Branding Your Blog: Tips and Tag Lines

Branding is more than finding a clever name for your blog. It starts there, but then you must extend the brand with a tag line, logo design, colors, your photo and bio, and create a consistent profile everywhere on the Net. 

Equally important is to harmonize your business name with your blog name. For example, when I first started this blog, my business was called Customized Newsletter Services. This blog was my communications center for everything about e-newsletters for coaches, so I called it CoachEzines.com. When things evolved, this blog evolved into blog writing for marketing on the internet for small businesses, so I changed the name to Writing on the Web.

Ah, you see why there are days when I wish I could start over. I didn't think things through 4-5 years out into the future. Don't make these branding mistakes like I did.

Make sure that the name of your blog is similar to your business name. For example, one of my client's business name is Working Resources (Dr. Maynard Brusman). His blog is simply named Working Resources Blog. This makes sense and is clear as a bell.

Tag Lines

Never sacrifice clarity for cleverness. With a blog name, you'll want to write a short tag line with it so that readers can know exactly what they're going to find.

You can see mine above in the banner: Writing on the Web with Patsi Krakoff, co-founder of the Blog Squad: How to Use Content Marketing to Attract, Sell, and Profit Online.

Copyblogger's tag line is Copywriting Tips for Online Success. Notice the benefits to readers.

Your tag line clarifies:

• what the blog is about
• who the targeted readers are
• what's in it for them
• your name and expertise

You don't have to put your name there, especially if it's a multi-author blog, but it's a good idea if you want people to identify and remember you.

Brian Clark is well-known as Copyblogger. Darren Rowse is well-known as Problogger. (I'm not well known but "wanna be," so I put my name up there prominently.)

Naomi Dunford's blog is called IttzBiz: Marketing for Businesses without Marketing Departments. That's very clear who she's writing for. She doesn't have her name in the tag line, but there's a clever cartoon representation of her.

Once you've found the name of your blog and it's tag line, then it's time to get visual. Unless you've got skills with graphic design, don't try to do this on your own. Get help from the many talented freelancers online. You won't regret it, even if it costs something significant. Great visuals carry impact and can be used over and over in many ways, on different sites and on products and services.

Another reason not to do this on your own is that different people perceive colors and designs in different ways. You need other people's eye balls to make these decisions. I love bright pink and green and purples, but these are risky because not everyone's computer monitors are the same. Get an expert's help on visual details.

Comments

[TheCluelessCrafter]

I hope I was the inspiration for this post. I find these tips very helpful and will put them to good use.

By the way, I think I got the tag line last night. It just came to me! Stay tuned.

[nintendo ds r4 kort]

It's a very useful tips. I am a new Blogger. I am always looking for same kinda information. It will helps me lot. Thanks for sharing information with me.

[Logo Design]

great post man. and thanks for sharing these tips.

[custom logo design]

I do agree with that branding is more important then to find a clever name for your blog. Do not take it easy to think about tour brand identity.

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[business logo]

Your brand is your business identity and it should be uniquely identify with it's colors, logo and design.

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[Hughesnet Broadband]

It's a very useful & informative tips. I am a new Blogger.It will helps me lot. Thanks for sharing information with me.