Choose Your Usernames Carefully
We all know that online, perception is the only reality. How we are perceived by those who do not yet have the pleasure of knowing us is determined by everything we do online that is visible to others.
Your e-mail address is one of this criteria. I’ve discussed before the importance of using your own dot com for all your business e-mail activities. Use of freebie “throw-away” accounts such as Yahoo, Hotmail or Gmail for business activities can reflect a lack of tech savvy and certainly doesn’t make as professional an impression as using your own dot com.
Usernames that you choose when signing up for forums, Blogs and other sites where you will participate and comment, are just as critical to how others view you. Choosing your usernames carefully can also help to brand you as an expert in your field.
For example, when I participate on forums, my handle or visible username is: TechMuse. By using that username I not only am stating who I am but what I am. I’ve had many a site visitor to my site state they found me on one of the forums I participate in, were curious about “TechMuse” and read my profile and then went to my site. They then subscribed to my Blog and even took the time to send a complimentary email.
Another I use, when I am discussing the topic of Email Etiquette, is username: NetManners. Use of this handle again makes it clear a topic that I find important and encourages others to check me out and hopefully visit my site. Of course, there are times I use plain old Judith, too.
When creating user names, keep in mind:
- If you use your first name, capitalize it so that it displays properly.
- If you use a handle, such as I do with TechMuse or NetManners, make sure it is apropos to your business and not overly hypey.
- Refrain from using product names or targeted search engine keywords as your visible username. When you choose a username with these terms, it is clear your motives for participation are purely to commercial gain and not to share and help others. Plus it looks spammy.
Choosing usernames carefully is a great way to attract interest and gain new contacts — don’t squander the opportunity!
At your service,
Judith
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FYI: I do not approve comments from those who use keywords in lieu of their names. Not only do those comments tend to be self-serving, I prefer to make a real connection with visitors who comment on my Blog -- can't do that with keywords. Please see my comment policy for more ...
