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How to use a different name on YouTube than your Google Account

Dec 22, 2015 7:53:00 PM / by Vu Long Tran

This post details how I have moved my YouTube account and channel from my personal Google Account connected to my "Deja Vu Guides" profile.

I am writing this guide as I was digging around on YouTube and it took me a while to find the steps to set this up.

Why do I want to use a different name on YouTube?

I am going through a rebranding exercise, bringing personal YouTube channel, "Vu Long Tran" to my new brand, "Deja Vu Guides", so that I can create a website and social media channels to focus on my How To Guides that I love creating and writing.

That way there is less confusion over my tech guides via my personal experience and storytelling, etc.

How to use a different name on YouTube than your Google Account

Here's the process that I went through to set "Deja Vu Guides" as my YouTube profile.

Step 1 - Confirm your YouTube account

Go to your account settings and click Confirm your name on YouTube.
 

Step 2 - Have in mind a Google account for my "Deja Vu Guides" profile

Right now, you can select a variety of Google and YouTube accounts to associate a YouTube account for (as you'll see in the screenshot below). As I have one already, I am going to use my "Deja Vu Guides" my Google+ page.

  • Use your Google+ pages (if you have any) 
  • Use your current YouTube username 
  • Create a new name 
  • Use your Google Account name

Step 3 - (Google+ Page users) Go to Advanced Account Settings

In Advanced Account settings you should see an option to "Move channel to Google+ page".

Step 4 -  Select Google+ page to move

Select Google+ page to move your YouTube channel to. This will Google+ page will now be associated with that channel. 

Google is great in that it'll show you an example with flowcharts on what it can look like.

Step 5 -  Confirm that you'd like to move it

Step 6 -  You'll receive a confirmation page

It will tell you that "Your YouTube channel has been successfully moved!"

Step 7 -  Log in using your Google+ page

Log in using your Google+ page. You might need to wait a bit for the changes to be made. Mine changed in about 30 minutes. 

Step 8 -  Enjoy using your different name now with your YouTube account

Topics: google, social media

Vu Long Tran

Written by Vu Long Tran

Solutions Engineer APAC. ex-@Forrester consultant. Writing on #cloud #howto guides and #tech tinkering!