Brand your blog
Create a brand
Branding forms an essential part in marketing. We can recognise a product or service directly from branding. The Nike Swoosh with their tag line “Just Do It!”, provides a proactive, energetic style that promotes running.
The same applies to websites whether it is a hobby blog or a work at home blog. Think of searching for a web page immediately Google comes to mind. Selling online eBay springs to mind. Branding plays a vital role in establishing any business.
Blog branding
Bloggers must have a good logo or invest in one. It is worth having a good logo for your blog and placing your branding on all your products. I’ve hired the skills of Mr Bartle, a graphic designer in the UK. Mr. Bartle has produced some outstanding artwork for my clients. One of Mr Bartle’s specialisms is logo design. Below are some examples of his logo design.
Reasons to brand your blog
Clearer purpose of your blog
Your branding must reflect the purpose of your blog. As a designer, I will review everything about my blog and create a logo that fits the purpose of the blog. An example the purpose of the atmmultimedia blog, is to help others establish an online presence in various ways and technologies. Therefore, the logo needed to be: technological, eye-catching and modern. The atmmultimedia logo fits around the style of web 2.0 with it’s curved edges.
Consistent colour schemes
A brand must be strict with the colour schemes, fonts and styles. Therefore, having a logo will allow you to keep within a suitable set of guidelines. Branding needs to be consistent so that people can relate to your blog. Semiotics are important with logos and branding. If your blog is about gardening you will use greens and earthly colours.
Colours symbolises emotions and meanings examples include:
- Green: life, nature, springtime, peace, serenity and health.
- Blue: cool, calm, water, the sky and depression.
- Red: Passion, heart, passion, love, heat and danger.
- White: Innocence, peace, clean, spirit, angels and light.
- Black: Darkness, power, night and death.
If you are creating a colour scheme for your blog aim for three colours. People remember images and colours easier than text and numbers. If you are creating your own logo, make sure the fonts are readable and the logo can be photocopied.
Marketing your blog
In order, to build a successful brand place your logos on everything you produce including:
- letterheads
- business cards
- invoices
- e-mails
- company vehicles
- flyers, leaflets, posters
- all forms of advertising (online and offline)
TechZoomIn
Giving pens and T-Shirts is the ultimate way of promoting your brand value.
I’m looking to give few T-Shirts to my friends at least.
Posted 3-1-2009
James
Hi Lax,
T-shirts are ideal, the Go Grand Bornand site has lots of branding. I’ve got polo shirts, posters, leaflets, banners, we are looking at having the logo on a paraglider.
In July, the Tour De France passes Le Grand Bornand, I am encouraging my client to place a giant logo of Go Grand Bornand on his house. As the Tour De France will pass his house.
Eurosport will record the event of TV, and Europsort will broadcast internationally and Europe.
This will be a great way of promotion.
Posted 3-1-2009
Mr Bartle
Hi James, hey guys,
Thanks for your comments James, and sounds like the Go Grand Bornand logo is working out for you.
I’m lucky enough to be working closely with a branding expert …and indeed for a professional branding/design agency and it has made me realise just how important it is to get it right from the start.
Your logo may appear on all your company literature etc, but it is merely one part of your brand. Consider also your phone manner for instance. If you answer the phone “Hello this is Cool T-Shirts….” and the next day “Hi this is CT…” you create uncertainty and people can start to back away.
I could go on but I feel that I would be poorly paraphrasing my work colleague.
The important rule to remember is consistency, and like you said James if you choose a colour scheme… stick to it.. not a slightly different shade of green.. the same. It helps build confidence in your customers/clients.
It is also important not to jump at quick opportunities that may in the future damage the reputation of the brand.
For a prime example of how branding can work brilliantly take a look at “innocence”… the drinks people. The phenominal success has a lot to do with their well thought out and consistent branding.
Have a look around on the net to find articles about them.
:)
Posted 3-4-2009
Home Business Blog
Branding your blog helps to make your blog unique and it’s a big step towards your blog marketing efforts. Let’s face it, if you have good contents on your blog what good does that do if you don’t make efforts to market it. Branding helps to tell your visitors a little more about you and your blog. Thanks for the link love James.
Peter
Posted 3-7-2009
James King
Hi Peter,
Thanks for your comment. Very true, branding is vital. As a graphic designer, I’ve noticed that many clients, don’t invest time and money into a logo. This is one of the most important aspects of any business.
Invest in a good logo and it will serve you well. My client for GoGrandBornand.com has a wonderful logo. This logo goes on every piece of marketing.
Your welcome for the links.
Posted 3-7-2009
Computer Repair Service
Be very leary of any of the so called easy money online jobs. Most are scams. Either they want money up front or they are collecting personal info. Online jobs are really very few and far between and you have to have some skills and experience.
Posted 5-21-2009
James King
I argee,
Skills and experience do count for a lot.
Posted 5-21-2009