Getting your BEST possible username - (My approach)
A good instagram username instantly makes you stand out. Having @arlin, for example โ undeniably cool. Same with your first name; @jack or @mike. Because these are probably hard to get, it instantly makes you cool when you have a good username. I'd like to share the steps I took to get the best possible username for me (for now). I'll also share how you can do the same! Keep in mind that this process can be challenging and take time. But this is exactly why having a good username is cool. You have to put in the hard work. For me this entire process took a few months, but it can take years (or even fail). Step 1: Choose Your Username Picture your ultimate username. Often, it's just your first name. Check if it's free. If your name is common, it's probably already taken by someone else. Decide if you can get this person to change his username; either by offering value, switching usernames, or agreeing to a price to buy it for. For me, @elias was taken by Elias Vides, an entrepreneur with a cool instagram and over 40k followers. Let's be real โ I currently probably can't afford what he'd want. If this is the case, explore your other options. Think first and last name, joined or split with a dot or underscore. Also, peek at other untaken names. Step 2: Pick Your Target Go over your options. Pick the best possible username, one where you stand a chance. If you have multiple good options, contact them all. In my case, I went for @eliasniels, both my first and last name. Step 3: Do Your Research Before messaging the current owner, it's good to know a little bit about the current owner. Take the time to look around their profile, and see what they are passionate about. This will help you tailor your approach to them. Step 4: Shoot Your Shot Send them a friendly DM, but don't go straight in with an offer. Be friendly and genuine with your intentions.ย See if they'd even consider changing their username to something else. You'll probably have to wait for their reply. If they're not active, you can wait for months, even years. For me, it took around a day, but I knew the user was active.