Many bloggers are their own brand. Their name or alias defines who they are and if they stand out from the crowd.

With most bloggers I can mention the name Darren Rowse and get a response. He is a key figure and his branding, much like how McDonalds is fast food, Darren is widely known to be rather synonymous with problogging. Don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t mean that Darren’s content is like fast food, far from it, but it does show how far his personal branding has come in the last few years.

Create Your Message

Decide what is special about you. Maybe you are great at web development, or public speaking. You might have a talent for colour theory. Who knows? The point is to come up with something that makes you different.

Next come up with a mission statement. It doesn’t have to be tied in with what makes you special. Maybe it is that you want to be the number one writer about printers. If you are going to be the number one writer about printers, how are you going to accomplish that goal? How will you stand out from all the other writers about printers? Add some points below your statement, this will help give you focus.

Repeat Your Message

McDonalds and others did not get to where they are by only building one restaurant. You have to continually repeat your message if you want it to stick in the minds of the masses.

You also have to work on the concepts and ideas surrounding your brand, continually tweaking them so that people don’t get bored of what you have to offer. Repetition can get more and more difficult as you try to work on growing your brand larger and larger.

Try different mediums. Podcasting is getting more and more popular, and if it fits your niche, it could be very worthwhile to get mentioned. Forums, social networks and bookmarking sites are all great ways to get your brand out into the world.

Keep Your Message Consistent

While I said you could tweak your message, you will want to keep the overall meaning intact. Anything you do to change your brand, even slightly, can undo all the work you have put into it. It can create confusion, thus giving an opening for your competitors to come in and take your top spot.

Remember to consider everything you write, and really analyze it. Is it the kind of message you want to be sending out? Does it fit with your brand? Branding can be difficult, but very worthwhile, give it the time and attention it deserves.

Originally posted on July 26, 2007 @ 10:47 pm