Sep 15, 2014

Blogging 101: Say Your Name

Today’s assignment: edit your title and tagline. Make your readers’ first impression a good one!

Welcome to Blogging U! This course isn't currently active, but you can learn more about what we offer and register for upcoming courses on the BU home page.

You set your blog’s address when you registered at WordPress.com, but your blog’s title — what readers see on your site when they visit — can be changed at any time. Today, let’s make sure you love yours.

Today’s assignment: edit your title and tagline.

Why?

  • The title is the first thing most readers will see.
  • Your title and tagline work with elements like like your address and theme to give visitors context and help them decide to stick around.

Your title doesn’t need to be the same as your blog’s URL — there’s no need to call it “maryjanesmith922.” Your title should reflect you.

A title is typically only a few words, so consider adding a tagline — a phrase that appears under your title and helps flesh it out. Think “Burger King: Have It Your Way,” or The Daily Post: The Art and Craft of Blogging.” Look at the post your wrote yesterday. Why are you here? Let us know in your tagline.

Here are the details on editing your title and tagline, along with some accumulated wisdom from other WordPress bloggers. Here’s one of our favorite nuggets of advice:

Try listing adjectives that describe your personality, and play around with the words until you can tweak them into a name that’s catchy but uniquely “you.” Puns always work well. Start with certain common phrases, songs, and literary titles, and then mix the words up. Or use your own name in a clever way.
She’s a Maineiac

If you’re already thrilled with your title or you want to do more, feel free to publish a post, too! Let readers know what inspired your title and tagline, or, If you need want writing inspiration, take a look at today’s prompt.

Need more feedback? Head to The Commons.

Show Comments

206 Comments

Close Comments

Join the conversation!

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

Gravatar
WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Twitter picture

You are commenting using your Twitter account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Cancel

Connecting to %s

Comments

  2. I love mine to. It’s on my business cards so I can’t change it. But, I will most definitely write something on why I chose my URL and My title of my blog. ! Thanks for the prompt and it’s good! 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  3. Me too. I was considering changing it, but I just reconfirmed it when I answered a comment on someone else’s blog and I think I’m meant to keep it! Reading your comment is another confirmation and I like yours by the way too! Hope everybody has a super duper day today:-)

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  4. rev is an affectionate nickname in my family of ministers and extended family. My tagline blends my personal passion and the prophetic work I’m called to do. I tried to address that in yesterdays blog. I love the thoughtful way you are leading us through building our blog.

    BTW: I read your instructions and figured out one to collapse my posts on the home page–works for now !!!! this is so comforting 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. I love my blog title (Milagros Moments). It definitely reflects who I am and I even explain why I chose it on my “about me” page. All that being said, how do I know my readers are connecting with it as much as I do??

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  6. I added a tagline. But I think i’m gonna keep the tittle. Orginally I had planned on changing it to some clever, but its kinda grown on me, and I’ve had that same name for 30+ years.So I guess it will stay. My tagline is a play on something my 5 year old son always tells me. He says “mom you are sooo random!” lol

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. I used to have a tagline but my new theme doesn’t support it, maybe if I was better at CSS I could figure out a way to add it. I really like my title though, I think I’m sticking with it. It is a pun based on the idea that people who are polyamory are labeled as being “greedy.”

    Like

    Reply

    1. My only suggestion would be to make it “A Toolbox for Dads” (adding an “s” at the end) as it sounds like more of a resource/go-to site for any or all dads in need of advice or a humorous story. Either way, I really like the title!

      Liked by 3 people

      Reply

    2. I would consider adding an s. Toolbox for Dads. I think it is a great title! Maybe consider removing the second and third Dad? Parenting Blog for Dads; Advice, Stories… My eyes kind of stumbled over the repetitionof the word Dad.

      Like

      Reply

      1. Thank you for the kind words, Audrey. 🙂 The idea stemmed from my desire to chase summers and sunshine around the world. Trying to fulfill that dream, one place at a time. Yours, I believe, is a beauty and makeup blog? Good job with the word play!

