Okay, you've decided to start a blog. Congratulations! But now it's time to choose the perfect name, and that's both scary and exciting. There are so many factors to consider: Is it easy to spell? Is it memorable? Does it communicate what you want your brand to say about itself? And pretty soon, you're stuck on a list and asking yourself, "are these all taken?"
Remember: A good blog name makes you noticed and sets your brand apart from everyone else.
Here's a few tips on how to choose a blog name:
1. Don't worry if you can't think of a good name right away.
And don't stress if you can't decide on one right away. You're not naming a baby here--it's just a blog name. Give yourself some time to think about it, put it on the back burner for a bit, and come back to it later.
You might even come up with a better name while you're out and about, living your best life. And if all else fails, you can always go with something catchy and generic like "The Daily Rambler" or "Musings from a Madman" (just kidding, please don't use that last one, it's taken). The key is to have fun with it and don't put too much pressure on yourself.
2. Avoid jargon and "business-y" names.
Avoid jargon, abbreviations, and acronyms. Jargon is the language of your industry or niche--if you're writing about technology and gadgets, then words like "gadget" or "device" will be part of your vocabulary. But if you're not an expert in that field (or even if you are), it's best to refrain from using these words in your blog name as they might confuse readers who don't know what they mean.
The same goes for brand names: if your website focuses on cars but uses the term VW Beetle instead of Volkswagen Beetle or Ford Mustang instead of Mustang (the car), people won't know what they're looking at when they see those terms on Google searches.
Image taken from a Strikingly user’s website
Avoid business-y names that sound generic. There are two types of generic names: those based on industry catchphrases like "the future" or "success," and ones with too many syllables (think three). Both types make it harder for readers searching online to find exactly what they're looking for--which defeats the purpose behind starting a blog.
3. Get to the heart of who you are.
The first step in crafting a name is to get to the heart of who you are. If you don't know who that is, ask your friends and family what they think of when they hear your name (and no, not how it sounds like a sneeze).
They'll probably come up with a few different associations: some positive while others may be less so. That's okay--it's all part of figuring out what makes sense for you. After all, if someone can't remember or spell your blog's name after hearing it once or twice, how are we supposed to find it?
4. Focus on answering the question, "What do you want to be known for?"
A good blog name should be able to answer the question, "What do you want to be known for?"
For example, if your blog is about food and recipes, then "BetterRecipes.com" sounds like a great name. It answers that question: You want people who visit your site to know that this is a place where they can find better recipes than anywhere else online.
Similarly--and more broadly--if all of your content focuses on helping people improve their lives in some way (whether through fitness or productivity), then "ImproveYourLifeNow.com" would also fit well with that goal. That blog name tells your visitors what they'll get out of visiting your site: an improvement in their life!
5. KISS: Keep it short and simple
A good blog name is short and simple. Blog name ideas should not be too long. It will make your readers feel like they're reading a dissertation instead of an article on their favorite subject.
Don't try to cram too much information into one word, either. You want your reader to know exactly what kind of content they'll find on the site before they click through!
You may want to steer clear of using common words or phrases as part of your URL (such as "the" or "and"). If someone searches for those terms in Google, there's no way that any search engine rankings will help you stand out from the crowd.
Lastly, don't even consider including symbols or numbers when choosing a blog name. These are just going to confuse people when they try looking up your site later on.
6. Choose a blog name that is useful, accurate, and descriptive.
Let's be real. A catchy and clever name is great and all, but it's not the end-all-be-all. A good blog title should also be helpful, accurate, and descriptive. After all, you don't want people to click on your blog thinking it's about one thing only to find out it's about something completely different. That's just a recipe for disappointment and high bounce rates. You don’t want that.
But don't let that discourage you! Coming up with the best blog names is like solving a puzzle, and who doesn't love a good puzzle? Think about the keywords that best describe your blog's content, audience, and purpose.
Don't be afraid to get a little creative with it. Add a pun or play on words. But remember, keep it accurate and descriptive. You don't want to mislead your readers.
Whether you're an aspiring blogger or just looking to up your game, remember: A good blog title is like a good first impression, it sets the tone for what's to come. Take your time coming up with a blog name and craft one that's not only catchy and clever but also useful, accurate, and descriptive.
