To start, I've put together my own quick tips about changing your blog name:
- Let your readers know well in advance that you will be switching.
- Remember to go into your settings of your old blog and set it so it will automatically redirect readers to your new address.
- Make sure this is the name you want to go with. You don't want to change it again a week later.
- Have fun! This is your blog. Your new blog name should reflect you.
I also wanted to share this paragraph found at Project: Inspire's post below. I think it really has a lot to say about what a blog/blog title really means :)
"During this time since my fast ended I started thinking about the direction of the blog. I knew that it was not going to continue on as it had in the past. I still LOVE to create and craft but I was not sure I wanted to blog about every crafty adventure. I felt like I wanted to blog when I was inspired to do it. Not because I felt I had to do it. Another thing was that I had gotten so much positive feedback from my blog break post and my follow up post “Why I’m Tossing Blog Etiquette Out the Window” that I felt like I was given this gift to inspire others to make changes in their lives. Believe me when I say, I most certainly do not feel inspiring. lol I have such a LONG way to go but I guess putting my thoughts out there gave people someone to identify with. So, I came up with Project Inspire. I will blog when I’m inspired to do it and hopefully whatever I blog about will inspire someone else. Whether it be in their crafty adventures or their relationship with God or their family life, I don’t know but Project Inspire it is!" -Diana from Project: Inspire (The Girl Creative)
Diana's post makes so much sense to me. Her other post "Why I'm Tossing Blog Etiquette Out the Window" is amazing. Seriously, go on and click on that link above then come back and finish reading this ;)
Diana's post makes so much sense to me. Her other post "Why I'm Tossing Blog Etiquette Out the Window" is amazing. Seriously, go on and click on that link above then come back and finish reading this ;)
Welcome back! (did you follow my instructions? ;)) For this next part, I've interviewed two lovely bloggers who have some fabulous insight...
First up is Natasha from Natasha in Oz. Here is what she has to say about changing her blog name from '5 Minutes Just for Me' to 'Natasha in Oz'...
Why did you change your blog name?
When I first started my blog I hastily decided on a name and didn't think about it's length or the fact that I used "5" instead of the word "Five"-as an English teacher that always bothered me and I was angry at myself for doing it! I was always happy with my blog but at the same time I always knew it wasn't quite right name wise. I was also know as Natasha in Oz on twitter, pinterest, blogger and so on so thought I might as well change the name of my blog to Natasha in Oz and get my own domain at the same time. I'm so glad I did!
Do you think it has affected your amount of readers in any way?
I honestly don't think it has affected my readers at all. My bloggy friends all stayed with me because I made all of the changes through the Blogger platform. This meant that all my blog followers were automatically sent to Natasha in Oz when they visited my old blog. How easy is that!?
What are your pros and cons about changing your blog name?
Pros. I have now got my own domain name and I think it's a bit easier to remember than the old blog name. It's also a much easier URL to type out and remember since I don't have that annoying "blogspot" in it any more!
Cons. It took a while for Google to recognize the new name but I have now gone and given every single old post a +1 on Google+! Let's hope that helps with search engine optimization!---
Up next is Carrie from Frugal Foodie Mama!
Up next is Carrie from Frugal Foodie Mama
twitter // facebook // pinterest
Why did I change you change your blog name?
I initially started my blog as a place to record my recipes while I was pregnant with my third baby. I miscarried my baby at around 8 weeks, and my blog title was kind of difficult for me after that. I logged on everyday, just to be reminded that I was no longer preggo. :( So, I then changed it to A Mother's Heart to chronicle my journey to get pregnant again, that subsequent pregnancy, and what it was like being a mother to a teenager and a newborn and two angel babies. After my daughter was born and I decided to stay at home, I went back to my blog being about recipes... plus mothering and trying to stay on a budget. So, Frugal Foodie Mama was born. :)
Do you think it has affected your amount of readers in any way?
Yes, most definitely. My readers have increased about threefold since my most recent blog title change. I think it is because I started to appeal to a broader audience, not just the infertile and baby loss community. And I have quite a few followers who just love to cook, or save money, or are attachment parents too. And I have still maintained my original infertility audience even though that is no longer the focus of my blog.
What are your pros and cons about changing your blog name?
Pros: It definitely increased my follower base, as I stated above. Increasing my follower base has also opened up new opportunities for me in my blogging, such as collaborations with other bloggers and the possibility of working with companies and shops that I love and want to promote.
Cons: Sometimes I worry that my original followers- those who were with me through the miscarriage, the testing afterwards, my pregnancy- will think that my losses, my struggle no longer affects me because I have my beautiful baby girl here with me. I worry that they think that I have forgotten about that part of my journey, about them. I still sometimes blog about my angels, my struggles with secondary infertility, but it is not the center of my everyday life now, naturally. I blog about what is happening in my life now. When I am moved to blog about my babies, my grief, then I open up and I post. That just isn't as often now though.
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Thanks again to these lovely ladies for their interviews! There are definitely lots of pros and cons that come with changing your blog name. In addition to what Carrie said, remember to figure out what kind of audience you're appealing to!
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Thanks again to these lovely ladies for their interviews! There are definitely lots of pros and cons that come with changing your blog name. In addition to what Carrie said, remember to figure out what kind of audience you're appealing to!
I hope this post has helped you make the big decision. If you need any help, don't hesitate to shoot me an email. :)
<3 Kate