriptive name on Twitter.
4. Geographic Name. Attaching your location can be a great conversation starter and a way for people to search for people within the same area or interest area. This helps with local search engine optimization but does not necessarily allow for immense growth should you expand your business.
5. Descriptive Personal Name. These associate what you do with your first or last name. @CoachDeb. She is a business coach who attaches what she does with a name. She is established in her field and is very credible. Great choice if you are able to maintain the business as it allows you the freedom to share personal thoughts, interests as well as industry news.
6. Personal Name. Employees of companies, real estate agents, small business owners, bloggers, etc. The list goes on and on. Utilizing your personal name allows for sharing content of points of interest, blog promotion, sports teams – it is many times the best option to build your relationships as followers get to know you as well as become aware of your company.
7. Interest Name. Many people identify themselves by interests. We see many who associate their Twitter name with their favorite team. They build a follower base around their interest and become credible to this group. If you product or service is geared towards this interest group, it is a great way to promote by being where your target market resides.
8. Just for Fun. These names can be taken seriously and gain notoriety so long as they associate with their target market.
Creating your profile name goes back to what awareness and credibility you wish to gain. It is an important factor to consider in your social media strategy as who or what do you want to be remembered as? Using a personal name has its advantages as it is limitless on sharing information while remaining credible. It is what people will be searching for and with a name that is not so common, easiest to rank for. Creating your personal brand by incorporating your business name in your profile allows people to find you by name and also company name.
How did you decide your profile name? How has it worked for you? Considering changing your name?
photo credit: curiouslee
