In this last installment of the brand identity article series, I want to describe other efforts you should strive for to build long-term recognition.

After learning more about brand identity from Brand identity, part I – And you are special because…? and taking a few moments to complete everything from the Brand identity, part II – First steps to building a blogger brand identity, now it’s time to do the everyday things.

1. Sound human in your posts.

There are so many blogs that look like they are written by bots. I know there’s probably a human behind all of it but why can’t some people just write like they are speaking to me. It’s not that hard; in fact, it’s easier!

Forget what you learned in school. You’re not writing a research paper or a textbook. You definitely shouldn’t be that formal when blogging. Just write your posts like you normally speak and your personality will shine through.

2. Add value to your posts.

This is really what makes you stand out as an individual. You are unique because you can add value — a little something extra that can’t be had anywhere else.

Often times, your post topics will give you a chance to act as an authority on your subject. Take advantage of these windows of opportunities so you can stake your claim. If you don’t, you’ll look like just a messenger and guess what, there are already millions of those around.

3. Have an opinion whenever possible.

When writing posts that allow you to express an opinion, pick a side and defend it. Don’t be afraid to have a stance and have others disagree. I’ll argue that disagreements are healthy for blogs since they create useful commentary. Being neutral is worse than being wrong!

This can come in the form of your professional or personal opinion. Provide supporting evidence when possible but allow readers to share their experiences.

5. Be consistent.

Whatever your chose as your edge, you better regularly exploit it. So if your schtick is your sarcasm, maintain your eye-rolling banter throughout your posts. If your thang is being motivational, then you have to be rah-rah most of the time. In other words, almost always stay “in character”.

There may be times you have to be serious on a funny blog, or funny on a serious blog. However, if you’re consistent with the way you express yourself, when it’s time to be the glaring opposite, you’ll create quite a dramatic effect — in a good way.

6. Respond to comments.

Regardless of where your blog is on the maturity scale, you must respond to comments. Of course, if you have a hundred comments per post like some big names, then you can get away with just popping in with a little insight when appropriate.

For the rest of us, there’s no reason not to respond to a quarter (and in some cases, more than half) of the comments on your own site. You have to bake that identity into your blog whenever you can when you’re in the growth stage.

7. Incorporate as much of your site’s look and feel in everything that you do.

I think I’ve already pounded the message of using the same real picture of yourself whenever possible in my last post.

Now, let’s use the same brand messaging for everything else that you do. If you have logo you want associated with your blog, make sure it’s on your email messages, feeds, Twitter background, etc… The same goes for colors and fonts that are on your blog.

Brand identity long-term wrap up

So there you have it. The first steps are really just an hour of your time to set the stage. Almost everything else that you do actually requires you to think about your brand identity on a regular basis.

If you’re not a marketing pro, you might want to slap a sticky note on your monitor to remind you to always think about your brand identity. Eventually, it’ll become natural for you.

Remember, find that edge and harvest the heck out of it. If that’s how you want to be “known”, then you absolutely must integrate your brand identity in almost everything you do.

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