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Should I use my real name?

by cactus82
24 replies
Hello fellow warriors,

I like to hear opinion from you guys. Should I use my real name in my review site? Or is it better to use a nickname or maybe a fake name? Thank you..
#real
  • Profile picture of the author robp12
    Originally Posted by cactus82 View Post

    Hello fellow warriors,

    I like to hear opinion from you guys. Should I use my real name in my review site? Or is it better to use a nickname or maybe a fake name? Thank you..
    I've battled with this for a while myself.. If you are proud of the content you produce and aren't ashamed with associating your own name with it, then by all means, use your real name..

    I actually highlight my websites on my resume now and potential employers have really like that.
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    My name is Rob and I'm the founder of Career Dreaming, where I help job candidates leverage the power of recruiters to find a new job.

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    • Profile picture of the author GilGarcia
      Originally Posted by robp12 View Post

      I've battled with this for a while myself.. If you are proud of the content you produce and aren't ashamed with associating your own name with it, then by all means, use your real name..

      I actually highlight my websites on my resume now and potential employers have really like that.
      I think you're spot on,

      The recurring problem is that the majority of the IM'ers are NOT proud of the content & reviews they produce,

      But maybe that's a whole different issue to discuss.
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      João Gil Garcia
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  • Profile picture of the author TedTheodore
    One thing I do is this...
    I use different names for different Niches.
    In other words...Name1 for IM niche...Name2 for Weight Loss niche...etc...
    & of course I have email addresses with those names.
    This way if people google your name...
    you wont be seen as a 'Jack of all Trades...Master of None' !!

    ~Ted~
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael Harrington
    I would advise to use your real name.
    If you want to take the full effect of Attraction Marketing, you will do much better if people know you are a real person, and who you say you are.
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  • Profile picture of the author ProScribe
    Hi Cactus82

    I would refer to it as a pen name rather than a fake name.

    Pen names have a prestigious literary history, fake names are for fraudsters

    Lot's of people use multiple names in internet marketing, and so you shouldn't feel bound to using your own name. You might want to be seen as an expert in multiple niches, or perhaps you don't want your real name tied to something distasteful.

    However using your real name has the advantage that it is harder to forget.
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    • Profile picture of the author MrWhites
      Originally Posted by ProScribe View Post

      Hi Cactus82

      I would refer to it as a pen name rather than a fake name.

      Pen names have a prestigious literary history, fake names are for fraudsters

      Lot's of people use multiple names in internet marketing, and so you shouldn't feel bound to using your own name. You might want to be seen as an expert in multiple niches, or perhaps you don't want your real name tied to something distasteful.

      However using your real name has the advantage that it is harder to forget.
      Stephen King is a great example. I did think about having a pen name but it didnt feel right for me when i was using it.

      I guess it depends on how you feel, just dont go using and pen name and using it for no good.
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      • Profile picture of the author Brian Dandy
        I've also struggled with this for a while and decided to come out of the closet :-> and use my real name on IM sites like the warrior forum, but still use a pen name on review sites.
        I think a real name gives more credibility if you are trying to sell to fellow IMers
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  • Profile picture of the author Brendan Vraibel
    I use my real name for MMO niche but a pen name for others. It's tough to be seen as an authority figure in a given niche if you claim to be the "go to guy" in multiple industries.
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    • Profile picture of the author PsychoProfits
      Originally Posted by B and B View Post

      I use my real name for MMO niche but a pen name for others. It's tough to be seen as an authority figure in a given niche if you claim to be the "go to guy" in multiple industries.
      Got to agree with you here. Nothing wrong with pen names, but use your real name in the one niche in which you want to be a trusted authority.
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  • Profile picture of the author Miguelito203
    Originally Posted by cactus82 View Post

    Hello fellow warriors,

    I like to hear opinion from you guys. Should I use my real name in my review site? Or is it better to use a nickname or maybe a fake name? Thank you..
    I use the nick name given to me by name family like I do on this forum and my real last name. I only use my birth name when I sign like gov. documents and what not. I have begun to notice that people use my name to look up reviews for products as well. I don't mind since I don't promote crap. It's actually pretty cool.

    Joey
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  • Profile picture of the author BlogTyrant
    Both work well for different situations.

    Some of my sites I use my real name, others a "character" name.

    The thing is: loyalty comes by being transparent and honest which I have found does not always require a name. Blog Tyrant is an example of a name with a lot of goodwill.

    Also, its good for building mystery! I'll be showing my face to loyal subscribers soon which everyone seems to enjoy.

    What about security guys? Could he be worried about hacking implications?

    Tyrant
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  • Profile picture of the author hayesrobin
    I always love to use my real name as my online name!
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  • Profile picture of the author Juvv2096
    Although I have a nick name on the forum, I often sign off as my real name, Jacob.

    On my websites I also have my name on them as I am proud of the work I do. I think the only real reason you wouldnt use your real name is that you were either doing something illegal, or something you werent proud of.