        Like

  14. It took me awhile to come up with my tagine but I really like my blog name & tagine. I wanted people to know without a doubt what my blog is about. Plus I wanted the 2 to match with each and sound good together. Check out & xome visit my blog @ livingintentionallysimple.wordpress.com
    Oh I’m a little behind but I’ll have my intro up by tomorrow. Thanks

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  18. Keeping it. “Half as Long, Twice as Bright”, is something that I want. I want to live a life worth living but my own problems, both emotional and physical, keep me from doing the things I want to do. In a way, it’s the person I hope to be one day. The tagline, I have to try, kind of says it all.

    Check my site out please. I’ll have the first post on it a couple hours.

    Like

    Reply

  21. I’ve written about why I am using the blog name that I am for my new travel blog here: http://barramundimundi.wordpress.com/2014/09/15/whats-in-a-name/

    I have a few posts on here already but they are quite random and I would like to be able to create menus etc. to group things together and make more sense of the blog, rather than a stream of consciousness.

    Hoping we get to do more technical stuff soon as I’m really struggling to make the blog look how I want, have no idea how to customise!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. I’m in the same boat you are, as I’ve sort of drafted a webpage already but have really no content except random notes about things I think are important to people…after all, they are important to me and I am anxious to see if anyone else feels the same. As far as title/tag line, that’s been established on my draft site. I’ll put it on this blog as well and see how the class moves on. (Think I need ANOTHER notebook besides the 5 I already have going…) Looking forward to more!

      Like

      Reply

    2. The answer to that is maybe but I doubt you are ready for that as much as you may want it. Some themes may have a quick and easy way or doing it, especially ones you pay big bucks for. Some of the free ones let you purchase an upgrade that will enable you to do it to a limited degree. Some themes and upgrades will allow you to add CSS code to the template and change it. That’s the part you aren’t ready for. If you were you wouldn’t be asking the question, you would know already. So, don’t think I’m an saying you are not smart enough; the question just tells you aren’t ready. You just don’t have the skill set yet. Me neither but I do know some of what is involved from reading about it and know at some point you will be able to do it. Not all fonts, whether serif or sans serif, are supported by WP or the internet so be ready to compromise on your first choice if necessary. This will be easier than you are anticipating I assure you.

      Like

      Reply

  24. I love my title yet hate my tagline. I’m not witty or clever enough to come up with something catchy. It seems there is nothing left under the sun to be original. The best I could come up with was “filled with sweet happy passion” blech.

    Like

    Reply

    1. I actually enjoyed your tagline. At first I was unsure about what “The Sugar Peddler” would be all about. Drugs (sorry, my mind goes to mysterious places)? Actual sugar? Your tagline was able to clear that right up, and I was able to appreciate the playfulness of your title.

      Like

      Reply

    2. I think that the most important is not to be original with all means, but to have something that suits you 🙂 if this tagline reflects who you are – than great, you don’t need anything else. If not – then change it 🙂

      Like

      Reply

    1. I think it’s great, too! It clearly articulates what your blog is about while still being open-ended enough to include a variety of adventures. I love the story behind your blog – consider me a new follower 🙂

      Like

      Reply

  28. I like my blog title also. I started my blog to share and offer encouragement about things that I believe others, like myself, think and go through but don’t always know how to speak them out. Bringing them “from-the-n-side-out”. fromthensideout.wordpress.com

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  29. I couldn’t figure something out how to make my link bromg tpu to my site till someone showed me how to, which was simple enough.
    To visit my blog to see my tagine and intro it’s at http://www.livingintentionallysimple.worspress.com. I wanted to come up with a catchy tagine but couldn’t really think of one. Please come by, read the intro post, and if you can help me think of a clever catchy tagine please let me know. Thanks.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  30. It took a while, but I’m pretty happy with my title (Happy Chaos) and my tagline (tales of our happy, chaotic little life). Not sure if I should add a little more to the tagline? I mainly write about parenting and being a working mother, but want to incorporate some recipes and crafts that I do as well. Also, how do I change my URL to the name of my blog? Thanks for the help! I am enjoying being a part of this!

    Like

    Reply

    1. You can chance your URL by going to your dashboard >> My Blogs >> Change Address. However, if you already have followers, I’d recommend against it — your title and tagline can still change, tho.

      Like

      Reply