Use a memorable name when it comes to using social media

1. STAFF

   Paul Edmondsonposted 13 years ago

   One thing people should do when using HubPages or any other social media site is to pick a memorable name.  Some people like the anonymity of the web and will use an alias.  When you pick an alias pick something memorable like Drax, or jimmythejock.  Try to avoid names with numbers like Paul1221 or mixing letter cases like PaUlEdMoNdSoN.
   
   I prefer using my real name.  If you have a really difficult name, you may consider an online name similarly to an actor picking a screen name.  You'll want to build all your social media profiles around this name, so it's best to avoid names like Michael Arrington or Kevin Rose where there is already a well known person, but create something that sounds good, but less common like Timothy Brinton or Townsend Jones.  You may want to assume this identity offline as well if your social media persona becomes very well known.

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   SunSevenposted 13 years ago

   Is my name ok Paul?

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   Lisa HWposted 13 years ago

   I've done the opposite of taking on the pen name in real life in case I become well known:  For me, real name/real life - any fame, fortune, professional reputation, dignity self-respect, and/or infamy remain reserved for the name my parents gave me.
   
   The pen name, however, does have "her" own identity when it comes to online stuff and pretty much anything (phone number, e.mail, bank account, etc.) associated with it.  If I'd known it was going to take on a life of its own I would have been more careful choosing it.  I hate it.     (Hmmm. Maybe I shouldn't have been "Bambi Fairystar".   

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   Michael Willisposted 13 years ago

   I chose to use my real name for the first time when I signed on with HubPages. I had always used an alias before.
   I felt that since I was writing more in a reporting style or magazine style articles that real name would lend more credibility to the articles.
   I also have a last name that could be linked to searches for an actor with the same last name. lol

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   Gordon Hamiltonposted 13 years ago

   I now completely understand the value of this advice but am in a strange position re such as social bookmarking sites. Although I have always used my real name on Hub Pages and every other site I have ever written to, I was given advice in my early online days to use different identities on what we may call subsidiary sites. I listened to that supposedly, "Expert," advice and now am probably suffering from it.
   
   Still, it is often said that there is no greater teacher than experience...

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   Urbane Chaosposted 13 years ago

   ...this is really good advice.
   
   I've done this with each genre that I write about.  When I started writing here, it was an experiment, so I used my "usual" name to begin with.. but, with the Oklahoma articles for example, I've used "Oklahoma Traveler" on my blogs, facebook, twitter, etc.  I've been amazed at how many people have found me just by my alias.  The only time that I use my real name is when I'm contacted to do articles for publication, otherwise I always use my alias.

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   SandyMcCollumposted 13 years ago

   I wish I'd have done it earlier, there are like seven Sandy McCollums and one of them is a television news reporter and another one doesn't pay her bills and I get calls all the time for her. One of them even has my same middle initial.

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   Randy Godwinposted 13 years ago

   I've always used my real name and see no reason to use another.  No matter how famous I am already!

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   klarawieckposted 13 years ago

   I use Klara Wieck which was a 19th century pianist and composer, and her name was Clara, not Klara. And she was mostly known by her husbands surname, Clara Schumann. Nobody knows this stuff anyways.

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    Cagsilposted 13 years ago

    I don't want to be known. I want something better, so I picked a "name" that is difficult to forget, but can be remembered by learning a simple sentence.

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    Lisa HWposted 13 years ago

    Other than just picking a pen name because it was suggested on one of the first sites I wrote on, I'm not comfortable posting my real name online.  That's mainly because, for the type of writing I was doing, I didn't want my kids to be embarrassed.  They were in high school when I started writing, so they and their friends were online.  Kids get embarrassed, not matter how "harmless" something their mother writes may be.
    
    Besides, I've got some left-over shyness from childhood.  I conquered the main part of it, but I'm no good with anything very public (pictures, speaking, personal details).  I'm also just not comfortable with stuff being on the Internet. The sleaze that's out there is bad enough without adding personal details. 

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