By Deborah Wroe

No, not according to Shakespeare*, but the Twittersphere.

If you are about to launch yourself on Twitter you need a name and although it’s not the most agonising marketing decision you will have to make it does need some thought.

Grab it – Claim your name quick before someone else does. Someone may have already started using your name – a parody account, fan account, or just a similar business name. Use of under scores, or numbers can remedy this, or at least give you something to work whilst you decide whether or not to try and claim back or work with the parody/fan account.

Length matters – choose too long a name and it will cut into other people’s/organisations’ ability to retweet (RT) you (what with having a 140 character limit). If people want to RT you and there isn’t enough room, they will abandon it. Trust me, I do it all the time. Great content can reach only a limited audience if you choose too long a Twitter name.

Official? – Hmm, not a fan to be honest. Official is more often than not used by non-official accounts, as a way of trying to claim ‘officialness’. A verified blue tick from Twitter is the only true way of determining that a celeb or brand account is ‘official’. Use of the word official is a poor man’s, and often fake, blue tick. Steer clear of it in your name.

Snuffletrumpsbabycakes – if your Twitter account is purely for business and in line with your corporate tone then make sure your name also sets the tone. Other businesses are unlikely to take seriously any commentary from @Snuffletrumpsbabycakes

Matching collars and cuff – whatever your name make sure it is consistent across all your social media channels. Not necessarily the same, as each platform has its own rules, but consistent so that you can be found and are easily identifiable whether on Facebook, Pinterest, Google Plus etc.

Name change – if you get it wrong, get bought out, rebrand, or change your mind you can change your name providing it’s available. I have been considering this for my personal account for ages. I cringe when people say it out loud, but it’s daft, it’s mine and I am sticking with it. But FYI it’s not Bondy it’s Bondi – as in beach.

* “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose. By any other name would smell as sweet.” Romeo and Juliet