If you don’t use MySpace, Twitter, and other forms of social media, that’s fine.  Time and money can be tight, interests can lie elsewhere - no problem.  Go ahead and stake out your name(s), though, to prepare for the future and/or protect yourself.

Remember the early days of instant messaging?  A few people managed to establish just their first names as their screen names.  The next wave set up their first and last names.  Then, as the scene became so full of folks, you’d wind up having to remember 1984NYJoanLikesDogCatsBirdsNotMice1995 - for just one friend.

As far as MySpace is concerned, this advice is probably coming far too late.  Twitter is an up-and-coming service, however, and respectable entities like the BBC have already set up shop there.

Stoney deGeyter writes, “The last thing you want is someone out there twittering in your business’ name.  Maybe they are a fan with good intentions, but maybe not.  In either case, an ‘unauthorized’ individual is out there actively engaging with the community in your name.  They could be saying things that appear to be official company communications, but aren’t.”

Establishing a Twitter account takes less than five minutes and is completely free.  Even if you think people discussing their dull days in 140-character lumps is idiotic, do yourself a favor and check it out.

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