7. Make it easy to remember and spell.
If your blog name is difficult to spell and pronounce, it may be hard for people to find you. You have to remember these things when coming up with a blog name:
- Avoid long words. The best blog names are simple. A simple name is easier for people to remember and share with others. It also makes it easier for search engines like Google and Bing to find your blog on their own without needing any special tags or keywords added by you.
- Don't use hyphens in your blog name (unless they're part of an official company name). Hyphens break up words into separate parts, which can be confusing when someone is trying to figure out what they are looking at! And even worse: if someone accidentally types one too many letters after a hyphenated word, they might be taken somewhere completely different than intended - maybe even somewhere unsafe. Leave those out altogether!
- Numbers should only appear at the beginning or end of words; not in between them. For example: "The 1st Blogger" sounds much better than "Theoneblogger." Numbers don't really add anything useful here, so why waste time typing something unnecessary?
8. Avoid generic names.
You should avoid using generic names. Generic names have been used by many others, and they might not be unique enough to help you stand out in the crowd.
Avoid common words or phrases in your blog title as well. For example, if you're a food blogger and your name is "Liz's Kitchen," someone may think they've already seen that somewhere else before--and they probably have!
Your blog name should also be short enough not to feel awkward when spoken aloud (no more than two syllables). And finally, don't choose something too long either; otherwise, readers will get confused about what exactly you do on your site!
9. Don't forget about Google Search.
You may be tempted to use a name already out there, but you should resist the urge. If someone is searching for your blog and they see one with the same name, they won't be able to find yours.
Google Search is an excellent way to check whether or not your blog name has been taken by another site or brand. Just type "site:newblognamehere.com" into Google (where newblognamehere is replaced by your chosen domain). If it returns any results at all, then chances are good that someone else has already claimed this domain name. If they have more authority than you do online (i.e., more links pointing toward their site), theirs will come up higher in search results than yours would.
10. Avoid trademarked names.
When coming up with a blog name, it's important to avoid using one that is trademarked. If you need clarification on whether a name is trademarked, do a search to see if the name is already in use.
If it turns out that your perfect blog name examples (from your list) have already been taken by someone else (or another company), consider adding something unique like "The" or "A." It might seem silly at first, but once people get used to seeing those words in front of their favorite blogs' names, they'll love having them there!
If all else fails and even after adding these prefixes/suffixes, nothing seems unique enough for your taste, then try choosing another topic altogether--one that hasn't been covered yet on other blogs.
As we previously mentioned, choosing a blog name is one of the most important things you can do to set your brand apart from everyone else's. A good blog name gets you noticed and sets your brand apart from everyone else's.
A good blog name is important, and it can be difficult to come up with one. But if you take the time to think about what you want your blog to be known for and who its audience is, it will be easier to find a name that fits.
Done with Your Blog Name? Create a Blog with Strikingly
Creating a blog with Strikingly is as easy as pie, and it's so simple that even your grandma could do it (and trust me, if your grandma can do it, you definitely can too!)
First things first, head on over to Strikingly's website and sign up for an account. Once you're logged in, you'll be greeted with a template library that's chock-full of designs that are just dying to be used for your blog. Select the "Blog" template and choose the right template for your brand (and liking). Customize it to your heart's content!
Image taken from Strikingly
You can add text, images, and other elements to the page's different sections, making it your own. You can even add HTML embeds from third-party services or apps.
And the best part? You don't need to know a lick of code to do it!
Now comes the fun part, adding new blog posts. Go to the blog editor, click the "Write New Post" button, and start typing your first blog post!
Image taken from Strikingly
Fill out the post's title, content, and any other information you want to include, such as images or videos. You can even add a touch of personality to your posts by using emojis (because who doesn't love a good emoji?).
Image taken from Strikingly
When you're finished, click the "Publish" button, and voila! Your blog is live and ready for the world to see. You can also opt to schedule your blog posts (if you've created a few already and don't want to publish multiple posts in one day), add categories (for easy sorting), enable subscription and comments (to engage with your users), and add an RSS feed.
Image taken from Strikingly
And remember, if you ever need a break from blogging, you can always add other pages to your site, such as an "About Me" page or a "Contact" page. You can also speak with their Happiness Officers via chat to help you if you get stuck.
Did you know? You can get a free domain name if you sign up for any of Strikingly's yearly plans. It's perfect for pushing your branding forward and getting found by Google faster.
Happy blogging!
