How to Change Your Username on Social Media

How to Change Your Username on Social Media

The username you use on social media sites can either help or hurt your brand. 

One way to make sure that it helps your efforts is by making sure that the username conveys what you want it to convey. 

If people are searching for content related to your brand, they should be able to find you with ease. 

If you can’t be found, you risk losing market share to brands that are more easily accessible. 

It’s also important that your username is available across all social media platforms. 

If you update your Facebook username, make sure to update it on Twitter and Instagram as well.

In this blog, we’ll explain how to:

change your username on YouTubechange your username on Instagramchange your username on Twitterchange your username on Facebookchange your username on TikTokchange your username on Snapchat

As well, we’ll explore reasons why you should change your username and what to look out for when doing so.

What Should You Consider When Changing Your Username on Social Media?

If you’re looking to change your username on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and so on, you want to make sure that you’re choosing a username that is clear, simple, and easy to remember. 

It should be something different from your old account name, but not too dissimilar. A username that is too much like your previous name could get confusing for users who are following both accounts. 

You should ensure that your new username reflects positively on your brand and is a good representation of who you are, especially if it’s going to be publicly displayed across various social media platforms. This means choosing something which will look great in the “username” section of all your profiles! 

You also don’t want the change in moniker to be temporary (especially when some social media platforms cap how often you can change your username)—so avoid any names referencing holidays, seasons, or special occasions.

Here are a few more points to consider when changing your username on social media.

Make Sure Your Customers/Followers Can Still Find You

If you’re going to change your username on social media, you need to make sure that your current customers/followers can still find you.

This means that if they’re subscribed to your channel on YouTube or following you on Facebook, for example, then make sure these details remain the same after changing your username. You might need to update old links and bios with information regarding your new name.

You should also make sure that your new username is easy to remember and spell, since this will help you in the long run. 

If users can’t find or easily access your content when they search for it on their preferred social media platform, then there is little point in changing names!

Consider Making an Announcement of the Name Change

Once you change your name on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, etc., you should consider announcing the change to your followers. 

This is important because some social media users might not be quick to update their information with regard to your new name or username, meaning that they won’t know who you are when browsing through posts—and you’ll have to recreate brand loyalty (or risk losing a follower).

Make Sure No Other Businesses Have the Same Name

It’s important to check that your new username isn’t already being used by other companies or individuals. If the name is taken, you’ll need to change it again so as not to confuse potential customers and clients.

You can use online tools, such as Namechk or BrandSnag, to quickly cross-check your chosen username across social channels.

Be Consistent With Your Other Social Media Account Names

You might also want to consider updating all of your profiles across different sites so that each has the same username. 

This way, people who follow you on various platforms can easily navigate your social media profiles and find the information they are looking for quickly.

You’ll notice that my branding is consistent across every social media platform I use, and I always use the same username. You should do the same. 

How to Change Your YouTube Username 

To change your YouTube username you will need to follow these steps:

Sign in to your YouTube account.Go to Settings by clicking on your account avatar in the top right corner.Click on Overview and select Edit on Google next to your current username.Change your YouTube username and click OK.

You can also change your YouTube username in the YouTube Studio. Just go to Customization, Basic Info, and change the channel name to anything you like.

After you change your YouTube username, be sure to let your subscribers know.

If they don’t recognize your new name in their feed, they may unsubscribe from your channel immediately.

Making a video explaining your name change or even a video showing your new channel design is a great way to help people understand the change.

When you change your YouTube username, be sure to choose a username that adheres to YouTube’s Community Guidelines or you’ll risk getting reported and removed.

How to Change Your Facebook Username 

To change your Facebook username on a Facebook page you will need to follow these steps:

Navigate to your Facebook page.Click About on the left side of your page.Go to General, Username, and click Create Page @username or Edit.Type in your new username and click Create Username.

To change your Facebook username on your Facebook profile follow these steps:

Navigate to your Facebook profile.Click Settings in the top right corner.Click Username.Type in your new username and click Save Changes.

Keep in mind that you can only change your Facebook username once every 60 days.

If the username you are hoping to use is unavailable it will be highlighted in red.

How to Change Your Twitter Username 

To change your Twitter username follow these steps:

Click on the More button (shown as three dots ○○○) on your navigation bar.Click on Settings and privacy.Click on Your account.Click on Account information.Enter your Twitter password.Type in your new username.Click Save.

