Choosing a name for your blog is critical step. As as a blogger you are blessed in that you always have the opportunity to rebrand later, but this becomes more difficult as time goes on and your audience grows. So come up with something that you love now to save yourself the trouble later.
It may be tempting to forge ahead with the first name that comes to mind because you want to start writing. But rushing the process may be something you regret later in the life of your blog and can also be quite costly!
Make sure you keep these five things in mind when developing your blog or book name.
work with a clear head
After hours of thinking about your blog name it can become tedious and frustrating if you aren’t coming up with anything you like. This is when you need to push yourself away from the computer, take a break and come back to the drawing board refreshed. I know it may seem tough to pull away as you’re ready to get the ball rolling, but you will thank yourself later!
Ask around
Many times as writers we incorporate the views of other, we ask for their opinions, ideas or editing skills, so why choose a name in a silo? Working alone may prove successful for some, but it is still a good idea to get other’s opinions before purchasing that domain name. Ask family, friends or even strangers their thoughts on the name you’ve chosen. You can even ask for ideas on names from others, sometimes you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Use polls
Social media is a great way to connect with others and now that we have the ability to create polls so you should definitely take advantage. You can use the back of our ‘choosing a blog name you love’ to keep track of poll results.
Don’t settle
Settling is never a good idea in relationships, but did you know this also holds true for blog names!? Don’t just settle for a name because it sounds okay or because other’s seem to like it. It is your creation, so you should be head over heels in love with it just like that man or woman!
Don’t rush the process
If you’re taking the time to read this post then you probably want a blog name that you can be truly proud of and satisfied with, so why rush such a delicate process? Make sure you aren’t choosing a name or title because you want to get it over with and get started, you will probably regret this in the long run.
keep the domain in minD
When you finally do develop a name you like, you will first and foremost want to see if the name is already in use as a domain. If it is you may have to get creative through the use of abbreviations or not using a dot com.
Also, keep in mind how will the name sound as a domain? Is the domain easy on the eyes and fingers?
Keep it short and sweet
Choose a shorter name over a lengthy one. This will make it easier for readers to find and recall over time. This may not hold true for more popular blogs that are well established, but if you’re just starting out you’ll want a name that’s easy for your readers to remember
Remember to get social
Check social media and other outlets to see if and how the blog name is already being used. If it is being used and the domain isn’t taken you may want to choose a tagline that establishes your brand further so it won’t be confused with other entities.
Trademark search
Once you’ve chosen a name make sure to check the trademarked using the Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) database to make sure it isn’t trademarked. You can find it here.
Keep in mind the relevancy
Keep in mind any names that you come up with relevancy to your blog. You may come up with great, catchy names but if they aren’t aligned with your content it will only serve to confuse readers.
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