According to Wikipedia, a username is a way of telling who is writing something. It helps people to communicate. That’s how social media works too.
Your username is your primary social media name by which you are contacted, by which you are recognized. It is the first thing people pay attention to when they come to your page. But don’t forget that it not only distinguishes your page or account on any social network but is also “responsible for” the security and confidentiality of your data.
There’s no need to say how important it is because it’s self-explanatory. Well, what is the most appropriate name for your social media world, and how do you pick it out?
Read the article to know more about a perfect username and develop your best username using simple tips or username generator tools.
Why is the correct username important?
- Distinguish your business/product from the rest
It’s hard to imagine business development outside the internet today. At the very least, it’s the fastest and most logical way to acquire new customers and make your business more advanced, given how much time we devote to social media each day!
That is why there is so much choice for the buyer and so much competition for the seller. The first place to start is by choosing a unique and uncommon name to make your product distinctive.
For example, even Forbes article about creating a FB business page tells about the importance of picking out a Facebook business username before setting up a business page as its core thing to be noticed.
- Attract more followers/customers/partners
A great username that describes your business product or field in a couple of words can play a significant role in attracting a new audience. If users look at your nickname and understand who you are and what you do, and you are in the field of their interest, they are seconds away from following you.
- Make your brand recognizable
Practice shows that using the same successful username on different social networks increases the chance to identify your product. That is, your unique name has made the product recognizable and popular.
- Create a security/confidentiality level
If your name is too trivial, it can lead to hackers guessing your username. That is why it is not easy to come up with, because on the one hand, it should show who you are, and on the other hand, it should not just include your real name with surname, phone number or part of your password.
But if you can come up with a uniquely exciting and descriptive name of your product, you increase your account’s security.
NB: on websites such as LinkedIn, where first and last names are essential in maintaining your professional image, it is best not to be too creative, but to keep your first and last name as a username to be easily found by employers, influencers or partners.
Three main criteria of a successful social media username
Unique
The first criterion is uniqueness, so it is not always easy to choose a name because many of them are already taken.
Simple
Don’t make life difficult for yourself and other users by memorizing a complicated and long name.
Logical
It is the main criteria for a social media username where you develop your business. As was mentioned above, your username should tell people at a glance who you are and what you do.
NB: the choice of a nickname depends on your social media goals. Suppose your main goal is not business development and product promotion. In that case, you can focus on being more creative and unusual, not including your business or company name, but being authentic and perhaps quirky while name creating.
How to choose a social media username
There are different ways to come up with a name: make it up yourself using all the creativity you possess, or use a username generator that suggests a name based on the keywords you enter. Let’s take a closer look at the two ways.
Choosing by yourself
- Include initials
Initials are a great way to make your name unique and still describe you or your business. It is a great option when your name is already taken, but you still want to use your first name or a second one.
- Include career
It doesn’t matter if you’re a PR manager, a blogger, or a fitness trainer, because it can all be included in a nickname (@PRJoneSmith, for example) so that people know about you “at a glance”. Simply add your job name to your username, and you’re done!
- Include a word like real/official/I’m/this, etc.
This variant is excellent for those who are pretty popular on social networks and want to show that the account is not fake at all by adding the word “real”, “official” one, etc.(@realDonaldTrump).
- Underscore
It is quite a popular name-generating tactic because underscores at the beginning/mid or end look unusual and work as unique if your nickname is already taken.
- Use a formality
Mr, Mrs, Miss, Sir, etc. formal title will make your name unique if you want to keep your real name (@DrGaryChapman).
- Add verbs
Like @JonPlaysMusic or @MikeWritesBooks, verb insertion “dilutes” the dull combination of first name and surname, thereby making the username creative, career-related, and recognizable.
- Keep it simple
If your name/surname is complicated, it is best not to mention it or replace it with a pseudonym, an abbreviated name; otherwise, people will have difficulty pronouncing it and are unlikely to remember it.
- Add a short brand description
Of course, it’s complicated to fit the whole brand description into one or two words, but here’s the trick: write all the words or phrases that describe your brand and make it a distinctive one, pick the coolest description from written ones and try to unite it all in one word. It can be any part of speech, but the important thing is that users understand what product or brand this account “represents”.
NB: in some networks (not related with business development) mentioning your first and last name is not essential. In any case, do not give your confidential information (even though it is easy for you to remember) to ensure safety and anonymity.
Choosing with a username generator
If you need some kind of memorable name and you’re not boasting creative skills, username generators may assist you in creating a catchy name.
You simply enter keywords that describe you as a person, your hobby, business/brand description, or other words, depending on what you want to emphasize with the name, set up filters, and a tool generates relevant usernames according to keywords you’ve entered.
LastPass, Jimpix, BestRandoms, SpinXO, BNG, Bigbangram, etc., username generator instruments are some of the web-based generators that operate online without the need for installation/registration.
The last thoughts: what not to add to a username?
- Swear words
Avoid swear words or words with political, terrorist, or sexual connotations, not only to avoid embarrassing yourself in front of your boss on social media (oops, he’s registered there too) but also to avoid leaving a negative impression on other users.
- A rather complicated words
Even for a nickname in a fantastic online game, a complex name is not a pretty good solution. A creative name can be a simple one. If the name is intended for business promotion, then forget about complicated names — users will not perceive them at all.
- Confidential info
Nicknames containing passwords, your bank account numbers, or any other secret information (in some cases even your real name/surname/native town) that is already known to you and easy to remember may violate your data’s security.