Your Twitter username must be more than four characters long and up to 15 characters.

It can only contain letters, numbers, and underscores.

Your display name, which is shown publicly on your profile, can be up to 50 characters long.

Changing your Twitter username doesn’t affect the name on your profile or existing retweets.

Note that if the username you want to use is already taken you’ll need to choose another.

If you change your Twitter username, your old username will become immediately available for anyone else to use. 

If you’re having problems with username registration you can check out this article from Twitter.

How to Change Your Instagram Username 

To change your Instagram username, follow these steps:

Go to your Instagram profile.Click Edit Profile.Type in your new username in the Username field.Click Done in the top right-hand corner.

If you have a large following on Instagram, the app may want to review your username change before it is approved.

If this happens, Instagram will notify you by email when your username change has been approved.

When changing your Instagram username, remember to use an email you have access to so that the app can send you notifications. 

If you don’t require approval, your new Instagram username will be immediately public on your profile. 

How to Change Your TikTok Username

To change your TikTok username, follow these steps:

Click Profile in the bottom right of your TikTok app.Click Edit profile.Type in your new TikTok username.

Keep in mind that you can only change your TikTok username once every 30 days.

Your TikTok username can only contain letters, numbers, periods, and underscores. 

No periods can be used at the end of your TikTok username.

How to Change Your Snapchat Username 

Unfortunately, it is not possible to change your Snapchat username.

It is also not possible to transfer any account data, including Memories or Snapstreaks, to a new username or account.

You can, however, change your Snapchat display name.

Your Snapchat display name is how you appear on Snapchat.

To change your Snapchat display name follow these steps:

Click the ⚙️ symbol in My Profile to open Settings.Click Name under the My Account section.Type in your new Snapchat display name.Click Save.

Please note, that while new Snapchat friends will be able to see your updated display name, your current friends and followers will only see your original display name.

Your display name may also change in individual apps if the user has your phone number saved in their phone under a different name.  

If you are running any current Snapchat campaigns or promotions, it is important to note that any existing links, coupons, or promo codes will continue using your original Snapchat display name.

How to Change Your LinkedIn Username 

On LinkedIn, you can change how your name is displayed on your profile.

You can either display your full name or your first name and the first letter of your last name if you’re looking for more privacy.

To change your LinkedIn username on a public profile, follow these steps:

Click the Me icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.Click View Profile.Click Edit near the top right of your picture.When the Edit intro pop-up comes up, update your First Name and Last Name in the text boxes.Click Save.

To change your LinkedIn username on a private profile, follow these steps:

Click the Me icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.Click Settings & Privacy from the dropdown menu.Click Visibility on the left.Go to Visibility of your profile & network.Click Change next to Who can see your last name.Select the way you want your last name displayed on LinkedIn.All changes are saved automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions About Changing Your Username On Social Media

Is it bad to change your Instagram username?

No. It isn’t bad to change your username on social media sites if you feel like it will better represent yourself or the type of content that you are posting. There is no right or wrong way to go about this, but there are a few things that should be considered before changing names.

Will I lose followers if I change my username?

You shouldn’t lose followers when you change your username on social media. That said, it’s important to let your followers know that you have changed your name so that they don’t unfollow you.

What happens if I change my name on YouTube but forget to update it everywhere else?

If you have changed the name in one place and not updated it all other places, some people might find that confusing or irritating. 

When should I change usernames for social media sites?

You can change your name on social media sites whenever you want. There are no laws or rules that govern this process, but it’s important to consider how other people will feel about the name change before moving forward with anything.

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Change Your Social Media Username: Conclusion

If you’re looking to change your username on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, or any other social media sites, you can do so by following a few simple steps.

When changing your username, it’s a good idea to consider how it will affect your followers and if the new username sounds professional. 

It’s also a good idea to consider why you want to change usernames on social media, as this can help prevent future problems with your online presence.

Make sure you don’t change your username too many times, as that can end up confusing your audience and possibly resulting in lost followers.

Before you start the process of changing your username on social media, create a strategy, discuss with your peers, and ensure you have a plan in place to update any content that is attached to your old username.

What was your audience’s reaction when you changed your social media username?

Source: Kissmetrics