Whether you are creating a blog in 2022 for personal or business purposes, the hardest thing about getting started is often choosing the right blog name. Naming a blog is a challenging experience, but it is not insurmountable. Eager bloggers, especially writers new to this medium, may quickly jump at the first name they think of or that is available for purchase. They may register their domain name and start writing and publishing content, only to discover much later that their blog name does their site traffic more harm than good.
There are a variety of reasons why a blog name may not work effectively or efficiently for you. Perhaps the name is too long, complicated, or awkward sounding. Maybe the blog name doesn’t quite suit the blog’s niche. If you’ve decided to publish a blog, or if you realize your blog name needs updating, these tips can help you find success with your blogging brand.
Don’t rush and do some research
As tempting as it may be to pick the first blog name that sounds good to you, try not to rush the process. Ideally, you want to choose the best name for your blog the first time; while blog names can be changed in the future, it is a time-consuming process that can cause you to lose organic traffic, followers, clients, and customers.
Additionally, if you link your social media accounts to your blog, then change the blog’s name, you will most likely have to start from scratch with your accounts, potentially losing thousands of followers and likes. Therefore, it is critically important that you are confident about your blog naming and have researched it thoroughly before you register it.
When you are choosing a name, there are important factors about your blog to take into account, such as:
- What is your blog’s niche, or focus?
- What will be the tone of the blog?
- Who is your assumed or intended audience?
- Will your brand connect to your blog names?
- Are social media account names available to match your blog name?
When you have answered these questions, you will be ready to begin finding a naming of your blog. If your blog is for business purposes or if you are planning to monetize it through advertising or affiliates, then the brand you create through that name is vitally important to the success of your business.
How to pick your blog names easy step to follow
Ideally, you think How do I name my blog and you want a name that represents you and your brand, and there are a variety of ways to create a catchy, memorable blog name. Here are some options to consider:
Keep it short and sweet
Try to choose a blog name that is easy to remember and short. You want people to find and read your blog, and a snappy yet economic blog name will accomplish that goal. Long, bland, uninspiring names are less likely to garner any clicks and are harder to remember. If you are optimizing your blog titles, longer blog names limit your space to effectively use SEO data for that post.
For example, if you are writing a travel blog, don’t choose a long, banal name like “Sarah’s Deep Thoughts and Travel Adventures.” Instead, look at your competitors and the names they’ve chosen for their blogs. Blog names such as “A Broken Backpack” and “Dan Flying Solo” are intriguing enough to get that coveted click and look-through. Aim for unforgettable, and don’t shy away from using witty or humorous names if they suit your niche and brand.
Use blog naming formulas and generators
Maybe you’re not so confident in coming up with a blog naming entirely on your own, and that’s completely fine. There are a couple of formulas to try that may help guide you in the right direction.
First, use juxtaposition by combining your topic or audience/focus group with your end goal, and see what you come up with; some examples would be “Blogging Wizard” and “Time Management Ninja.”
Another method to name your blog is by creating a portmanteau, or a word that mixes sounds and meanings of two other words. The word blog is itself a portmanteau of the words “web” and “log.” A blog title using a portmanteau, such as “Swagbucks,” is an example of how this method can be useful. Want to give it a try? Use Namemesh.com to create some portmanteaus of your own.
Finally, if you’re still stuck, head over to some quality blog name generators online to make some creative magic happen. Not all generators are created equal, so here are a few to check out in your quest to find the perfect blog name:
- Wordoid offers multiple tool parameters, such as pattern, language, domain, and length, to help you find a made-up word perfect for your blog.
- Panabee lets you search for the perfect blog name through suggestions based on your original idea. This site generates examples from popular domain trends, abbreviations, phonemes, and syllables.
- DomainWheel uses AI to generate instant ideas for you based on rhymes, word combinations, and random suggestions.
- The quickest way to make sure all of your usernames are available is our free tool: NameChk.com
Remember, you can always use a thesaurus, a tried-and-true creative method, or run your ideas by friends and family and listen to their feedback.
Check your blog name ’s TLD and availability
Once you have a blog name in mind, the next step is to choose the best Top-Level Domain (TLD) for your brand. The TLD is the category of domain name extensions you must choose from before registering your blog name. There are 1,500 TLDs in existence, and they are all maintained by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). Extensions range from the traditional .com, .net, and .org, to newer, trendier ones like .mobily and .htc. Newer extensions are not top-level, so it’s best to avoid them altogether. Use extensions like .com which is instantly recognizable and easier for your consumers to remember.
At this stage, check social media such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to see if your chosen blog name is also available in some form through those platforms. Don’t purchase your blog domain name without checking social media availability as it can become confusing for people to follow your social media accounts if those names are different from your domain name. Social media platforms like LinkedIn are critically important marketing tools for your blog and brand.
When you choose a name, you want to make sure that no one else has legal possession of it. Even selecting a name that is similar to an established blog or company can be detrimental to your brand and business. Here’s how to make sure your blog name is unique and original:
- First, run a Google search of your blog name and any names as it.
- Next, search the name in the business registry database in your state.
- Finally, look for the name through a search of the U.S. Patent and Trademark TESS database.
It’s best to find out upfront if your blog name infringes on the legal rights of anyone else before your blog goes live. You can’t use previously trademarked names in your blog name, such as referencing car makes or models or types of soft drinks, as that violates copyright laws. To avoid legal trouble, you may want to hire an experienced and credentialed trademark attorney to ensure you are not infringing on any other existing websites, blogs, or companies.
Trademarking is also important for your blog and brand. Your attorney will help you file a trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. If you delay this process, then anyone can take your blog name, concept, and brand, and trademark it. The trademarking process can take anywhere from eight to ten months to complete. Trademarks don’t expire once they are enacted, and after five years, you need to show that your trademark is still active, so your blog must remain active as well.
There are laws that apply to you once you own a blog, including a Privacy Policy that must be clearly stated on your blog, especially if you are collecting personal information from site visitors. Copyright law must also be taken into consideration with any original, protected material you use. Blog terms and conditions and blog disclaimers are also necessary as insurance for your online business and brand. Many legal templates are available for your use online, but an attorney can help you as well.
Grow your blog name and brand
Now that you’ve got your blog name chosen, you’ve checked and started your social media accounts, and you’ve trademarked your blog and brand, it’s time to start growing that webpage. Take these steps to elevate your blog from average and ordinary to captivating and memorable:
- Create an appealing blog design, and think of it as the cover of a book. Yes, the content is most important, but your audience will be more liable to read that content if it’s presented in an eye-catching way. Choose your design template or hire a professional to design your blog for you.
- Know your SEO as many of your blog visitors will arrive via a search engine. By using keywords within your blog titles and posts, you can connect with a much wider audience. If you’re not familiar with SEO practices, use an easy plug-in like Yoast WordPress SEO to help you use SEO to your advantage.
- Respond to comments on your blog. Acknowledge your audience and build a relationship with them. By creating a community within your blog, your readers will return regularly.
- Schedule social media posts through your various accounts throughout the day. Programs like Hootsuite and CoSchedule can do all the work for you, and that way, your latest blog post notifications will be shared with your followers every day.
These vital steps will grow your brand and your blog by marketing your posts to followers, social media participants, and via SEO practices.
Just blog it
You may be creating a blog for personal reasons or designing a brand for your business ventures. Regardless of your purpose, blogs are an incredibly intimate and lucrative way to connect with other people about shared passions and interests while making some money through affiliate marketing and other monetisation techniques. There’s no time like the present, so don’t wait! Choose your blog name, design the page, and get writing on your path to personal and professional fulfilment.