Naming your school's social media channels
Getting your school’s naming correct, and consistent, on all of the social media channels is more important than ever.
With social media names constantly being taken, it is essential to get it right now. This guide will provide you with the rules and limitations that each of the main social media channels impose.
Twitter allows you to change your @username multiple times. There is a 15 character limit, which can cause issues for schools with long names.
Often, schools will use an shortened acronym, or abbreviation to identify there school. The benefit of this is that schools can then easily implement naming for their sub-accounts: @SHSdrama, @SHSsports etc.
- Username / URL changes: Unlimited
- Username / URL character limit: 15
- Real name character limit: 20
When signing up for a Facebook Page, a custom URL is not automatically assigned (like on Twitter). Instead, the admin of the Page will have to set a custom URL to the Page. Facebook do allow you to change this URL, but only once. So it is important to get it right first time.
- Username / URL changes: Once
- Username / URL character limit: 5-50 characters long
- Real name character limit: 70
YouTube
Again, YouTube will give you a unique URL to start with which will need to be customised. A custom URL cannot be changed - so you really do need to get it right first time.
YouTube requires you to have a Google account, which will also set you up with a Google+ account - it is important that these are linked.
- Username / URL changes: None
- Username / URL character limit: At least 5 characters long
- Real name character limit: 70
Flickr
Flickr requires you to set a custom URL, if you want to optimise it with your brand name. You cannot change this URL.
Flickr also requires you to have a Yahoo! account.
- Screen name changes: Unlimited
- URL changes - None
- Screen name limit - No limit
Google+
Google+ doesn’t allow you to change the URL straight away. The page needs to be at least 30 days old, and have over 200 +1s.
The URL will also contain a + sign at the start. For example, google.com/+exampleschool
- Name changes: Limited to once every 3 months
- URL changes: None
- Username / URL character limit: No limit
Instagram allows you to change your username, which is also the URL, as many times as you like.
- Username / URL changes: Unlimited
- Username / URL character limit: At least 5 characters long
- Real name character limit: 30
- Characters: Letters, number and underscores
Vine
Vine requires you to have an account over 30 days old, and to have more than two posts. That will then enable you to choose a unique URL.
- Username / URL changes: None
- Username / URL character limit: 3-32 characters
- Characters: Letters, numbers (hyphens, full-stops, underscores can be used for visual purposes)
Tumblr
Tumblr allows you to change your URL multiple times. This could either be a .tumblr.com sub-domain, or your own custom domain - trips.yourschool.com.
- Username: None
- URL changes: Unlimited
- Username / URL character limit: 32 characters
SoundCloud
SoundCloud allows you to change your username and URL multiple times.
- Username / URL changes: Unlimited
- Username / URL character limit: No limit
With Pinterest, you only get one shot at getting it right. The username will immediately be used as the URL, so it is best to think wisely.
- Username / URL changes: None
- Username / URL character limit: 3-15 characters
The recommendation is to sit down and list out all of the channels (even the channels you are not currently on) and think about naming options.
In a perfect world, you will have one name that will become synonymous with your school online. This doesn’t always happen so sometimes you will need to get creative. The importance here is to be consistent.
When setting up social media, don’t think about it as the next 2-3 years. Think about it as something you will use for the 50 years. Your social media names are becoming just as important as your website domain.
Let us know how you’ve implemented a consistent naming strategy. Or, if you need help, get in touch!