My Blog My Brand
I had to address this issue because as I get new people coming into my different social channels and especially my blog, I wanted to remind people how important blogging is to your personal brand online!
Here is a typical day on my blog:
200 spams
10 comments pending approval
Moderating comments to check for authenticity and to filter spam back links
Tip 1. Your Picture as your Gravatar
Why such a fuss? Because you must be a gravatar accompanying your comments! In fact, your picture NEEDS to be on everything you send out. Without it, you’ll likely end up in someone’s spam box. Now, don’t be camera shy! Get over it! This is your business and if you want to conduct it well, vanity shouldn’t stop you.
We all learn, when we first start blogging, that we need to be open and honest. This is the key to marketing. So why are you hiding? If you are, you are breaking trust issues. People don’t trust you if they cannot see who you are.
I had a problem with this, myself, a long time ago. But when I thought “Hey, this is my business, this is me…” I decided to change my mindset and put my picture up there anyway.
Tip 2. Your Niche
Have a clear idea of what your niche is. Write what moves you. Things that keep you going. Whatever you have learned, you can write about. This pertains to all niches. Know your specialty and find different ways to get your message out. But keep on point.
If you are not into technology, don’t write about it. Try to keep focused. If you get stuck, as we all do sometimes, read some articles or the latest news stories in your niche. Write about what you have just learned. This will keep people following you as a specialist in your niche.
Tip 3. Please don’t Sell
The biggest turn off is when I read a blog and it is always about sales. You can pitch something once in a while, but If your blog is nothing but “Join Me” “Buy Me” you will probably find that you get very few comments and next to no engagement.
People won’t syndicate you because you lack credibility as a leader and authority. Not to mention, that you won’t get any sales that way!
Here you will be associated as the guy/gal who is always looking to sell something. That is how you will brand yourself and you don’t want to do that.
Tip 4. Social Platforms
One of the most important aspects of blogging is to co-ordinate your message and your brand with your social media sites.
Make sure that your picture is on every social platform you are on. Be social! To brand yourself, you have to get out there and make some friends.
When commenting on their blog, READ IT, and give a good comment about the blog, not about you! Of course you can put in your 2 cents, but acknowledge that person and the value of their content.
On your social platforms, give good content just as you would on your blog. You can post your most recent blog posts through your social streams. You can also post an article you just read that is in your niche and put it on your Facebook Page, or tweet about it. and link your updates back to your blog.
You will be surprised how many people find it beneficial. They become your friends in the social media, and regular visitors to your blog because you’ve branded yourself as a “leader” in your niche. If you keep passing on the latest and greatest tips and info in your niche, they will appreciate it.
Tip 5. Sharing Who You Are!
This doesn’t mean that you need to spill your guts out about your entire life, but people like to know who you are and what you are up to. Lets face it folks, we all are a bit nosey aren’t we? Tell the truth now…. If you are following someone your mind might wander and ask yourself is he/she married? What kind of home do they live in? Do they have pets?
Give insight about yourself on your About Me page on your blog, then reinforce that story in your social media. Remember, you always want to reinforce your blogging information and branding with what you do in your social media streams.
Your “About Me” blog story contains the things you want to share to make people get a better glimpse into your life. So on your social sites you may want to put up pictures of your pet, share a movie you just saw, take your readers in your own back yard and do a video. Things like this help people get to know you better. They see that you are real, with a real pet, a real back yard, etc.
I wouldn’t spend too much time on this, because it can be annoying to folks, but take them into your life as much as you are comfortable with. It is a Social Platform, and we need to be Social.
So, are you ready for more exposure? Ready to Brand YOU? Let me know your thoughts on this. How do you effectively brand yourself in your blogging?
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