Should I absolutely use my real name for my personal brand or can I use an alias (my middle name)?

Hi Kristin!

So, I take it you have your firstnamelastname.com AND firstnamemiddlename.com

You can really go either way. However, whichever way you go, it needs to be on all of your branding.

For legal stuff, contracts and etc - you will need to include your last name. So even if you use Kristina Blair everywhere, for legal stuff, you can add your last name so that it's Kristina Blair Colpitts.

Hope that helps! Let me know,
Nicole

Which one do you think will be easier one for people to recall? I hope the answer is clearly written out there on a wall. As far as search results are concerned, that depends on too many other factors like content, keywords et al than name itself.

Personal branding could get trickier at times due to its difference from the branding as understood in business parlance. You should consider the length of name as well for platforms like twitter where 140 characters is all anyone gets. You can't compromise some of them as a part of your twitter handle length.

While, it's obvious to have obsession with ones own name, the same could leave you in no man's land down the line. There isn't correct or incorrect names, but appropriate name per your vision and objective.

Differentiation and uniqueness shouldn't be compromised in your endeavor to create a personal brand. It isn't just about how you're seen by others, but much more. At the end of a day not everyone with actual name or pseudonym "Einstein" can look as genius as image attached to it.

It's only fair to point out that your name is more difficult than most to remember correctly. Even Kristina poses a challenge with ambiguity: Kristina, Christina, Christine, Kirsten, etc.

If you go by Kristina Colpitts professionally, then people are likely to search for you by that name, which could lead them to interpret KristinaBlair.com as belonging to someone else.

Women who use a married name face an added risk, since divorce affects their online presence. That may not apply to you.

Really, I wouldn't be very enthusiastic about either of those domains you mention.

Domains, branding, and naming are what I do professionally. If I understood your objectives, business, and background, then I could advise you better. There are certainly options you haven't considered.

Call me.

The bigger question I have for you is why would you want to use an alias?

Creativity is fun and expressive. Beyonce created Sasha Fierce as a way to channel certain creative energies. Lady Gaga created Lady Gaga. I have a YouTube with a character named Juanita (played by me).

There's freedom in alternate identities.

And yet...

I'm not Juanita. She's a part of me.

Sasha Fierce is a part of Beyonce.

Gaga's birth name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta and just released an album under Joanne.

And Cheryl Stayed, better known as Sugar under her advice column Dear Sugar, only took on her birth name publically in more recent years.

I don't think there's a wrong way so long as you feel empowered.

And, I've often seen people who are afraid to share their personal views take on aliases. That may be what it takes for some to get their ideas out into the world, which isn't the worst thing ever.

The work is the most important piece anyways, so long as you feel empowered by it.