How to Increase Traffic with a Blog Brand

By: | August 1, 2015 | Tags: , , , , |

Bloggers need a blog brand to engage readers.Name a brand.

Nike?  That’s not fair.  The picture is right here.

Name another brand.

However you answered, I’m confident you didn’t have to look it up; it was in your head.

It was in your head because the brand was memorable.

Companies with memorable brands are famous.  They have so many clients and customers you know about them.

Do you want readers to know about you? Then, read this post.

What is a blog brand?

Finding and maintaining a niche and finding and maintaining a brand are different goals.  A niche and a brand are not the same.

A niche is your topic, what your blog focuses on.  The niche is your area of specialty, your subject matter.

According to Crime Fiction Writer Sue Coletta, “A brand is you.”  It’s style.  It’s your style, at least your online style.  Amanda of Kaleidocope, agrees.  “A brand is how you want your blog to be perceived.”

You need a persona, an online presence, and it should be a persona you carry with you across all your social media, not just on your blog.

Examples of Blog Brands

Viv Drewa is an example of someone with a blog brand.  Her online persona involves owls.  As an author, she has written books with owls in the title, for example The Owl of the Sipan Lord and The Angler and the Owl.  Her online name is the Owl Lady, her blog is called The Owl Lady Blog, with a picture of an owl in the header, and she signs her name 0V0, so that it looks like an owl’s beak with two eyes on each side.

Lysa Wild of Welcome to My Circus has a brand involving a circus persona which she carries with her across all her social media.  Her linky party is called Party Under the Big Top.  If someone guest posts for her, she advertises the post as her “Side Show”.  Even the fonts at her site look like something you’d see at a circus.

Melinda Mitchell has a self-deprecating online presence.  Her persona is funny, creative, and highly critical of herself.  She calls her blog Purple Slob in Recovery, and that is her online presence–she is a purple slob.  Bear in mind I am not calling Melinda a slob.  This is her online name for herself.

Her self-deprecating persona continues into her posts.  A typical post, Library Loser, explains how she loses library books.

Her avatar is that of a woman wearing purple looking distressed.  She carries this “purple” theme across her social media.  Her Facebook name is Purplelinda.

Another creative maneuver that makes Melinda a stand-out blogger is her use of alliteration in her headlines.  Dying Dishes is another one of her posts detailing the filth that covers her dishes.  The post asks where dishes that dirty go to die.

The Value of a Blog Brand

All three bloggers exemplify dramatically different blog brands.  Consistency in tone is important.  Viv’s is more serious, Lysa’s is fun, and Melinda’s is funny.

I did not have to research to find these bloggers when discussing them in my post.  I was able to discuss them because I remembered them.  I remembered them because they have creative blog brands.

The point is to get your readers to remember your blogs, so they repeatedly return to read your material and give you traffic.  Be memorable, and your readers will share your writing with their social media who will return to give you traffic as well.

According to WebPageFXthe key to any social effort is creativity.  That creativity will enable you to engage your readers.  Creating a brand that encapsulates your values, what is important to you and the message you sending through your blog, as well as your personal style… is a way to ensure your readers know exactly what to expect from your blog,

Testimonials

In a world where brands have less than a second to capture someone’s attention, it takes a lot of creativity and a tailored approach to cause someone to pause in their Twitter or Instagram feed and pay attention to your message. WebPageFX

First impression are very powerful and you can win or lose influence right there and then. This is particularly true when it comes to blogging.  A new reader will immediately either be drawn in by your branding, or they will decide it’s not for them, and click away. kaleidoscopeblog.net

How to Get a Blog Brand

Elle and Company, a design blog, proposes a plan for finding a blog brand.  Their suggestions include defining the type of audience you are trying to engage.  Then, you can set your voice’s tone.  For example, Melinda is trying to woo readers that appreciate self-deprecating humor.

According to SuccessfulBlogging‘s Sue Anne Dunlevie, branding is consistency.  For example, consistently make the same color and font style choices.  These are some of the criteria in Elle and Company‘s plan.

