What Works For You?
I have been reading a lot about bloggers developing their own “brand”. Everything is supposed to be calibrated and calculated — from one’s header to one’s avatar, to one’s signature. So this got me thinking, do I have a brand?
Aside from my avatar, what on my blog identifies me? I think I picked a kicky name. What do you think of it? Those of you who have been around for awhile know how many names I’ve gone through — and how many platforms! AND how many templates.
Right now I think I am more “put together” than I have ever been, but is that enough? What else should I be doing? What are you doing?
I just read this whole article on having and passing out business cards. I’ve also heard of bloggers who pass out other things, like pencils, magnets, and even promotional pens. Is it effective? How many readers does something like that bring in?
If you’re doing any of these things, I’d like to hear how they’re working for you.
29 Comments
Oh my goodness, you’ve lost me. I’m sorry but I don’t even know what an avatar is. I just know Avatar as the James Cameron movie.
I think you’re put together very well.
Kay — Avatar, gravatar – -the image that accompanies your comments. Your “face” on the internet.
You know. I really don’t care about all that kind of stuff. I’m never going to make a living blogging. I do it for my pure enjoyment and to antagonize everyone else. I can’t be bothered with all of that stuff. Rankings, ratings, branding…it can get to be too much and overwhelm me. I have tried when I first started doing all of that and it just leads you to more and more stuff. to think about. I don’t have the time to be doing it. I have so many places that I wanted to include, technocrati (sp), Stumble Upon, Digg, Open ID, Delicious, Feedblitz…it’s just too much.
Thom — you spent a fortune developing your brand — your unique, one of a kind blog — and now your cool new gravatar.
I agree, Thom. My goal is $0.00 per annum and I barely make that, but I bet I make more than I would if I had pens made.
Doug — I don’t need huge positive numbers, but there are things I’d like to do with my blog that cost money, so I think it should earn me some to compensate.
You have GOT to be kidding me! I am sO perfectly happy with my dozen or so REGULAR blogging FRIENDS that I couldn’t care less about promoting my blog in any way, shape or form! I decorate my blog to what makes ME happy. I don’t think people visit me to see what my BLOG is doing… they visit to see what I’m up to… or what irrelevant questions I might be up to answering in the form of a meme today! I don’t see “Melli” OR “Insanity Prevails” as ever being a “brand”… It’s simply ME… it’s who I am. And honestly… I don’t WANT to be a commercial! LOL!
See, Melli — that’s what I think. I am not a business. I am not trying to be a business — so why should I worry about branding?
I like your name and look. I’m not much of a marketeer so I’m not a good one to ask.
The book Crush It is by an online marketing guru and is a best seller. I have it on hold at the library. Here’s his website
http://crushitbook.com/
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Nessa — what i have already read has both helped and confused me enormously. What I was wondering about wasn’t so much what to do, but if I should do ….
I can’t see doing it for myself, Quilly, but that doesn’t mean God hasn’t opened a door for you.
When you get to Friday Harbor, you can take a look around and see what works best for you and Amoeba and your lifestyle.
I will caution you though, the more time you spend developing a brand, the less time you get to actually be with and interact with people. And from what you say about your time at church, I think interacting with people is one of your great joys in life.
Kelley — I just haven’t figured out what to do with the door – -or if I should do anything with it. I am confused!
I just want people to pronounce my name properly: it’s pronounced “Casanova” because it makes me laugh.
And we my dh retires I’m keeping my name but changing the name of my blog. I’ve already chosen it and it makes me laugh, too.
Isn’t that the purpose of blogging? To make me laugh?
Well, maybe not…
(PS: I think you have a great name!)
Karen — the purpose of blogging is different for each of us. I am into attention. This seems to work. 😉
LOL! You and Dr. John! More attention! MORE attention! You two crack me up! You can NOT have a good solid close relationship with 500 commentors a day! Especially if you want to *spreads hands to indicate the comment section* do THIS! Do you want more COMMENTS??? Or do you want more FRIENDS? And if you want more FRIENDS… how MANY do you think you can respond to and visit daily before your blog becomes so much of your life that you miss living? Personally… I think you’re blog is perfect! (well… it would be without PPP! LOL!) BUT … you’ve made it work! We’ve all tolerated it – because you write some WITTY stuff girl!!!
..
How about an alias instead. Mine is “Hunter.”
I have personal reasons for using that one,
to suffice say it goes where “Jim” can’t go.
…
Jim — I think you missed my point.
I picked my Avatar to go with my made up Hawaiian name. My banner is actually a picture of me on a beach in the Maldives thinking about everything and nothing so I suppose that goes with my blog name!
Akelamalu — your blog is very put together!
Interesting! I don’t pass out business cards or pens or anything like that, and everything about my site (Sage and Savvy) constantly changes so I’m not really branded.
Sagemom — I have visited two of your blogs that I know of. Do you have any that aren’t wholly commercial? And how do you attract followers?
i give out biz cards that show my book covers as well as name, address, tel no, and email addy. Don’t know how many book sales I made that way, but what the heck.
As for my blog, I have been gigi-hawaii since 1997. Friends and relatives have been telling people about my blog. That’s all.
Gigi — I wholly understand promoting your books. I am not so sure about promoting my blog. Is there a point in promoting my blog?
I only made some business cards for the Book Expo so that when I met publishers and authors they could remember who I was. But when I look at some of the Super Bloggers, I realize they don’t really interact with their peon commenters. I go through spurts where I wish I had more comments, but then that would just frustrate me and make me want to (and feel obligated to) visit all those people. And I don’t need to be spending more time here than I am!
And I love your blog name!
Linda — that’s just it — I love connecting with my readers. I don’t think I’d have readers if it weren’t for the life in my comment section!
frankly, the very idea of a blog ‘brand’ appals me. i like you for who you are and not for what brand should represent you.
however, if that would help improve your income…
Polona — I am afraid that promoting my brand will make my blog perhaps more commercially successful, but will cost me my friends. In truth, I’d rather have the friends.
I like your blog just the way it is: love the name!
For a while I was really trying to do it all ‘right’, but Thom’s right, it’s just too much. I didn’t want to be a full-time blogger; I’m only in it for the fun.
But, my blog has brought me a couple of writing gigs, and got me a slot on the panel at the Digital Publishing seminar in Dublin, things like that… so maybe I’m doing something right after all, by accident. (I’m always good at ‘accident’)
Susan — yeah, my blog brought me a talking gig at WordCamp Hawaii 2008. And, in a round about way that’s how I met Thom — which is how I met you! So I guess it is already successful in that sense. (And there’s Amoeba.)
I am just wondering what pressing for money and recognition might ultimately cost.
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