    If your not doing either of those then I would suggest using your real name.

    Good luck!

    JACOB <------ :p
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  • Profile picture of the author cactus82
    I agree using real name brings more advantages. But in some cases where your real name is very long, I think a nick / pen name is more practical to be used. I've been thinking quite a while whether to use a nick/pen name or my real name for my review sites, and it seems to me that using real name is the one to go after reading you guys opinions :-) Thanks..
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  • Profile picture of the author ERPLeadsWriter
    I would suggest a pen name too. I would also add that the difference between a pen name and a fake name is that the latter is just something you can toss together then toss out on a whim.

    A pen name however, is something you treat more personally. I myself have reserved a particular pen name solely for my creative writing works. It really does give you that nice air of mystery like some of the other literary greats of the past.

    As someone else has said, it's only good to use your real name if you're that confident about yourself. On the other hand, that also still carries the risk of publicizing yourself on the net and that's not always a good thing if you value your private life.
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  • Profile picture of the author shireen
    Hi:

    Shireen here :-)

    I use my own name :-)
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  • Profile picture of the author kolbywhite28
    Real Name + Real Address + Real HP Number
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    • Profile picture of the author cactus82
      Originally Posted by kolbywhite28 View Post

      Real Name + Real Address + Real HP Number
      I don't think showing our real address in a website is a good idea. But for hp no, I prefer to show it to my customers or subscribers for product support :-)
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  • Profile picture of the author Guru_Marketing
    Originally Posted by cactus82 View Post

    Hello fellow warriors,

    I like to hear opinion from you guys. Should I use my real name in my review site? Or is it better to use a nickname or maybe a fake name? Thank you..
    Perhaps by "fake name" you mean a pen name? It does not matter what label you put on it :-)

    If you are an affiliate marketer, doing reviews for other people's products, it's considered as a business model. When you do business, you do not want anything on your name. You build your brand around your name and it should be different from the real one.

    You can use the real name too, but again, there's a reason why people use pen names to operate their businesses.
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    • Profile picture of the author cactus82
      Originally Posted by Guru_Marketing View Post

      Perhaps by "fake name" you mean a pen name? It does not matter what label you put on it :-)

      If you are an affiliate marketer, doing reviews for other people's products, it's considered as a business model. When you do business, you do not want anything on your name. You build your brand around your name and it should be different from the real one.

      You can use the real name too, but again, there's a reason why people use pen names to operate their businesses.
      Yes that's exactly what I mean. Sorry for using the words "fake name". It sounds like a nick name for scammers LOL :-p

      I've seen many people in my country using their own name for internet marketing and eventually use their name as a brand or company name. But some people use their pen name to run their full internet marketing business too. That's why I'm facing a hard time to decide whether to use my real name or pen name in this industry.
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  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    Originally Posted by cactus82 View Post

    Should I use my real name in my review site? Or is it better to use a nickname or maybe a fake name? Thank you..
    There is no inherent advantage or disadvantage in running one website under any name you like, real or assumed.

    Multiple websites under the same name could, however, be seen as embarrassing or suspicious. You might want to use an assumed name for your review blog on erectile dysfunction treatments, haemorrhoid creams, or yeast infection (probably something female on that last one). You might also want to use one or two assumed names if you are in both the seduction and parenting niches.

    It's about what people think more than anything else.
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    • Profile picture of the author cactus82
      Originally Posted by CDarklock View Post

      There is no inherent advantage or disadvantage in running one website under any name you like, real or assumed.

      Multiple websites under the same name could, however, be seen as embarrassing or suspicious. You might want to use an assumed name for your review blog on erectile dysfunction treatments, haemorrhoid creams, or yeast infection (probably something female on that last one). You might also want to use one or two assumed names if you are in both the seduction and parenting niches.

      It's about what people think more than anything else.
      Oh now I can see a clearly when is the best to use my real name and nick name. Thanks a lot CDarklock :-)
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  • Profile picture of the author RefundHost
    CDarklock made some excellent points!

    You may not be a fan, but John Wayne was born Marion Morrison.
    Two male one syllable first names has been the Hollywood standard for years
    More masculine and easy to remember. ( eg. James Dean, etc. )

    But online, you want something UNIQUE because if people search for you
    you want them to find YOU ( or your alias ) eg. David D'Angelo was the
    alias of Eben Pagan in a dating niche. I figure he didn't think "Eben Pagan"
    was hip enough to sell dating advice. But since it was UNIQUE he can use
    his own name for more mature products....

    ... and still, people find what they want when they look for either name / brand.

    So if you plan to do several different niches, sure, use a different ( but UNIQUE ) name so that when people look for that name, they get what they want.
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  • Profile picture of the author BlackRob
    I recommend that you use your real name unless of course you are unsure about the product itself, but normally the best way around that is to see a demo of the product first if you can.
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