Twitter is an excellent avenue for personal and business branding.
Having a misaligned username on Twitter that just doesn’t represent your brand anymore can be catastrophic for your branding game.
Things get more severe with a Twitter username that is embarrassing, older or has a string of random numbers (marketer’sden698#42) at the back.
No one wants such names popping up in the timeline when people mention them in Tweets.
Thus, it is crucial to know how to change Twitter handle, or like some say it – how to change your @ on Twitter brand profile.
The process of changing your Twitter handle is pretty simple. In this article, we will discuss the step-by-step process of how to change Twitter handle from a mobile device or a desktop.
Let’s roll.
What is a Twitter handle?
Well, if you know, then you know. But most people confuse the Twitter handle or username with the Twitter display name.
Your “display name” is a name you give to your profile and is separate from your username. It works as a personal identifier for your brand and doesn’t necessarily have to be unique on Twitter. Two different profiles can have the same display name but not the same Twitter handle.
On the other hand, your Twitter handle is the unique name of your profile that also appears in your profile URL.
It starts with @ and works as an anchor for sending you direct messages or mentioning you under comments or tweets anywhere on Twitter.
How to Change Your Name on Twitter?
Still, if you dropped on this blog in search of how to change your Twitter username, here you go:
- Sign in to https://twitter.com or Open your Twitter app (iOS or Android).
- Go to your profile.
- Click or tap the Edit profile button, and you’ll be able to edit your name.
How to Change Your Twitter Handle on Mobile and Desktop?
Before we start on how to change the Twitter username, let’s note down the basics of creating a username on Twitter:
- Your username length must not be less than 4 characters and more than 15 characters.
- Your username can contain letters, numbers, and underscores, but no spaces are allowed.
A question that people often ask is whether they can change their Twitter handle without affecting their follower list.
The answer is Yes. Changing your username will not affect your existing followers, Direct Messages, or replies. Just make sure to notify your followers about the shift, so they can direct message, reply or, add a mention to your new username.
Now, let’s head back to the main topic – how to change Twitter @.
Steps to Change Your Twitter Handle from an Android Device
Step 1: Open the Twitter mobile app and tap on your profile icon present at the top-left corner of your phone screen to open the menu. From there, select the “Settings and Privacy” option.
Step 2: Inside the “Settings and Privacy” menu, tap on the “Your Account” option and then on the “Account Information” option.
Step 3: Inside the “Account Information” section, you will see the “Username” option. Tap on it to move forward.
Step 4: You will find a text box to type in your new username. Start typing your username to see if it’s available or not. The application will prompt if the username you have written is already taken. Once you get your username right, click on “Done.”
Steps to Change Your Twitter Handle from an iPhone
The process of changing your Twitter handle on an iPhone is the same as on Android. Let’s break it down.
Step 1: Open the Twitter mobile app and tap your profile icon at the top-left corner of your phone screen to open the menu. From there, select the “Settings and Privacy” option.
Step 2: Under the “Settings and Privacy” menu, you will see the option to change your “Your Account” settings. Tap on it to move forward, then tap “Account Information.”
Step 3: Further, you will see the “Username” option. Tap on it to get to the last step.
Step 4: In the “Update username” option, you will see the box to write your new username right under the current username block. Moreover, you will see some suggestions that will come in handy in choosing the right and available name for your Twitter handle.
Just like the Android version, you will also see a red prompt if the username you have written is already taken.
Once you are done writing your new username, tap on “Done.”
Steps to Change Your Twitter Handle from a Desktop
We all have our preferences, right? So if you are a desktop person and don’t like to tear eyes over your small mobile screen, there is always an option to change your Twitter handle through a desktop browser.
Again, the process is pretty easy!
Step 1: Open your browser and go to www.twitter.com. Log in to your Twitter account by entering your credentials.
Step 2: Once logged in, navigate to the left-hand side menu and click on “More” to reveal the “Setting and Privacy” option and click on it.
Step 3: It will open a new page of options for you. Under the “Your Account” section, click on the “Account Information” option.
