TikTok is a video-sharing application that has increased in popularity during the quarantine period (2020).
Users create short fifteen seconds to one-minute videos. The videos can be of different genres. These videos can be shared by other users.
When you create a TikTok account, you must pick a username that will resonate with your current and future audiences.
Sometimes you change your brand. Or you are no longer satisfied with the username you initially picked, so you decide to change it.
So, how do you change your username on TikTok?
According to the TikTok website support you need to:
- Go to the ‘Me’ section on your TikTok profile;
- Change your username to your desired username in the ‘edit your profile section;
- Save your settings.
It is important to note that you cannot change your username more than once every thirty days. However, if you want to change your username without waiting 30 days, then you can do the following:
- Go to the settings application on your cell phone;
- Go to the date and time on your phone;
- Turn off or opt to change the date and time from automatic to manual settings and set the date and time thirty days from the present day (or from the day you changed your username last);
- After saving these settings you will be able to change your username on TikTok (follow the aforementioned steps).
The pros and cons of changing your username
It would be best if you limit or completely avoid changing your username more than a handful of times; the reason being that you want to be consistent with your content while growing (and maintaining) your audience.
When you keep changing your username it may be hard for your audience or other users to find your profile; they may lose interest in your content and your account if they have to keep searching your username (only to discover that it has been changed).
But if you are looking to rebrand then changing your username would make sense. Bigger content creators and influencers have been known to do this on applications like YouTube.
It illustrates how your content is changing and diversifying with your audience or with your taste (growing and changing as a content creator).
An example would be YouTubers such as ‘The 8-Bit Guy’ – previously ‘The iBook Guy.’
So, if you are considering changing your username then ensure that:
- It is unique but not outlandish – you want your audience to remember your content and your name but still remember it when they are recommending your account to their friends;
- In regards to the above keep it short and sweet – why have Sk8erboixcq when you can just simplify it to a name that fits your niche;
- You are completely certain that you want to change it – there is no point changing your name on a whim only to realise that you dislike it the next day (and change it back).
Something to consider, however, is that your brand should be the same on every platform.
If your name is Skaterboi3 on Instagram and you want your Instagram audience to find you on TikTok then it would make more sense to keep the same username on TikTok.
What to do after your username is changed?
- Ensure that all your social media accounts are linked so that your audience can find you on all the different platforms you are on.
- If you have an audience/following then you want to make the announcement that you have changed your username.
You can do this with an Instagram story, a tweet on Twitter, a video on TikTok or all the above. - If you have a website, business card or a portfolio that made mention to your old username ensure that you change it; this is so a brand/influencer who is looking to work with you will know that they can find you with the new username.
If they use the old one the likelihood that they do not find your account is high – you want to avoid this.
Conclusion
It may seem arbitrary but if your social media is your primary business/brand then you need to treat it in the same way a ‘professional’ company/business is treated.
Your audience is potential sponsorships that will boost your career, and you need to make sure that your engagement with them is always up to date. This includes informing them when you’ve made significant changes to your brand/account.
