How to Change a Twitter Name and Keep Followers, While Saving Your URL

Recently I changed up my Twitter name from my 3 1/2 years as lifeasaSAHM to dianawrote. I love it.

I have to admit, one of my hesitations doing this for a long time was how to change a twitter name and keep followers – without unlinking my former url (twitter.com/lifeasaSAHM) from everything and therefore disappearing to anyone who clicked the old link. Which after 3+ years, was linked up a lot of places.

Many of you asked how to do this, so I’ve listed with screenshots the easy way to do it, while also keeping your old url active and linked to your new one. Take a look at this quick and pretty simple way to change a twitter name and keep followers:

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First, log into your Twitter account and click on the settings tool, then the settings tab.

Once you’re in, find the Account tab on the left. Click on it, and the first box should be your current username. Type in your new one (don’t hit save yet!) to make sure it’s available. If it’s taken, Twitter will let you know without you having to save first.

After you find one you like and that’s open, go back to your “Connect” or “Profile” tab on the very top without saving the new name yet. Tweet out something about the new name change, including your old one and your new one. Like this:

This is a courtesy to others who read you to know what just happened, mark your new name change, and remember to tweet @ your new account. Your new name link in the tweet (@dianawrote) won’t be active or clickable at first, and that’s fine. It will be.

Go back to settings, profile, and then change and save your new username. ASAP.

As soon as it’s saved and you check it to make sure you’re showing up under a new name, log out. Head to twitter’s home page, and sign up for a new account. You’ll need a second, active email account to do this.

Once you’re in, Twitter will ask you the following info. Put in a second, active email address, and type in your old username (@lifeasaSAHM). Click create this account.

Twitter will take you to your profile page with your old account name. Add the former photo you used, make sure your name is the same as before (@lifeasaSAHM), enter your blog/site, and then type in your new account information in the bio box. Be sure to @ your new account name in the bio to direct people there easily! 

Save. At some point in this, Twitter will ask you to click a confirmation link sent to that second email. Do so now to verify it. Then log out of this (@lifeasaSAHM) account.

What this does is saves your old url (twitter.com/lifeasaSAHM), and by doing this it allows anyone who clicks your old Twitter link to find you again, but follow at your new account name. Instead of clicking twitter.com/lifeasaSAHM and finding a 404 error page, they’ll get this now:

On top of that, no one else can claim your old twitter handle! It’s also handy to occasionally log in and check to see if anyone has sent you a tweet or message there still.

Log into your new (@dianawrote) one! Because you didn’t change the login info on the new one, it will be exactly the same as before. You’ll see your new name with all your old stuff – followers, tweets, and pictures. It’s the same account, just a new url.

That’s it! Once you have a chance, find your old Twitter urls on your blog and other social media sites and change them to the new one, but you probably won’t get them all which is why we set up the other account under your old url!

xxoo

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