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I was recently contacted by a newspaper journalist requesting a phone interview for an upcoming business story. This was exciting news. A PR firm called me with a similar opportunity a few months ago. However, things fell through on their end, so it never happened.
This time around everything seemed like it was going to work out. I did have one request though. I must retain my anonymity/pseudonymity. No big deal, right? People blog under pseudonyms all the time.
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January 15, 2009 8:18 am
I also have a personal finance blog on which I use my pseudonym. When I had my personal blog I used my nickname and had no problems with my offline-friends reading it.
But I agree that in certain niches it is better to blog either anonymously or under a fake name.
I'm thinking about niches like the one we are both in.
January 15, 2009 8:55 am
I guess I don't understand why instead of "Broke Grad" you don't use "Kurt Johnson" or some other "real" name as your fake name. Seems no less credible than Broke Grad.
- Chris
January 15, 2009 9:07 am
I agree with Chris. I think using a "real" fake name not only sounds better but it also adds credibility. It's how I choose mine.
January 15, 2009 9:14 am
Since you brought up Penelope as an example I can't help but mention that she would chose the counter point to your argument. Ask her about the the time she tried to get into a high security building for a speech, but nobody believe she was Penelope Trunk since all her IDs said something else.
While you're making this decision for yourself, the most important thing to keep in mind is the long-term goals you have for your blog. If you are using it to gain credibility as an expert in your field, your work online is eventually going to translate into some sort of value offline. Which is great, except for the hoops you're going to have to jump through while explaining your psuedonym to people.
I have a question though from a community manager's standpoint ...
The most common type of blogger I run into who is worried about anonymity is personal finance bloggers ... why?
Is it because people will find out how much money you make and how you invest it?
January 15, 2009 11:25 am
Dude Broke Grad.... you are everywhere!! Keep it up.
January 15, 2009 12:33 pm
I blog anonymously because the original purpose of Consumerism Commentary was to track the intricate details of my own personal finances. Income, expenses, assets, etc. A little too personal for random people, prospective employers for example, performing a google search on my real name.
The blog grew quite a bit, and now when I work with the media for interviews or other writing opportunities that focus on finance and relate to Consumerism Commentary, I use a pseudonym if they don't want to print "Flexo" (which is understandable). If I had planned for the blog to grow as it had, I would have at least chosen to blog under a legitimate-sounding presudonym.
January 15, 2009 1:14 pm
@Chris
I've already established my identity as Broke Grad in the personal finance world, so it would seem a little weird for me to switch now. However, as my blog continues to grow, I think I'll have to give in and use a more "professional" pseudonym for media interviews in addition to Broke Grad.
@Ryan
Some personal finance bloggers post everything from income to budgets to detailed spending for each month. Would you be comfortable with people being able to find that information about you with a Google search? I think there are three major topics where anonymous/pseudonymous blogging is more common than not - sex, money, and politics.
January 15, 2009 1:26 pm
@Broke Grad,
To be honest, I would want to be as transparent as possible, especially when talking about money.
It's not my niche, but as a potential reader I would be more inclined to invest my trust in someone who is open about their identity.
Totally understand your side of the argument too ... just trying to understand.
January 15, 2009 2:12 pm
If you had given a fake name, there is every chance that you would have been found out. Many reporters do quick background checks or even small fact-checking missions that reveal things about their subjects.
As the daughter of two journalists, I would recommend NEVER giving a fake name to a reporter.
As for anonymity, I think it's overrated. Granted, my husband and I are pretty low on the finance ladder right now -- so we have nothing to worry about. No one is going to read about some fabulous lifestyle we're living and want to rob us.
That said, don't your friends and family know you have a blog? If so, then you can assume word of mouth gets around and your anonymity is compromised anyway. It's that whole 6 degrees of separation.
Frankly, my view is: Don't put anything in your blog that you're not comfortable having out there with your real identity. My guess is, if I lived in your area and read through your old blog posts carefully enough, you've given plenty of clues to your real identity. Probably more than you realize.
That said, I understand, to a point, that there's a difference between having someone who does a ton of legwork to figure out who you are and simply blurting out your real name in an article. But after a point, your identity will have to be revealed if you want to grow into a really big-time successful PR blogger. That's something you may need to consider.
January 15, 2009 2:14 pm
I'll have to disagree on whether credibility lies in the hands of the reader versus the writer. I think it lies in the hands of both to be honest. We trust our sources to be credible about the information that they publish, but we also make sure we things are verifiable if something seems out of place.
Overall though, a name is just that. I'm also blogging under a fake name, but I don't have a problem using my real name when necessary (ie work). I think they could have respected your wishes on remained anonymous though. Sometimes it really isn't that serious, regardless of credibility. If they were going to publish your words and someone were to search for you they wouldn't find you under your real name and that's not beneficial to you at all.
January 15, 2009 2:18 pm
Your decision to blog anonymously is, of course, yours to make. Personally, I write about sexuality and I blog under my real name.
As you said in your comment above, a lot of bloggers who discuss sex, money and politics blog anonymously. Presumably, this is because these are "taboo" topics but, really, the concept of being taboo exists just because people are not comfortable with resisting the status quo.
I blog under my real name, in part, to legitimize conversations around sexuality. Sexuality is a very important aspect of humanity and it should not be treated with shame or secrecy, in my opinion.
I think, finances are the same way. So many people are in debt, for example, because no one actually discusses their personal finances but are trying to one up each other (cars, houses, etc.). If people were honest about their financial limitations with one another, I think we would see a lot less debt.
January 15, 2009 4:59 pm
@Ryan
I also think that transparency is essential to building trust, but with money being a taboo topic in our society, using your "real" identity may hold you back from being more transparent. You may be less inclined to write about certain issues if you know that the people you see everyday will be reading it. I guess my point is that even people who use their real identities hide things.
@Abigail
My friends and family know I have a blog, but not this blog. I ran into a few issues by revealing my identity on a past blog. Word did get around, and one of my relatives felt that I needed to find Jesus. However, the creepiest incident was when an ex of my sister's started contacting me to try to get in touch with her.
@Corvida
I agree that credibility does depend on the reader and the writer, but ultimately, I feel that the readers have the deciding vote. It's more than just the content that matters. For example, a study in 2006 showed that broadcasting news in HD had a positive influence on audience perceptions of source credibility and the overall credibility of newscasts.
@The Sassy Expert
Many people are embarrassed to admit that they don't know something, especially when it's a topic like money or sex. Anonymity, on both ends, allows people to discuss these topics more openly without the threat of feeling judged.
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