2 minute read

<aside> ✉️ To: Donald Glover

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<aside> 💡 tl;dr: Pitch for Gilga to pioneer a new way to name creative projects, called a linkname.

As part of which, I’d like to give you the linkname Gil.ga, only asking that you consider using a linkname to help popularize the concept.

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What’s a linkname?

A name that’s also a valid website.

🕶️ will.i.am is the most famous example of a linkname — but until I invented the word ‘linkname’ (and gave one to King Charles) there was no term or definition for it.

Linknames matter because platforms like Instagram and TikTok increasingly own the internet and make creators dependent on them.

Linknames reduce platform dependency. Using a linkname:

↗️ Signposts a website outside of platforms

🤝 Tells your audience you’d like a direct relationship with them

🚨 Makes your name stand out

Why should you care about linknames?

• You push the envelope of what’s possible in popular culture, and you’re not afraid of unusual names, e.g. 3.15.20. Using linknames would be another innovation
• Prince made headlines for changing his name to a symbol. Choosing a linkname for a new project would make a statement
• Unusual names are not so unusual. Up-and-coming R&B artist Liv.e is linkname-esque
• Innovation in naming happens in phases. The linkname phase is waiting to be manifested