To move further, you will need to confirm your profile password.
And right after that, you can click on the “Username” option.
Step 4: Clicking on the “Username” section will take you to the screen where you can change your username. Here you can see a few suggestions for your new username.
5 Tips for Choosing the Right Name for Your Twitter Handle
The process of changing your Twitter username can be done lickety-split.
But what is going to be the new name of your Twitter handle is something that you need to think about so that you don’t trace the same path of changing your Twitter handle again.
Here are 5 tips to help you create a Twitter username that bolsters your branding efforts and makes it easily recognizable among your prospects:
Use a Relevant Name
Your URL name must be relevant to your brand’s name. It will be easier for people to search for you on Twitter.
Also, as you know, your username shows up on your Twitter profile URL. So having a URL, which is not relevant to your company name or the company website, visiting cards, and other platforms can emanate bad branding vibes.
Look how Forbes named their Twitter account on-point!
Avoid adding numbers
Unless you are an arithmetic aficionado, seeing an array full of numbers in a username would not be a tempting sight for you.
Usernames with unnecessary numbers at the end look odd, unmemorable, and spammy.
Tell me, does this look credible to you? – @marketutor958423
Usually, these types of usernames are selected right out of the suggestions Twitter gives when you are creating a new profile. Going with such usernames also makes it hard for people to find you.
However, it’s ok to use numbers creatively when your desirable URL is taken. You can either use numbers that look similar to alphabets or use them to add underscores or initials between names.
Look how Matt Brian did it by adding 4 to his name which resembles the shape of the letter “A.”
Keep it short
If you fancy getting mentions on Twitter then keep your Twitter handle as short as possible.
Why?
Twitter only allows a word length of 280 characters. So, when any Twitter profile wants to share a blog or webpage, they want to make it as byte-sized as possible. To do so, they often cut down on a few things, and if your username is too long, then it will be chopped off.
Hence, try to choose a name that is recognizable without being too big aka mentionable in tweets, so you don’t lose any chance of getting more Twitter followers.
Look how “Search engine journal” condensed their long Twitter name into a username that is still recognizable by their readers.
*Tip* Use the initials of your business/personal name to make your Twitter handle more compact.
Go with an actionable username
What if I tell you that your Twitter username can serve as a call to action too? All you need to do is add actionable words, such as “Try,” “Use,” “Get,” and “Join” in your Twitter username.
These kinds of usernames work best for service-oriented tools or product companies. For instance, CallApp, a caller-id application, has the word “Get” prefixed to their username.
You can also use this trick if your desired username is already taken by someone else. Remember to only use it if you are a product or service-based company. Nobody wants to @getjohndoe.
Give it a local twist
Using the location of your business in your Twitter handle will tell people where they can find you. This works for local businesses as they can attract and engage with people from localities and turn them into customers.
Prefixing the location also comes in handy for businesses wanting multiple Twitter accounts. Maybe your business is present in multiple parts of the world, just like Volkswagen.
This allows you to speak directly to the regional audience, who may have different cultural beliefs, interests, and preferences. You can create a content localization strategy to customize your interaction on each Twitter handle according to your target region.
What to Do if Your Desired Twitter Handle Name Is Taken?
It’s always a good idea to get in there early and get the Twitter name exactly like your display name. So, search for your desired name on Twitter and if it’s not taken, then make it yours as soon as possible.
However, if your desired name is already taken then you can try out some of the tips that we have mentioned above, such as using initials or numbers creatively and more.
Keep trying different variations while keeping your branding factor in mind.
Sometimes, it would happen that you won’t be able to use the desired username, which is yet not taken. This will be the case when your typed username doesn’t abide by Twitter’s username rules.
Conclusion
Having a proper Twitter username is important for brands and individuals trying to rebrand themselves.
After all, your branding is something that attracts new followers along with reminding the old ones that they are sticking around the right place.
With the tips mentioned in this blog, changing your shoddy username into a memorable Twitter handle will be an easy ride.
