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How To Create a Popular Blog Under a Nickname (a Pseudonym)

DearBlogger Exclusive Hosting DealThere’s a lot you can do to make a blog popular these days.

But if you can choose the perfect nickname – a pseudonym – before you start a life-changing blog you just might become the next hit.

Pseudonyms are everywhere in blogging and you’ve got a nickname too.

They make you interesting, mysterious, draw a personal connection and could even make a blog more profitable if you do it right.

In this post I’ll cover how to blog under a nickname (like viperchill, shoemoney, blogtyrant, collegeinfogeek, wordingwell, or yes dearblogger but so so many others).

Need Your Help: I can’t find this topic covered anywhere else on the web but it’s a question I’ve gotten 4 times this past week alone and it’s something that is awful if you do it wrong. If you use a nickname to blog successfully, please let us know how you do it in the comments! Thanks!

Choose it before you start

I use to have an economics coach who would say “the easiest answer is the wrong answer”.

What he meant by this was that you could write down a bunch of beautiful stuff on his tests but if you weren’t going about the problem the right way, you would most likely just get a wrong answer. Even if it felt good writing down that answer it would still be the wrong answer.

You have to go about choosing your nickname the right way.

The first step is choosing it before you start a blog. The second is understanding what sort of vibes your niche needs at the moment and having good timing.

Let me give you an example of timing. Listen up because I think about this stuff a lot.

Example of Nicknaming a Blog with Good Timing:
We all know and respect ProBlogger.net because he’s the godfather of blogging, a staple in our industry. But can you imagine how ridiculous it would be if a blog called “Pro Blogger” popped up in 2015 with countless other expert blogs about blogging.

We would laugh. But “Pro Blogger” was a hit name because it was original, started 8 years ago and did one thing really well.

Put as simply as I can, many bloggers don’t realize how important the timing of when they start their blogging empire is and assume they can just start up and out-content-create the competition.

You can’t. You can do ok, but you won’t do really well.

The problem here is that competition is a very real thing. If you don’t respect it, you can’t beat it. However if you do your niche research and truly find that your concept – your nickname – will stand out, then it’s a greenlight.

Further, if you can understand that you are starting a blog in a certain climate and use that climate to your advantage, you will have a much better chance at becoming a hit blog.

“Choosing your blog nickname has everything to do with timing.” Tweet this quote!

Don’t change it once you launch

Simply put, you cannot change your nickname or pseudonym after you launch your blog because you will lose credibility. And that is next to death for a blog.

Let me explain this further.

You might think you have an even better idea for your nickname or see some other blogger with another genius idea, but believe me when I say the people who matter will have like your first idea.

Don’t change it.

“Measure twice, cut once” – Home Improvement

That’s actually a line from Home Improvement’s Al Borlan, a godfather in his own right 🙂

Think of how many business’ out there making fortunes now seemed ridiculous to mention when they got started. Chipotle always sounded ridiculous to me. YouTube? What the.

You get the picture.

Include it in your domain name

Along the lines of not changing your nickname ever is including it in your domain name.

This part is a must – because you want to show commitment to your brand.

Not only that, but this results in pretty darn significant inbound SEO. As your name grows and people start Googling it, you will come up #1, which is how ultimately it should be.

If your nickname is something totally ridiculous then it is okay to partially include it, or surround it with some other keywords in your domain name.

I’m happy to help you brainstorm.

Just keep in mind that creating a good nickname that is also a good domain name is incredibly valuable these days.

Need a bit of creative help? You can ask a comment here, or you can go out and get some fresh air, run around, and let things simmer.

Nothing makes for a good idea like some time away from that idea to do something else you love doing.

“Nothing fires up the brain like play” – Stuart Brown

Compliment it with themes and motifs all the time

Finally, I’d like to add that motifs can strengthen your nickname.

I know that sentence sounds really weak though, so let me explain what I mean.

Example of Using Motifs to Strengthen a Blog Nickname
Let’s say your blog name is, hmm…bowlingman (wow, that really stinks, but going off the top of my head as I type here). But let’s say your blog pseudonym really is bowlingman and your domain name is thus bowlingmansblog.com – and it’s a blog about everything bowling.

It’s weird but could actually work.

In your writing, you’ll want to use motifs.

What’s a motif? It’s an item that compliments a theme.

So if your blog were about bowling you would want to mention things like popcorn machines, flashy lights, awkward shoes, good times with friends, arcades and those sort of mental images in your writing.

Using motifs and mental images like this can strengthen your messages. It shows you know what you’re talking about.

It can also lighten up the subject enough that you can get your messages through!

You want that.

You want that.

Conclusion

Choosing the perfect blog nickname is something that should take at least 3 tries with and perhaps several post it notes or pieces of scratch paper.

Don’t go with the first idea unless you try out 3 more, and the first one still wins.

Lastly, remember to do as I always tell new bloggers and be niche-narrow. Don’t brainstorm for weeks then pick some all-inclusive nickname that’s too vague or confuses everyone.

Whether you call it your pen name or your nickname or your pseudonym (which by the way is really hard to spell guys) this name should say something about you – specifically you.

“You can do anything, but not everything” – David Allen

Being niche narrow sets you up as the expert, even when nobody knows you, or your nickname.

