Twitter handle

A Twitter handle is the username that appears at the end of your personal Twitter URL.

A Twitter handle is not identical to a Twitter name. Twitter handles are listed after the @ sign in your profile URL and it must be specific to your account. A Twitter name is just there to guide people to the correct account

While choosing a Twitter handle appears simple, there are 330 million monthly active users now on the platform. Finding the right handle is not as easy as it used to be, with a lack of availability being the culprit. 

How to Choose an Effective Twitter Handle

There are some best practices you should consider while choosing a a handle:

• Use your name: If your name or brand is available as a handle, pick it! The lucky few are able to get their name without having to get creative.
• Try not to use numbers and underscores: Random numbers and underscores can hurt your searchability.
• Be consistent: Use the same handles across the board so users on any platofrm can find you. This also makes cross promotion much easier.
• Don’t stuff your handle with keywords: Keywords can make a handle look crowded and spammy.
• Keep it short and sweet: Stick to the character limit and to the spirit of Twitter, which is just that; short and sweet.
• Be careful with “The Real”: Adding “The Real” before your name has become something of an oxymoron and makes accounts seem fake, avoid this moniker.

What to Do If Your Ideal Twitter Handle is Taken

With so many users already active on Twitter, the odds are high that someone has your handle. The resulting strategy is getting creative, finding another way to indicate your online identity. Another option, if you have a trademark on your company name, issue a complaint with Twitter.

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As mentioned, you can take the creative approach, make your Twitter handle unique by:

• Adding “HQ” or “Inc” to demonstrate your expert status.
• Putting “The” in the front of your Twitter handle.
• Beginning with a phrase like “We Are” or “The Real” if you’re Twitter verified, which would dispel any fake account 
• Refer to your industry. Many app developers use the word “app” at the end of a Twitter handle to make it stand out.
• Putting words out front of your brand name within the handlelike “Try,” “Use,” “Join” or “Get” for service-focused companies.