In conclusion, clearly, having a brand takes creativity.  Whatever you want to be the administrator of a great blog or a great company, you’ve got to be memorable which takes creativity.  Never substitute creativity for the other two C’s–consistency and content.  Consistently turning out strong content will make your blog good.  Creativity, consistency, and content will  make your blog great.

Tweet: Creativity, consistency, and content will  make your #blog great. http://ctt.ec/6JAPu+

Tweet: Creativity, consistency, and content will make your #blog great. http://ctt.ec/6JAPu+

Readers, if you think other bloggers could benefit from these creativity in blogging tips, please share.

Do you have any tips for having a creative social media brand?  How are you going to make your brand standout?  I look forward to your views.

Sources:

Kaleidoscopeblog

WebPageFX

  1. blondieaka

    Great blog…I am now in thinking mode which is what your blog has made me do……just do me a favour if no-one hears from me after about a week maybe call someone as I could be in trouble…lol…. 🙂

    • Janice Wald

      Hi Blondieaka!
      Your comment was complimentary and really funny! Thanks for the nice words and for writing!
      Janice

      • blondieaka

        Thank you Janice not sure if a theme will come easily to me I am really going to get my thinking cap on 🙂 I’m never nice not without reason just thought I would say 🙂

  2. Cat

    Another great post, Janice. When I started my blog, I spent no more than half an hour thinking of a title, which may be too long, although I love it, I will think about the ‘brand’

    • Janice Wald

      Hi Cat,
      I also spend a great deal of time thinking about the headline. I use Co-Schedule’s headline analyzer. I always try and top my score. LOL.
      I’m glad you liked the post. Thanks for writing.
      Janice

  3. D. Wallace Peach

    This all makes go sense, Janice, and your examples are great. I think of some of the blogs I follow and you are right, there is a consistency to the posts that I come to expect. I think my brand thus far is: Desperate to come up with a post, any post. 😀 I’ll have to work on that.

    • Janice Wald

      My husband and I both laughed when we read your comments. I’m glad your observation has agreed with what my research showed.
      Janice

      • D. Wallace Peach

        Well, there you go. Laughter is a good start. Happy Weekend 😀

        • Janice Wald

          Are your books funny? Your post I reblogged was funny & your comments are funny.

          • D. Wallace Peach

            My books aren’t funny. Oh dear. Well, the lastest one, The Sorcerer’s Garden, has a snarky sense of humor, but the others…not really. Janice, It’s symptomatic of my life – a constant state of confusion. Ha ha. 🙂

  4. Rob Alberts

    Using my own name trying to make myself to a brand.
    Subjects as nature, education and my love for my neughbourhood as main subjects my readers start to recognize my style of blogging.

    Kind regards,

      • Rob Alberts

        I am blogging since 2009. I got readers from all over the world. Though I would like to have some more daily readers ……
        Kind regards,

        • Janice Wald

          I get more readers after I post. Normal I think. Thanks for writing!
          Janice

  5. purpleslobinrecovery

    Janice! How in love with you am I right now??!! Your million dollar fee for promoting me is being wired to your Swiss bank account right now!! I sure hope I have permission to re-blog this! Cuz I’m gonna!! Thanks a billion for the compliments. My head has now swelled to such proportions, I might be stuck inside for a week or two. Well worth it!
    Melinda, Janice’s Blog BFF.

  6. Janice Wald

    Hi Melinda,
    I am glad you liked what I wrote. However, you were not supposed to mention the million dollars fee. LOL I laughed so hard when I read your comments. Of course you can re-blog this. I would be honored and flattered.
    Your BFF
    Janice

    • purpleslobinrecovery

      Reblogging as we speak. OOps about the fee- me and my big mouth! 😉

  7. john doe

    This was a wonderful post. Melinda definitely has a very clear brand. She has a very interesting style.

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  9. purpleslobinrecovery

    Reblogged this on purpleslobinrecovery and commented:
    Janice Wald is my new Blog BFF!! She has a huge following, so when she says I’m doing something right, I believe it ! Thank you so much, Janice!!

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  11. dr sweetyshinde

    Hmm, that works for a uni-theme blog. Would it work for a multi-theme blog? Unless one names it on the lines of Eat-Pray-Love or Books-Movies-Music or Roast-blend-cook. Your suggestions?

