Blogging 101: Choosing a Name

So you picked your hosting site, you’re all signed up, and now you’re sitting at the computer. Stumped.

Don’t be deterred: this is a common case of beginner’s writers’ block and we’re here to help!


Here are some things to consider as you choose a name for your blog:

1. What do you want to write about?

This one might seem like a no-brainer, but really consider: Is your blog exclusively for reviewing products?  Or, will you take a lifestyle approach and perhaps blog a little bit more personally? Are you going to position yourself as an expert on a certain topic?

The name doesn’t have to be 100% explicit (Laura Reviews Influenster VoxBoxes All Day) but it can hint at what your blog will get at (The Savvy Citizen).

2. Make it memorable. 

This is easier said than done, but there are certain tricks to making your blog’s name stick in the minds of potential readers. First and foremost, keep it brief.  Brevity is the soul of wit.  Second, aim for something unique.  Your first inclination may not be totally original, so we recommend free-associating a bit. Think of what you want to write about and come up with ten different ways to say that.  Consider objects, concepts or even songs that might describe your topic symbolically.

Some examples: 

Book Reviews by Laura vs. The Dog-eared Page

Makeup Testing & Reviews vs. NYC Glamazon

My Travel Diary vs. Ticket to Ride

3. Make it original

Now here’s where even the most off-the-cuff creatives get disheartened.  The internet is a big place and there’s a solid chance your best idea might already be in use… before you slap it on your blog, do a quick google search to check out the competition. If it’s too tough, head back to the drawing board. Oftentimes, just a little tweak in your thought process can unlock a great new idea. So go for a walk, take a shower, think about what you are and what you have that the other blogger isn’t.  

And, a note to all the perfectionists out there, you don’t have to aim for complete and total originality in your blog name.  Some searches will yield results that are kind of like your name, but not really, and that’s OK! Others may have the same vibe or idea as you do, but rest assured that once you get in full-on blogger mode, you’ll be able to shine among your new found community.

A great originality hack is to ask a friend to help you come up with the name.

4. Match it to your domain.


If your blog is titled “Been There, Worn That” make sure your domain is www.BeenThereWornThat.tumblr.com

5. Check Your Other Social Media Networks

You’re going to want to share your blog on your Facebook, your Twitter, and more.  In fact, if you really want to get serious, you may want a twitter handle, facebook page and email that matches your blog name.  Think about it: Part of the fun of being in the blogging community is interacting with other bloggers. If you want to be recognizable, your social media names should match. That way, when you comment on someone else’s blog or respond to a tweet, your community will know you as MindYourManners at MindYourManners.tumblr.com.

Blogging 101: Influenster’s Crash Course on Social Media

Hey there Influenster Nation!


Welcome to our new series: Blogging 101.

Many members at Influenster should be taking Blogging 401 or teaching US, but just because you may be new to the blog-o-sphere doesn’t mean you’re not cut out to be an Influenster. This series is a crash course for those of you just getting started…


Step 1: Choose your platform.

What’s a platform? The most common are Tumblr, Wordpress, and Blogger. These are larger sites that host your blog.  You can also self-host, but we’ll get to that later.

For the purposes of this post, we’re going to stick with the big three, free, hosted platforms: Wordpress, Blogger, & Tumblr.

BLOGGER.com
Blogger’s dashboard is one of the most intuitive and because it’s Google, it integrates nicely with gmail & Google+.

It’s a great starting point, but when it comes to customization, Blogger isn’t always the easiest to navigate and can even require users to edit html…. which, for many of us, just looks like a daunting jumble of code!

WORDPRESS.com
Perfect for the beginner blogger, Wordpress.com is easy to use, though it won’t offer a ton of customization options. Keeping it simple can be key in the early days of blogging. If you find that you take to blogging like a fish to water, you can always transition to WORDPRESS.org (for a cost) where you’ll have the option of adding plugins, customizing your templates, and editing your html. 


TUMBLR.com
A little bit more social than the other platforms, Tumblr is growing in popularity. Easy to use with a large variety of templates, Tumblr may be the new kid on the block, but it’s definitely the cool kid on the block as well.

A little bit more geared toward bloggers who want to share image-heavy content from friends and followers across the web, Tumblr features a feed, like many social networks, and you have the option to follow and re-blog posts from other members.

It’s almost Cinco de Mayo: Gather Your Supplies!

Celebrate Mexico’s 1862 victory over French Forces at the Battle of Puebla with the nation’s signature cocktail: The Margarita.

For many of us, it’s going to be a day packed with delicious Mexican food…. and yet we still feel the glare of that summer bikini peeking out from the back of the closet!

Let’s lighten things up this Cinco de Mayo by replacing the sugar in our favorite beverage with a Nectresse Natural No Calorie Sweetener! ¡Olé!

To make Margaritas for 6:

  • 1 1/2 cups gold tequila
  • 3/4 cup Triple Sec
  • 3/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 3 tablespoon NECTRESSE
  • 8 cups crushed ice
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 6 lime wedges


Combine tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and 1 tablespoon NECTRESSE in large pitcher; stir to dissolve NECTRESSE. Add crushed ice. Mix salt and remaining 2 tablespoons NECTRESSE in shallow bowl. Moisten rim of 6 Margarita glasses with lime wedge. Holding each glass upside down, dip rim into sugar-salt mixture. Pour Margarita into glasses. Garnish with lime wedges.

Got the Sugar ‘n Spice VoxBox? Care to win more NECTRESSE gifts? Remember to enter the Brand Challenge here.
You can also learn more about NECTRESSE on their product page.

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Have a great weekend everyone, and stay safe!