So, you’re wondering how to create a blog name that’ll get you views and fit perfectly into your niche? We’ve got the perfect thing.
When we first started our blog, we made quite a mistake choosing the name. We wish we’d have known better!
Luckily, if you make a mistake then you absolutely can fix it later. Don’t stress too much about making a mistake and let it keep you from actually starting your blog!
That’s why we’re here now — to tell you all about how to choose a name that you won’t regret or need to change.
So, get your creative caps on and let’s work on thinking of a blog name for you that will help you stand out from the rest!
We’ve got five blog-name-creating Q & As for you, as well as seven tips to get you started on the right track.
Without further ado, let’s get into the dozen ways you can create a blog name that stands out in under half an hour.
Q: What is the topic of your blog?
Before you even start browsing the name categories in the blog-of-your-dreams daydream, you need to figure out the topic of your blog.
Are you going to write about finance? What about fashion?
Sports is always a good option which translates easily across borders. Or, perhaps you’re so into cooking that you’re the next Top Chef.
Maybe you’re practicing your journalism pieces, honing your craft, as it were. Or, maybe you really love to make memes.
Whatever you like to do, make that the topic or theme of your blog. Don’t choose a trending theme you think you should — such as eco-friendly minimalism fashion — unless you intend to carry through with that theme for a long time to come.
Creating a blog name (and the blog itself) isn’t really about the trending short-game. Blogs are almost completely long-term gain games.
So, what if you don’t have a particular topic that you love and are just bursting to write about? Don’t worry, it happens to all of us.
Pick a topic which you know you can write about, with or without a burning passion of creativity that compels you to write.
Make sure the topic is something that you know well, and that you’d be comfortable talking about at length, and from many different angles.
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Q: Who is your ideal audience?
Whenever you create content of any kind, you should be thinking of your ideal audience, otherwise known as your target audience.
Don’t know what a target audience is? It’s all of the people who you would like to read your blog.
For example, if you’re a money blog, then you’d need to narrow down who you’re trying to reach.
For example, are you trying to reach Baby Boomers or Millennials? They are both very different target audiences, which would need very different tailoring to their content.
Knowing the demographics of your target audience is extremely helpful for making sure your content is going to resonate with the people who come across it.
The same applies when you create a blog name. To come up with a blog name that will appeal to your target audience, make sure not to use any words which may date your blog to a different target audience.
Better yet, use words which are not super trendy. Those always run the risk of changing from good blog name in the moment to a name that people will think is outdated in a few years or even months.
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Q: What is your blog’s tone?
This question is really asking two things.
First, what tone do you have naturally? Some people are funnier than others. Perhaps you’re hilarious. Or maybe you’re more of a deadpan serious kind of person.
Either way, consider writing your blog in the tone of voice which you actually speak and write in. It will be much less energy-consuming to do so.
Think of it like this. Writing a blog with a fake tone that you don’t naturally feel is a lot like getting dressed up in nice clothes every day when all you want to do is be your authentic self in sweatpants.
It’s exhausting to keep up an alternative tone. But, if you want to build a brand with a certain tone that happens to be different than your natural default state, then more power to you.
The second thing to consider is what tone you think your readers/target audience will respond best to. Sarcastic, self-deprecating, serious, joking, etc. are all wildly different ways to approach writing your content.
No matter which tone you choose, to get best results, you should create a blog name which aligns with your blog’s tone.
If your blog is going to be funny and lighthearted, consider a pun-based name or something that brings a smile. If you’re planning to go the serious route, then stick to names which sound authoritative.
Q: Are you building your brand around the name?
Just as target audience and tone are important when considering the name, so too should the brand you’re building be considered as well.
When you’re thinking of how to create a blog name, think of what you want your brand to be.
Does the name easily convey what your brand is all about? At a single glance does it let the reader know what kind of brand you are?
When choosing a name, make sure to choose a name which isn’t already chosen by another brand. This is a big deal, as they might redirect traffic from your blog to theirs.
In fact, even names which are too close to another big blog or brand may be waylaid in the search bar.
Instead, you need to build a brand which is wholly your own. Create a blog name which encapsulates the brand you want to have.
Q: Is it easy to spell and read? How does the URL read?
Of course, when you create a blog name, you need to make sure that it is easy to spell and read. That may sound like common sense, but a lot of brands forget, much to their later chagrin.
First, is the name easily spelled when writing and typing? Difficult words or words with many repeating letters can be easily misspelled so try to steer clear of them, if possible.
Also, don’t make it too long. The longer the name, the greater the chance of someone misspelling it or forgetting the order of the words.
Next, see how the name sounds when you say it. Even if your blog is entirely online, you’ll probably have to say it out loud at some point.
It could be just your parents asking what you’ve been up to or it could be a potential affiliate. Either way, make sure the name isn’t one that would trip you or others up when you say it.
