Are you struggling to find the perfect social media handle to represent your brand? Hoping to snag a certain username that embodies your personal identity or interests?
With over 4.55 billion social media users worldwide, finding your desired name can be a challenge. But having a memorable, relevant handle allows you to stand out and get discovered by your ideal audience.
This comprehensive guide will share insider tips to help you secure the ideal username on any social media platform.
Know Your Target Audience
With over 68% of adults in the US using Facebook alone, simply getting a username related to your name or business won‘t make you easily found.
The first step is identifying who you want to reach with your social media presence.
For a business, this includes defining:
- Demographics like age, gender, income level, location
- Interests, values and lifestyle traits
- Where they spend time online
Without understanding your audience, you risk choosing a username that exposes you to the wrong people and repels your ideal customers.
Conduct in-depth audience research through surveys, interviews, focus groups and examining competitors. Analyze the types of handles influencers or brands popular with your targets use.
Let your audience guide the themes and tone of your username.
Brainstorm Memorable Username Options
Your handle should reflect your brand identity or interests in a way followers instantly recognize. But it doesn‘t have to be your exact name or business title.
Some examples of great usernames:
- BlendsLikeABoss (kitchen appliance brand)
- TrailsideTreadmill (fitness equipment retailer)
- CupidsCheesecake (bakery)
- WatchWearer (watch enthusiast)
Get creative and play with variations related to your niche until you develop a shortlist of options.
Factors to Consider:
Length: Keep it concise, under 15 characters if possible. Long or complex usernames are hard to remember.
Spelling: Avoid confusing letter combinations that can cause typos. Test spellability with others.
Readability: Split words like TrailSideTreadmill for ease.
Keyword relevance: Work in keywords your audience searches for like "cheesecake" or "treadmill".
Consistency: Ideally use one name across platforms for recognizability.
Personality: Let your username reflect the tone, values and purpose of your brand.
Don‘t worry about incorporating dates, locations or numbers, as these look unoriginal.
Research Availability Thoroughly
Finding a great name is only the first step – you need to ensure it‘s actually available to register as your handle.
Carefully research the availability of your top username choices across major platforms like:
- YouTube
- TikTok
The ideal solution is securing your preferred name on all relevant sites.
You can check availability by:
- Using a username generator tool to search multiple platforms instantly
- Manually trying to create accounts on each platform
- Searching platform-specific hashtags and handles to see if anyone already uses it
- Entering the name on a site like Namechk.com for wider availability insights
If your perfect name isn‘t available everywhere, tweak it slightly on a platform-by-platform basis while keeping it recognizable.
For example, TrailsideTreadmill could become:
- TrailsideTreadmill (Instagram)
- TrailsideTreads (Twitter)
- TrailsideTreadsYT (YouTube)
Seek Feedback from Others
Once you‘ve identified top contenders available on key platforms, ask for input from peers, colleagues and your target audience.
Questions to get feedback on potential usernames:
- Do they immediately understand what the name represents?
- Which option do they prefer and why?
- Can they easily recall and spell the names?
- Do they have alternative suggestions you overlooked?
Feedback from unbiased sources can reveal issues like complex spelling you may not have considered.
Acting on input now prevents a major rebrand down the road if your name doesn‘t resonate.
Secure Your Desired Username
Once you‘ve selected the perfect handle, it‘s time to officially claim it before someone else snaps it up.
On each platform, register for an account using your chosen name.
Even if you don‘t plan to actively use a site yet, claim the name to prevent future issues.
To make your claim legitimate:
- Populate your profile with a bio, profile/cover photo, links and contact info
- Follow accounts in your niche to look engaged
- Post introductory content or updates when possible
Creating a complete profile signals an active account, reducing chances of losing the name later.
Keep Your Accounts Active
Social platforms regularly scan for and delete inactive accounts. To avoid this fate:
- Log into each profile at least monthly
- Continuously engage by liking, commenting, posting, messaging etc.
- Keep info like bios and links up to date
Set calendar reminders to use your accounts periodically. See them as long-term social media real estate investments.
Reassess as Your Brand Evolves
Usernames that perfectly fit at launch may need revisiting if your brand expands into new areas later on.
For example, CupidsCheesecake may want to shorten to just Cupids if adding pies, cakes and other bakery items to their lineup.
Periodically consider if your username still aligns with:
- The products, services or interests you now focus on
- How your target audience perceives your brand
- Keyword searches your followers use to find you
A username change can disrupt your visibility. But it may be worth it if your current name severely mismatches your brand identity. Use social media announcements and redirects to smoothly guide fans to your new handle.
Choosing a social media username with purpose and forethought sets you up for long-term success online. Apply these tips to confidently secure the ideal name that represents you or your business to the world.
