WhatsTheBuzzAbout.com

Your Online Name

Your name is the first step in establishing your online identify. It seems as though it should be simple to make the decision as to what name you want to use. However, that is not always the case. There are many ways to establish an online identity from how you complete requests for your photograph, to your email address, your name, your tagline, and your signature block or blocks. Taken as a whole, these myriad of individual decisions comprise your identity. 

Deciding What Name Is Right for You In Any Situation

Many people espouse that you should be consistent in how you display your name on the various sites.  Using a consistent name might prove to be the most advantageous, if you are strictly in business mode, establishing or maintaining name branding, or are an industry leader. However, for example, if you are a teenager, use friendship as well as purely business networks, have stage or celebrity status, or simply want to use a variety of names online, it is perfectly acceptable to do so. You may want to use your nick name in some cases on informal sites, your full given name on others, your first and last name on others, and perhaps, a married name, a surname, etc. 

It is your decision and there is no right or wrong decision as long as you abide by the standards and requirements of the web site or platform.

The General Rules

However, there are some simple rules and courtesies to keep in mind.

1.       Abide by the rules of the web site and platform.

2.       Remember that there are individuals who do not share or who do not understand traditions in your culture, and therefore, who may not understand your name. For example, not all individuals are accustomed to the use of surnames, to names which include regions, to the sequence of placement of names, to people with only a single name, or to truncated names such as Sharma randomly used in place of or in addition to using the extended name of Sharmamurthy, etc.

3.       Make sure that people know what your name is. Don’t be upset if people make mistakes in writing or pronunciation, etc. Rarely, will someone try to deliberately offend you by making a mistake in your name.

4.       Don’t put extraneous characters in your name, such as a name “^#!constantine&$++jones” which will make it difficult to retrieve and organize the information for your contacts and others.

5.       Don’t load your name with your achievements, such as a name “Crystal MBP, SPHR, CPA, JD, DD, PMP Stareck,” which only serves to clutter your name.

6.       Don’t load your name with your email address, such as a name “Espinosa enmabsbdmb@… Sanchez.”

7.       Don’t capitalize every letter.

8.       Don’t sign in as two people on a social media platform under one public profile, such as BrettandMaryAnne Wainwrittenroof. Some individuals might want to connect with both individuals; however most people would like to connect with one or the other individual. In general, being two people acting as one on social media platforms is not professional, friendly, or cute. It also may limit how others will interact with one or both individuals.

9.       Always keep in mind that your contacts might want to file your information in a program such as Plaxo. Most times individuals in business will have hundreds or thousands of contacts and filing the names electronically by last name or by the name of the business, etc. will be the best. The less cluttered your name, the easier it makes it for your contacts to remember you, to file, and to retrieve electronically.

In summary, your name is your first impression – make it a good one.

What is your buzz about?