If you think about how any of the big companies promote themselves, what comes to mind? Think about any of the big businesses, the first thing they do, right out of the gate, is to develop a brand.
A brand is a simple way of saying they were able to deliver a constant and memorable message over a period of time to a large group of people.
Take the Nike brand, for example. We relate Nike with the sports legends, being able to achieve the impossible, run faster, jump higher, and doing anything we could dream up as kids. That is the brand Nike has pushed so hard for all of these years and they are without a doubt one of the best at what they do.
Now take a look at your blog. What brand are you promoting? What message do you want people to come away with? The best way to promote yourself and your product on your blog is by branding it.
By delivering a memorable message over a period of time to a large group of people, your blog will actually do the promoting for you. Here are a few tips on how to begin developing a brand for your blog.
- Identify what makes your product or service different from all of the other products or services on the market today
- Figure out who your target market is and what specific desires you are going to be tapping into. Be specific in these desires so you make sure you know what kind of message to send out. Make your messages subtle. Some messages scream “This is me trying to get you to buy something, so click this button and have your credit card ready.” This is not a good branding message. Keep your message simple and in line with the desire you wish to fulfill.
- Figure out how you are going to be visible to your target market. Are you going to have an extra page on your blog dedicated to your product? Will it be a banner or a button in the sidebar? Maybe all you want is a simple statement at the end of each post advertising your new service. Plan it out.
- Be consistent and repeat your message as much and as often as possible. This is what branding is all about. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
Promoting yourself is easy. There are many other ways to promote yourself on your blog as well, but follow these simple steps and you will be off to a great start.