And, lastly for this question, make sure the domain URL reads well. For proof of how it can go wrong, here’s a whole bunch that seemed like good blog names, only they made terrible URLs.
- Experts Exchange = expertsexchange.com
- American Scrap Metal = americanscrapmetal.com
- Powergen Italia = powergenitalia.com
For more where that came from, feel free to Google “worst domain names ever.” You’re welcome for that laugh.
So, definitely make sure to check how your URL reads. But, also, depending on your sense of humor, that’s something to keep in mind when you come up with a blog name.
Tip #1: Use a Formula
There’s no need to reinvent the wheel here. You can absolutely use a name creation formula to help yourself out.
Some popular formulas include knowing the separate elements then combining them in different ways to see if any of the pairs stick.
For instance, here are some things you should know, along with all the synonyms for each that you can think of: your blog’s topic, your blog’s target audience group/name, and your end goal for the blog.
Then, combine those elements to see if anything good comes up. Also, don’t forget to check that those names are still free and also not being rerouting to another site.
For example, Flickr will most likely redirect your traffic if you use “Flicker.” If a name is not taken, make sure that it’s not taken by popularity of another site.
Tip #2: Make it a Combo
I think we can all agree that sandwiches are pretty awesome. Well, why not use the sandwich making method with your name?
Take two or three ingredients that you like and toss them together and see if anything great comes of it.
Hybrid combination works are all the rage right now. Just make sure whatever you choose is easily understood by the reader.
A combination won’t work if no one knows what you mean. Instead, choose the elements from the words you like and see if they can fit together.
This is also a great tactic because often combo words may not already be taken. And that means you can probably get a matching URL domain name.
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Tip #3: Grab It Out of Thin Air
Sometimes, you just need the good old-fashioned make-it-up. The make-it-up method is slightly different than the others as it is less structured.
You may think that the make-it-up method involves just grabbing any words that pop you’re your head, and that’s fine if that works for you.
However, to really maximize your naming potential, I recommend doing a quick thought map. Write down your target audience, goals, words you like and then just keep writing words which seem similar and that strike your fancy.
You never know what you might come up with. Let the words pour out in stream of consciousness style.
If you keep coming back to the same word over and over, then maybe that’s one that you need to use. Or, you can always use a made-up word to glue together two combo words.
There are no rules with naming! Plus, if you create a blog name which is unique, then no one else will steal your traffic from name alone.
Tip #4: End it on the Right Note
For blogs, you should really have a .com or .co ending.
The problem with this is that, of course, .com endings are becoming harder and harder to get as people buy more and more websites.
Luckily, a .co ending is almost as good and there’s a lot more freedom for domain name choice because most people are still on the .com train.
Either way, make sure to choose one of the two. Don’t choose anything else like .org or .[insert fancy words here].
They just don’t look as professional as a .com or, in case you can’t get a .com, a .co.
Tip #5: Scope Out the Competition
For anyone wondering how to create a blog name that will get you views, have a look at your competition. Go take a look at the people writing about what you want to write about.
Are they doing well writing about the topic you also want to write about? Is their blog a massive success? Why?
Look at what name they chose and see if elements from it can apply to your blog name. Even a little spark of genius could help you land on a good blog name.
If you want to do the most, then consider looking up a whole array of competitors doing great things in your preferred topic. Then, write down each of their names.
Next, separate those names into individual words, preferably on note cards or slips of paper. Rearrange all of the slips or notecards to see if you can find a perfect match.
There’s also something satisfying about creating a new name from the names of your competitors. Just make sure not to directly copy too close to their own name, otherwise there’s a whole lot of copyright and traffic issues awaiting you.
Tip #6: Think about the Future
This may seem preemptive to think about the future when you’re just starting out. But, there’s good reason.
If you’re really sure of the direction you want your brand, name, tone, etc. to head in, then that’s excellent. Choose a specific name which correlates to all of that.
However, if you’re not sure that you’ll be on a specific, niche topic for a long time, then choose a name which you can use to pivot from in the future.
Go vague and don’t get too specific. There’s no rule that says you have to give all the details away in your blog name.
Create a blog name which will best suit your needs now and in the future.
But, also, if you do completely need to change things up in a few months or years, that’s completely fine (and normal) too. Rebranding happens all the time.
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Tip #7: Content Trumps Name
The final tip for how to create a blog name is to remember that actually, the content of your blog is what is going to keep people coming back, not necessarily the blog’s name.
An intelligent, punny name can definitely draw first-time readers to your blog, it’s true. But the readers will either keep coming back or never come back due to the quality of your content.
So, if you’re that worried about making a mistake with your name, don’t worry too much. There is a lot of room to grow into a new name or even change it later on.
For those wondering how to create a blog name that will stand out, hopefully this article has helped you.
We’d love to hear your thoughts down below. What is your best tip for creating an awesome blog name?
Thanks so much for reading. We’ll meet you in the comments down below.
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