3 personal branding tips for naming your fan page

I discovered while submitting a recent Facebook TV series that several of my students were challenged to come up with a name for their fan page knowing that there must be a strategy to align with their personal brand and SEO (search engine optimization).

Some of you may not know that one of the strongest attributes of having a fan page in addition to custom pages (static FBML) and having unlimited fan availability is the fact that it is searchable OUTSIDE of Facebook.

From what follows then, you want highly searchable words like your fan page name that align with your entire brand. Today’s successful marketing requires us to move away from product / service marketing and become adept at developing a personal brand, especially with social media as our powerful (and free!) Platform.

Good quote from the “wonder boy of social networks” NY Times bestselling author, wine expert, and webTV host Gary Vaynerchuk of CRUSH IT:

“If you want to remain relevant and competitive for years to come, regardless of your industry and profession, you must develop and grow your personal brand. Everyone, EVERYONE, needs to start thinking of themselves as a brand. It is no longer an option; it is a necessity “.

NOTE: Gary became a successful UBER on social media when he took his wine expertise to stratospheric levels financially due to his personal branding prowess using social media.

Being savvy about your marketing means you want continuity across your entire personal brand, including: website, Facebook fan and personal pages, blog, Twitter, ezines, and articles. The more properties online you have, the higher your ranking will be on Google, provided you’ve done your homework to find rich keywords. So, here are three tips to help you get started on the right track in supporting a sustainable and thriving personal brand:

Tip 1. Whenever you’re not choosing a public figure category as your fan page name, step into a quiet space and brainstorm all the phrases people could and should be looking for when searching for your experience, product, or service. Then grab that list and Google it yourself, as well as search Facebook. Take a look at all the names and phrases and see which words rank highest in Google.

Tip: these are also rich keywords. This will also give you a head start on getting ideas for your name. See what’s out there and ahead! I would even ask clients and friends if the phrase or title strikes a chord with them. Feedback is always helpful! I chose Social Media Savvy for the obvious: the phrase “social networks” is one of the most searched words on the Internet. Savvy matched my brand message.

Tip 2.Next, make sure the phrase you choose aligns with the needs of your target market. I know it can be a difficult task, but it is crucial. You may find the phrase or title interesting, but if your target market doesn’t align with them, well … then. Remember that you are looking to match your entire brand with the solution you are providing for your niche.

Tip 3.Once you decide on a name or phrase, have a photo or logo designed to match the brand. Today, we have these popular “fan page banners” to spice up our branding on FB. For resources on this, please contact me.

BONUS Council. Don’t forget to promote your fan page using a Facebook username. Go to www.facebook.com/username and choose a URL for your fan page and post it wherever you market; business card, email signature, letterhead, ezine resource box, etc.