Picking a blog name is probably the hardest task when you go about starting a new blog. Your blog name is going to be what defines you as a blogger and what people are going to address you as from now till the end of time... well sort of.
Today I thought I'd share some of my thoughts on picking a blog name that sticks, stands out and defines your blog without restricting you or potentially embarrassing you down the line!
Today I thought I'd share some of my thoughts on picking a blog name that sticks, stands out and defines your blog without restricting you or potentially embarrassing you down the line!
So lets talk about me. My blog name is my name without any vowels in – It’d been my MySpace name for years and something I’d been using as a username for various websites and forums for as long as I could remember. I dont know where it came from, but it was something that just stuck. I didn’t really think too much about the name of my blog at the time as I had no idea where blogging would take me, I just mindlessly tapped it into Blogger when I registered and that was that.
On reflection it was a silly idea in parts but one that I dont necessarily regret. While it’s recognisable nowadays and somewhat ~iconic~ (spawned a generation of copy cat blog names) so many people still don’t know what my blog’s really called or how to say it out loud. They know what it looks like but they don’t really say it out loud. I’ve been to press events where PRs have been “Oh you’re Lily from… uhh…” My housemate even thought it was the name of a Welsh town! I say phonetically as ELL ELL WHY EM ELL ARR ESS, it's easy for me to say as it's my name and Im used to it. But most of the time I tend to just refer to myself as “Lily Melrose” when introducing myself always and other people tend to do that too. While most people see LLYMLRS and know it’s me, it’s not easy to spell or say and if you didn’t know my name was Lily Melrose and it clicked it had no vowels you’d have no idea where to begin pronouncing it.
Picking a name that’s simple and easy to remember is paramount. You want your readers to be able to find you with ease but you also want something distinctive and that sets you apart from the other bloggers or vloggers out there.
I think two or three words are the best for blog names and domain urls. The reason why Zoella or Vlog Brothers are so easy to remember is because they are short, snappy and can easily be typed out. They stick in your mind and are simple but effective but also instantly recognisable. No one is questioning how to say them or what they mean.
It’s also worth thinking about a timeless name. I know a lot of bloggers who started their blog around the same time as me with names that just didn’t stand the test of time. As you grow as a person you might not want a blog under that name or your personal hobby of the moment. Whilst it may seem like a good idea to call your blog something like ‘Sparkle Lipsticks’ when you are in your teens, you might come to regret it when you are in your twenties and cringe at telling others your blog name.
Also avoid a name that ties you to a very particular subject, if you go for something more generic, but still memorable, you can shape and change the content later down the line. True, you can still rebrand further down the line, establishing a name from the beginning is the best way to go as you might not like being stuck with a name your readers call you! I can think of a few bloggers who have gone from blog nicknames to their real names yet people still call them by their old names. Essie Button for example!
Also avoid a name that ties you to a very particular subject, if you go for something more generic, but still memorable, you can shape and change the content later down the line. True, you can still rebrand further down the line, establishing a name from the beginning is the best way to go as you might not like being stuck with a name your readers call you! I can think of a few bloggers who have gone from blog nicknames to their real names yet people still call them by their old names. Essie Button for example!
Additionally, although I’ve always used my full name online, on reflection, I wish I hadn’t. Although it's become very normal to do so, especially on Youtube. In the last few years a lot of big name video bloggers have transitioned into using their full names online rather than pseudonym. It’s not ideal when it comes to online privacy and it’s daunting that it’s going to be there in internet history tillthe ends of time! But que sera sera, and thats how it is. It's definitely something to consider avoiding if you're worried about the future though.
Don’t underestimate the importance of your blog name. It’s really key to consider that special and unique name that will stick out from the crowd and make you memorable. So give it some thought, dont use the first name you come up with, ask around and most importantly choose something you feel comfortable with.
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