Archives > June 3, 2009

Your Twitter Name May Be Going, Going, Going, ...Gone!

By James Martell

Whether you’re a proficient Tweeter or a confused onlooker, Twitter sure is taking the planet by storm.

It’s all the rage right now. In fact, it’s the fastest-growing social networking tool on the planet, connecting individuals and businesses in real-time.

Believe it or not, the platform found its start in 2006 as a privately funded project that has since skyrocketed out of control.

The concept behind it was quite simple; Jack Dorsey, the man behind the idea, wondered if there was a way to stay up-to-date on friends’ lives and activities.

Enter Twitter.

Dorsey approached his colleagues with the idea and the networking service was unveiled in August 2006. Less than one year later, Twitter had expanded significantly – enough to leave its parent company and become incorporated.

If you’ve never used Twitter, it’s fairly simple. You don’t have to be computer savvy or possess any special skills. Basically, you just need to learn a few navigational techniques and you’re on your way.

I had to laugh when visiting the Twitter website one day. A quote issued by author Eric Nuzum sat on the front page:

If you aren't familiar with Twitter, it is one of those things, like MySpace, that sounds totally ridiculous and stupid when you first hear about it. But once you start using it, you realize how much fun it is.

And it’s true. It might sound silly to send a stream of brief messages to your fellow Tweeters, but it’s actually quite useful and entertaining, which is why the service is growing at such a rapid rate.

Unfortunately, one of the downsides to a popularity surge is a decrease in usernames.

Even if you have no intentions of using Twitter within the next few weeks or months, it’s incredibly wise to register your preferred username now, before all the good ones are taken.

The concept works alongside that of domain names, with many business owners now struggling to find an appropriate web address.

If you’re at a loss for username ideas, I strongly suggest trying your personal name, website address, or keyword phrase.

For my 'KitCarConnection.com' site, I registered the keyword 'kitcars'. It’s easy to remember, it reflects the topic, and it worked as a great alternative to my own name (which I already use) and the lengthy website address.

Arlene, on the other hand, chose the domain name for her website 'EpilepsyMoms', which makes it very simple for her visitors to find her.

With so many users joining Twitter on a daily basis, it’s important to act fast. Otherwise, you could end up with a name like A2Z45. Yikes!

If you want to learn more about Twitter and how it can improve your business, be sure to check out ‘If You Don’t Tweet, You Should’, which appeared in our May 1st issue.

And as always, please feel free to follow me on Twitter.  :)

I look forward to seeing you there.

All the best,

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