Discover more bloggers just getting started

Learn more about starting a blog and finding your voice in the blogosphere HERE

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20 Responses to "How To Create a Popular Blog Under a Nickname (a Pseudonym)"

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  2. Great post, I am here from Google… had a hard time finding anything on this subject.

    I am struggling with the idea of an author name being the same as the blog name.

    I created a blog name that’s basically a descriptive verb phrase and I was thinking I would create penn name that fit my topic but If the advice is to keep the two the same, I can’t really make my author name a verb… does this mean I’m off track and should rethink the title I love?

    I know it’s opinion but, from what I have read, I value yours.

    Reply
  3. Hi,I am about to push the button on a blog I have been wanting to do/try (two actually but will get one going first). I have been blogging for a little while just for fun, have over 100 followers on WP.com (never shared with anyone so to me I think that’s pretty good for not putting in a lot of time) but am starting from scratch for a better identity name instead of my name and inthelifeof, etc. but I am a complete newbie/beginner as far as website building, optimizing, etc. Anyhow, I am worried about my identity. The one blog I have no preference and the 2nd I sort of do only in regards to my husband (not him just others give him crap because of all the fun and travel we do while they are working even though it is none of their business and others getting down on us because we are living our lives and not sitting on a rock like them, he still works hard but is tired of the crap and boo hooing that goes on and the drama that it creates even though he is rarely ever in the office with them). Anyhow, I may be overthinking this but I have been told by 2 people (1beginner blogger and other a little seasoned and a PI) that I should create a fictitious pen name to use when creating my webhost / website / email / facebook, etc so that no one can stalk me, can find me because of my personal information due to anything associated with my blog. But, my concerns are:
    1. If I do create a pen name for registrations, etc. how do I do phone number, address, etc. as they still are my personal information?

    2. If I use pen name for everything and I can manage to make a little bit of money how does that work because it isn’t my real name?

    3. If I use a pen name for everything and something good or bad happens and I have to prove the pen name is really me how do I do that? I just want to be legal about anything that may end up involving the IRS later on…lol.

    4. If I use a pen/fake name for everything how does that work if I make money come tax time?

    5. Blog name is one thing but does a pen/fake name really matter when it comes to blogging?

    I am sorry this is lengthy but I am struggling to find advice online. I have been reading tons but still cannot find the answers I am trying to find. Any help, suggestions, advice or brutal honesty is greatly appreciated!!! I have found your stuff very informative and some of the people leaving comments appear to be way more knowledgeable than I am. =)

    Reply
  4. The best blogs have content that people want to read. So it’s a good idea to write about things you know something about. It’s easier, more enjoyable for both the writer and the reader. Good job here

    Reply
  5. Please forgive me if this should be obvious, but when selecting your nickname/pseudonym, is it necessary for that name to also be the name of your blog? I noticed most of your examples appear that way, and wasn’t sure if that’s the only way to make a nickname work for you.
    I have a working title for my blog picked out, but I’d like to avoid using my real name. I just don’t want to set myself up for failure by using the strategy incorrectly. Thanks!

    Reply
    1. I was pretty sure that is what I read; that, yes, you should indeed include your pseudonym (pseudo-name, rather) in your blog’s title. Maybe not the entire thing, but somehow a part of it as a keyword, you know, for SEO purposes.

      Reply
  6. Thank You very much . Your blogs are very much helpful for me. I am implementing your SEO tricks for many of my clients in my Company, Teddytech SEO company in Kerala NBA 2K18 MT
    Every day your blogs are getting more useful and interesting.

    Reply
  7. Hi there, I have my pen name/domain name all picked out along with my catch phrase…my big question when using a pen name is your about me page and the photo they are expecting.
    Will it be misleading or will I lose viewers if I put a generic picture or perhaps a caricature?
    I am doing research but have a few posts ready to start my blog. The picture is what concerns me.

    Reply
    1. The picture, yes, important stuff.

      Definitely no generic or stock pictures for this page.

      I would find a photo of yourself from a clever angle where what you look like is mysterious to the reader. Think of photos of superman where his face is unclear.

      A caricature is okay, could be nice if you have a few of them which tell some sort of story. Btw, you’ve gotta check out http://www.blogtyrant.com for this whole topic.

      Hope that helps! – The Blogger

      Reply
  8. Nice post! And you are right, it’s a question that’s not often answered in online forums for bloggers.

    I’m going to blog using a pseudonym that sounds like a real name (it’s made up of the names of a teacher I once had and my dogs)

    Since it’s a real sounding nickname, I come across as credible while at the same time protecting my privacy.

    Reply
  9. This is great information on how to use a nickname for a blog. I always wanted to start a good blog and didn’t want to use my name.Really helpful. A good content is the key to a successful blog. Blogs showcase your works and can be included in your resume too. One can also hire a professional resume writer that provides resume writing service and reviews ,with reviews from many users that would help them decide which service to go for. Thanks for sharing! 🙂

    Reply
  10. I’m not terribly tech savy and worry about privacy issues. Some pages I’ve read are, possibly, outdated. The way they sound, it may be easy for someone to trace me. I want to be able to put everything I’d like on a blog without anyone I know judging. That’s what Facebook is for. Can you suggest the easiest, but safest, route? Thank you.

    Reply

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