Marketers say consumers need to see/hear your name or product seven times before they decide to buy. Thus we have branding. Getting the name out there, over and over again. Authors should pay attention to this. If you use variations of your name on different social networking sites just for fun, you’re not making the most of branding. True story about a friend of mine:
I followed her on Twitter for months (under a different fun name) before I realized she was the same person (author!) I had met in another Yahoo group. Imagine how confused readers must get sometimes. Branding is most effective if you pick one name and stick with it everywhere. Less fun, admittedly, but we’re not in this just for fun. Are we?
Do you use various names on various sites? Is it working for you?
I confess, before I wrote FREEZER BURN and was just a local columnist and a horse rider and a mom (and probably a juggler), I got into some writer’s groups and social sites and didn’t use my real name. No other reason than whimsy, sadly. So now I’m GeeCarl (as in G. Carline) on some places, and GayleSoo (my middle name is Sue) on others. In my defense, I didn’t stray THAT far from who I am, but I suppose now I wish I’d stuck with being me.
Gayle Carline (no, really, it’s me now), aka GeeCarl aka GayleSoo.
P.S. Congrats on your upcoming release! Can’t wait!
I’ve had a similar experience with an author I followed. I started off simply using Jane Sutton but have since discovered there are other writers with the same name. Now I always try to add my maiden name of Kennedy to distinguish me from the others.
I promote authors and their books and while I haven’t used any other name on the web I have had people offer to buy my first and last name to use as theirs. Too funny!
Gayle, you’re such a good sport. I didn’t mean to out you. Freezer Burn is a good read too.
I’m guilty of that. I’m MermaidHel on Twitter and my blog is Straight From Hel. Both are plays on my actual name, Helen Ginger. At the time I set things up, I didn’t think about the need to use my name in all places. If I ever get around to setting up a Facebook page, I’ll use my name and maybe open a new Twitter account with my name, if it’s not taken.
Helen
Straight From Hel