Oh, the infamous username on Instagram. It’s easily one of the first things my students ask me about inside the Marketing Impact Academy. And I couldn’t even count how many of you in social media throw this topic my way, too.
You wonder if your handle should be your:
- Business name (i.e, product, service, company)
- Personal name
Here’s the answer. Definitively, you should have both a business and personal username. As in, it’s preferable to have more than one account on both Facebook and on Instagram.
Now, hold up! I know what you’re thinking…
“But Chalene, I don’t even have time to do a great job with the one account I have!”
Okay, we’ll get to that subject soon. Although, I will include this right now, it really just boils down to a better management system and understanding the value of outsourcing (one of those accounts to a virtual assistant).
Before I get into some of the worst username mistakes on Instagram, I’d love for you to check out the below Build Your Tribe podcast. I go into great detail on the two different types of accounts you need (Business & Personal), what I do with my own accounts, and what to do specifically with usernames if you’re in Network Marketing or trying to create a brand online…
Mistake #1: Having a username that no one will ever be able to remember or spell.
These are the usernames that mean absolutely nothing when you glance at it. Like, TLS1964Mom or BusinessQTForLife.
What?! Heck to the no, no, no, no, no, no.
It’s imperative that a username is one that people can spell and commit to memory when hearing it for the first time.
Mistake #2: Not using your personal name in some capacity.
The chances of your actual name being available are slim. Which is why I recommend using a handle that relates to your name.
Let’s say your name is Sarah Brown. Well, there’s probably 4,000 Sarah Browns on Instagram. So, you might consider:
- SarahBrownTV
- TheSarahBrownShow
- TheOfficialSarahBrown
- SarahBrownDowntown
Get it? Just use a piece of your name! This way, when people eventually meet you, they’re saying, “Oh, you’re Sarah Brown!”
No one in the history of the world has ever seen a person speak on stage and said, “Oh my gosh, that’s TLS1964Mom!”
The likelihood of that happening is so remote that one would be handicapping his or her brand by going with such a non-memorable and insignificant username in social media.
Make sure you’re subscribed to Build Your Tribe for weekly podcasts geared to making you an expert at all things social media!