    • Janice Wald

      Hi Dr. Sweetyshinde,
      Thank you for visiting my site today.
      I think your question is funny. It is exactly what I address in a previous post. I got you the link, so you can see it. http://wp.me/p5jxvv-14r.
      This post says that you DO need a niche. I felt this post on branding was a follow up to that. I thought your question was funny since Eat-Pray-Love wouldn’t really have a theme, a niche. However, your second example is about entertainment or pop culture–a niche. Your last example is about cooking–a niche.
      As far as my answer to your question, I had a “uni theme” blog in mind. As the post I brought you explains, that is the most effective blog there is.
      I enjoyed chatting with you tonight. I am glad you are looking around. I am moving this week to a new site–mostlyblogging.com. I hope you will visit me there too. How did you find me, may I ask? I always wonder.
      Janice

      • Janice Wald

        Hi,
        I just got notice you are following my blog! Thank you so much. I am flattered. I look forward to future dialogues and getting to know you better.
        Janice

      • dr sweetyshinde

        Thank you Janice , for the detailed reply. I feel stifled in uni theme blogs as a writer. Although as a reader its nice to visit uni themed blogs.
        I think that the whole purpose of categories in blog is to have variety. So while having uni theme blog is good for a professional, personally I prefer multi themes.
        I’ll visit your new blogging site. Its name suggests its aimed at blogging tips.
        Why are you migrating to a new blog, if the theme remains as before, if you don’t mind me asking. Just curious to know, since you will need to gather followers again, isn’t it?

        • Janice Wald

          Hi,
          1. I have a name that goes with a personal growth blog (Reflections)
          2. I have a site name that goes with a news blog (mycurrentnewsblog.com)
          I came up with those names before I found my niche, blogging. I guest post regularly on Lifehack about tips other than blogging. Mostly blogging implies there are other topics on my site, not just blogging, which is true. I also blog about productivity, technology…
          3. I am about to enter my second year of blogging. I thought I would try to monetize. I can’t do that on WordPress.com.
          You ask, you get an answer, LOL.
          Janice

          • dr sweetyshinde

            Ah, I see. Ur quite a multi tasker. All the best!

          • Janice Wald

            Thanks for the good wishes!

  12. Himali Shah

    This was interesting. Thanks for sharing Janice. Melinda is a dear friend and I love her blog theme 🙂

    • Janice Wald

      Hi Himali,
      Thank you for letting me know how you found me. Melinda has become a dear friend of mine too. Thank you so much for following my blog. I love that we are all in the same community. I look forward to getting to know you better.
      Janice

  13. Linda Huber

    Great post and a lot for me to think about – thank you! Visiting from #MidLifeLuv

    • Janice Wald

      Hi,
      My pleasure. Thanks for clicking on my link and complimenting my article. I, myself, am still working on defining my blog brand.
      Janice

  14. Beth

    I think I’ve more or less nailed the blog brand thing. I was, am and always will be slightly crazy so it doesn’t surprise me in the least when someone introduces me as “the crazy lady” 🙂 Thanks for sharing via #MidLifeLuv!

  15. Claire

    Thanks for this post being a new blog I know that branding is something I need to look at for the long term. Now that I have read your post I will do it sooner rather than later. It just seems a bit overwhelming when you start a blog all the different things you have to think about.

  16. Corinne Rodrigues

    A great post especially for bloggers just starting out. Will be sharing.

    PS: I was meant to comment here last week via #midlifluv – sorry for the delay!

  17. Pingback: How to Increase Traffic with a Blog Brand
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  19. Katie Meskimen

    I was told my “niche” was lifestyle but I think my “brand” is About My Life

  20. Katie Meskimen

    I was told my niche was lifestyle but I think my brand is About My Life

  21. chris jericho

    very well written and valuable post for me and i will definitely try this tips on my blog and hope this will help me. Thank you

  22. Penelope Silvers

    Thanks for forwarding me to this post, Janice. It has definitely started me thinking on how I want to portray my brand. And you’ve given me lots to think on! 🙂

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