The social media handle is like your social media nickname that starts with the “@” symbol.
The social media handle is the most important tag before you create your brand, online website or business. It is considered as important as a super hit movie that is watched with the same zeal even after years.
Let’s discuss some simple ideas on how to make your social media handle stand out.
There are four main points one needs to keep in mind:
Eye-Catching name The 15 character limit on Twitter or other platforms allows you to use your creativity with little research to come up with a name that scratches your itch not only for you, but also to your followers. Keywords are one of the crucial game changers. So choose wisely a name that is easy to remember and searchable.
Search for the desired handle. The next step after thinking about your handle, it is important to check that you have a unique handle and that no one has used it before on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter ( If you want the same one on all platforms).
It’s time to claim your handle. If your social media online handle is available, it’s time to claim it by creating accounts on each social platform so that no one in the future use tse thhe unique handle.
A profile picture with a few details A profile picture with a short bio signifies your seriousness towards your upcoming brand idea and account. With this, you should be aware of who your audience is.
Beware of username squatting. Twitter has reserved the right to delete your Online account if you have created a handle and have not used the account for more than six months. So if you create a handle, try to use it every now and then.
These are some conditions under which you can be declared a handle squatter.
- If someone owns different accounts.
- When someone creates handles and prevents them from using those account names.
- When someone creates and sells accounts.
- When someone creates and maintains accounts using third party contributions and names.
To avoid the squatter conditions mentioned above, consider the points below that will help you make your username stand out, which will ultimately sustain your business for life.
Ten things to CONSIDER, if Choosing Social Media Handles for a business or personal brand:
- If it is for a personal brand, try to use @firstnamelastname.
- Avoid underscores. They are so easy to forget or mistype.
- As mentioned earlier, there is a limit to characters on social media platforms. If you want to use your handle on all platforms with the same name, it should be 15 characters or less.
- Try to use the same name as your domain if it is for another business.
- Avoid using numbers in your handles (@myclass1) makes you look fake.
- Keep it short. The longer your username is, the harder it is to remember or write.
- You can also try prefixing it with sociable terms like “Hello”, “I am”, “We are”, or “We do”.
- Do not misspell or abbreviate your name – it makes it tedious to remember.
- Add respectability, such as “HQ” or “I am” if your first choice is already taken.
- If your account is used for customer service, you can add “ask” or “help”.
When is it necessary to change your social media handle?
There are certain points when you should think of changing your social media name.
- When you create a post and use embedded tweets in it for more visibility, a month later you notice that the social posts are not gathering many views because the social handles have changed their names, which as a result means little effort to refresh your post with new links.
- Sometimes outgrowing your social media handles may confuse your audience, as this happens when you make multiple handles and change companies. With recognizable characters, it becomes easy to connect with the right audience. When you change companies, it’s important to change your handle or choose a quirky username that maintains clarity for your followers.
- If you are working on your brand and serving the audience under the name of your previous employer, you need to be clear about your new company and make a change in your social media online handle at the right time.
To continue your social media online consistency, it is important to consider when it is necessary to change your handle and what points you need to consider when choosing social media handle names.
If you have any more questions about social media handles, please share them in the comments.