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A few days ago I changed my Twitter username from @SmallBizMuse to @MichelleShaeffr I’ve had several people asked me how I did it so here’s the scoop.
First, things to know:
- You can have more than one Twitter account, but each requires a separate email address.
- When you change Twitter usernames your followers/following/tweets will stay connected to you and your new username.
- Your old username will be available for registration as soon as you change to your new one.
Here’s the step by step:
- Login to your Twitter account
- Go to your “Settings” page
- On the “Account” page, look for the Username box
- Change it what you’d like your username to be and Twitter will confirm that it’s available (or not)
- When you find one that’s available that you want, put it in that username box then scroll to the bottom of the page and click the “Save” button
- Now log out of your Twitter account
- Go to the home page and create a new account right away using your old username but with a different email address
- Tweet something from this new account in your old username like: “I’ve moved to @MichelleShaeffr please connect with me there!”
- That’s it!
Here’s more info from Twitter: http://support.twitter.com/groups/31-twitter-basics/topics/107-my-profile-account-settings/articles/14609-how-to-change-your-username
As for the why, it was something I’ve been wanting to do for a while to come in line with my changes here on the blog and elsewhere (branding my name more than my former tag line). I couldn’t find a variation on my own name that I liked though so I’d been dragging my feet. I finally decided on MichelleShaeffr (I dropped out the “e” as my full name is one letter too long for Twitter’s limits). And since I knew I’d do it eventually I decided sooner was better than later and I might as well get it over with.