Developing a ‘blogger brand’ is something that I think all of us struggle with, and not only at first. Your blogging brand is how the online world sees you, and it’s some ‘set it and forget it’ thing. It’s something you have to continously work on. You’ve got to make sure it’s consistent and that also, be aware of when it’s changing, or should change.
Not all bloggers think about this, but we all do it at least on a subconscious level. The moment we create our blogs and give them names and create the design, it’s a brand we’re creating.
This post is for you if you’ve been thinking of this branding thing and want to know how you can analyze what you’re doing, or how to even approach the topic.
To have a clear brand in mind for your blog is good for a lot of things, but what I like the most about being intentional about it is that I do feel better having this control over how I’m perceived, you know. It’s difficult to explain, but I’ll tell you this: My blog has gone through so many changes over the years. And each time I reevaluated everything and came up with a new look, it’d be the best feeling in the world. And when at one point I did a complete rebrand in 2017, I was so pumped to start making content. It gives you so much freedom and inspiration!
The most important thing to remember is that a brand, in itself is something abstract, and in the case of bloggers, it’s themselves. What I mentioned before, the name, the design, all of that? Those are just elements that help you communicate what you’re all about.
You are your brand
So let’s get started!
Who are you?
We’ll first talk about some elements of the blogger brand we should pay attention to.
Your name
Skip this part if you already have a blog name you’re happy with!
Picking a name to use for your blog is so difficult! Whether it’s for the first time or you’re changing names. But once you know you’ve found the one, it’s obviously the best feeling ever.
A tip I’ve seen around and that worked for me personally is to brainstorm all the words that come to your mind when you think about your blog, your content, your audience and your own goals and motivations.
Your content
A good practice is to stick to maximum four to five main topics your content is going to be about. In the book blogging community most of us talk about similar things, so here’s one of those opportunities to introduce something that is unique to you. Of course just talking about anything you want is valid, but if you want to keep everything more organized and streamlined, stick to just a few main topics. This depends so much on what you want to achieve though.
For example, I look up to the women at A Beautiful Mess. They made this assortment of topics they cover work for them, and it’s part of their brand.
If you want to go above and beyond, think about what could be your pillar content. This is extremely valuable pieces of content that are going to be what you’d like to be better known for.
Your voice
Now, how do you write and as a result, sound to those who read your content? This is so much trickier than deciding what to write about, because the how can say a lot about who you are as a person. Unfortunately I don’t have any awesome sauce recipe for an awesome, instant-popularity voice.
It requires experimentation. I don’t want to say, write as you usually speak, because let’s be honest, not all of us feel that is quite right. For some of us, our ‘talking’ voices often feel inadequate, and writing offers us the opportunity to communicate so much better. So, take the opportunity. Find the voice that you’ve always had but haven’t been able to tap into yet. You will feel when you’ve got it. Words will start flowing easier, and you’ll actually enjoy rereading your previous content.
Things are always easier when you document it, so pick three adjectives to describe your written personality, and experiment channeling that personality.
Your style
By style I mean all the visual elements that act as the perfect packaging for the content you deliver and how it’s told. This is one of the fun parts, at least for me.
Some things you might need to either add or update:
- Headshot for the blog
- Blog logo and header
- Social icons
- Share buttons
- Dividers
- Post images
- Post Headers
- Typographies
- Any additional elements..
Maybe you’re more of a minimalist, which is wonderful, but whatever you decide to use, or not use, this is about being intentional. If you’re black and white, then own it and make it your thing!
How do you communicate that?
It’s easier when you have your blog and only your blog. It’s your base and easier to have everything in just one place. But, what happens when you’re on social media too and sometimes even offline as well?
They key is consistency and purpose.
I do believe there are supremely charismatic and yes, lucky people who can get away with winging it, but even with them, there’s a science to it. There are people whose voice is such a powerful element of their brand that it’s enough to carry it, even when the rest isn’t very consistent. For others it’s their content, and so on.
Outside of your blog, it’s chaos. The internet isn’t going to ask you who you are and what you bring to the table. You’ve got to bring your sparkly self, and whether you’re going to go all in, or would rather make a quiet entrance, your presence must be identified. So the point is, be recognizable.
Use your brand elements
Use them everywhere. Explore how they mesh with the media you’re interested in.
For example, offline, you might want to design and print business cards. For social media you may have to:
- Adapt logo and header dimensions
- Think about filters that represent you
- Adapt or come up with new pillar content to share
- Create branded templates for quotes or announcements
Enjoy yourself
Don’t forget this part. It’s the most important part! You don’t really owe anything to anyone. So never feel like you have to be on a certain platform, or stick to a particular kind of content or style. It’s okay for you to change, and your brand is supposed to change along with you.
My blog definitely has a brand that is uniquely me, but I don’t think it’s something I worked really hard to curate. It’s just the way I express myself and what I like! (For instance, my blog design is definitely unique and probably not to everyone’s tastes, but I just love it, so I went for it!).
Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction recently posted this awesome thing…Sunday Post: Book Pre-order Campaigns & Giveaways Galore – 7/21/19
These are fantastic tips, Pam, I love this post SO much and really, really wish I had it when I first started blogging. It took me a long time to find my path and my brand and I feel like only recently with my re-design, that I’m really starting to grasp this whole identity and brand related to my blog as a whole, too.
Thank you for sharing!! 🙂
Marie @ Drizzle & Hurricane Books recently posted this awesome thing…The 3d Annual Book Bloggers Awards – My Nominations #2019BookBloggerAwards
Really nice tips! I’ve read a few of these type of guide but very few ever mentioned style. It’s one aspect that’s often overlook but I think really important. It really is part of your branding really.
Bamby recently posted this awesome thing…HobbyBite, when you are bitten by the hobby bug!
There are some really helpful tips here! Branding isn’t something I’ve thought too much about consciously, but I feel like I really should do! I sometimes feel like my blog is a bit all over the place content and tone wise (for some reason my reviews always feel a bit essay-like, whilst my discussions are more chatty!), which is something I’d definitely like to change.
Great post! 🙂
Laura recently posted this awesome thing…Do you read books you expect to be mediocre?
I know what you mean! One of the best things about blogging is actually one of its downsides too, that you never completely figure it out. Because the world keeps changing, and we change, so we always need to adapt. It’s fun, but it also means stressing about a lot of things!