Well, let me explain.
It’s Thursday morning. And since I’m always on the lookout for inspiration, happened to stumble upon a quote from one of the WordPress dailypost editors, Michelle W.: “Some of us have purely personal sites where we discuss the day-to-day, while others are trying to create an online presence around our blogs or use them as a springboard for other projects. If you’re in the latter camp, you’re not just a blogger: you’re a brand“.
So… is this blog a brand??
Brand (n): a particular product or a characteristic that serves to identify a particular product
I guess so… and to confirm the assumption [suggested by the original writer], I continued reading the ‘inspirational post’ , and found:
“In terms of a blog, your brand is:
- Your site’s personality.
- Your name, tagline, color scheme, and design (including your logo).
- A promise you make to readers about what they’ll find on your site.
- The way you represent yourself and your blog in other spaces online.
- The thing that differentiates your blog from the seventy zillion other blogs on the internet”.
Now, it begs the question: for this site/blog, is all that true? Does it behoove me/the writer/the ‘mind behind the curtain’ to create a distinct personality and consistent experience for this blog’s readers, reinforcing why 3rCultureChildren is worth reading?? Tough question, right? I’ll also see if i can answer that… through future posts… not today… just getting my creative juices flowing! 😮
Thanks for the inspiration! ♥
Related articles
- Blogger or Brand?: Extending Your Online Identity (memcmahon.com)
- Blogger or Brand?: Extending Your Online Identity (endhabelenggudosa.wordpress.com)
- Why Consistency is Key for Your Blog Success (business2community.com)
- Staying Inspired (faithfulbloggers.com)
- Establishing your Brand Online – Part 3 (homebusinessdaily.wordpress.com)
- The Neverending Debate: Who is a Blogger? (zemanta.com)
- Why Consistency is Key for Your Blog Success (business2community.com)
- Staying Inspired (faithfulbloggers.com)
- Establishing your Brand Online – Part 3 (homebusinessdaily.wordpress.com)
- The Neverending Debate: Who is a Blogger? (zemanta.com)
3rdculturechildren 
Food for though indeed – espcially about representing yourself in other spaces online. I often over think what I tweet… and then regret some things anyways.
LikeLike
Interesting comment – I’ve regret many, many things I’ve put out there… and once it’s out, then it doesn’t belong to you anymore – it’s part of the public cybersphere… which could be a good thing… or food for a terrible thought! 😮 Who knows? Maybe all of us are simply… representing??
LikeLike
Interesting food for thought; I guess it makes sense to look at site design etc to see if it reflects what your site is about, but I believe content is king. If your writing is interesting, people will keep reading. I believe having a unique voice is ultimately what differentiates you from the seventy zillion other blogs on the internet. But the other stuff couldn’t hurt. Now, if only I could find the time…. 🙂
LikeLike
Ailsa- it all comes down to having time to think/process/write… I also wish I could devote more time and energy for a better blogging experience… Just having a fantastic idea/photo/experience doesn’t get us anywhere. It’s necessary to devote time to a solid thinking process – that’s what readers are looking for… Couldn’t agree more with you! and thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and comment! 😮
LikeLike
I never stopped to read the original post from wp, but I’m glad I read yours. Now, this about a brand is very interesting. In my job as a teacher I co- worked last year with my collegue who is teaching economics. Three of her lectures were about the importance of building a “personal brand” via certain social sites like facebook or linkedin. My part of this co-work was helping every student to start a blog. The About-page was supposed to act as a part of a personal brand. How should we introduce ourselves to the readers we want and to the world?
According to facts I found out about Swedish companies, about 60% say they browse the net to find out about you if you have applied for a job in their company. And that’s the first thing they do! (Maybe this is not a surprise to you, but to us it was! Back in the days when I applied for jobs, my grades and my other credits and university points was what counted…)Which means that your “brand” here is essential for your chances to get the job you want.
Your brand is Very Important. So, I agree with the brand-thinking, but I would like to add the importance of a “Personal Brand” too – which is created also with only personal blogs!
LikeLike
First, let me thank you for reading. I’m very flattered that you got to read this post before the “original one from WP”, which actually inspired me to think about this whole thing about ‘branding’. My main goal with the blog is not to develop a brand, nor to sell anything. But the post got me thinking: when we blog, we do use certain strategies that only the social media, technology and the feedback we receive from others [‘readers’, comments, inputs, suggestions from other bloggers] would allow us to reach our goals… Am I the same person when I’m blogging about, let’s say, a parenting, a travel experience? Or about the challenges of the expat life, political scenarios, the difficulties of raising children within a multicultural/multilingual environment? Maybe I’m the same person: the wife, the professional, the mother, the researcher, the blogger. Or maybe, the blogger has a life of its own – its own “persona”… somebody whose thoughts are free to come out, under the shape of ‘blogposts’… Branding is important, but we shouldn’t be solely defined by ‘ our brand’. The brand we create for ourselves needs to be a true representation of who we are, what we believe is real. Deep thoughts, right? 😮 See? The post really got me thinking, and more than the post, the comments posted here are a clear example of how rich this type of experience [blogging] can become… Thanks again for taking the time to stop by, share your thoughts and add to the conversation. 😮
LikeLike
Thought provoking post you have here! I am relatively new to blogging and the dailypost about the blog being a brand also forced me to think. I write about travel/ experiences in different countries, but I’m not sure what my USP is as yet… and that’s really critical to the definition of brand. So for now I just focus on writing whatever I think about, and perhaps the brand will develop over time.
LikeLike
Thanks for liking it [or, at least, finding the time to discuss a bit about the theme!]. But, honestly, I’m like you. I began blogging some 2 years ago, if even… and I’m still learning this ‘curvy road’ of blogging! I like to express myself, and I like to comment on things I read and/or stumble upon, around here… the inspiration is needed to develop our own thoughts about reality… We’re all trying to find our nich, rihgt? Thanks for stopping by!
LikeLike
I’m following you too! Your blog’s name is what attracted me first, and the content keeps me coming back. BTW, have you seen this? Some of it may resonate 🙂 http://www.buzzfeed.com/regajha/31-signs-youre-a-third-culture-kid
LikeLike
WOW! It’s so good to know people are enjoying what they find over here – and better yet – the name is interesting enough to bring someone over here. Much appreciated! Thanks for the link, as well. Will hop on over asap! 😮
LikeLike
Awesome……..Just Awesome Share.I love it.Looking forward for more.Alex,Thanks.
LikeLike
Thanks! 🙂
LikeLike
Interesting thoughts! I suppose a lot of us are like me – I have a brand, but I also like writing what I like writing, so I write it – and bother the brand!
LikeLike
and here is the question: “when the brand/blog/blogger ends, and you, the person/writer/thinker/own-self begins”, Colonialist? 😮 I actually, don’t know the answer!
LikeLike
My blog is definitely not a brand, but I’m not sure it’s what I intended it to be either!
LikeLike
Who knows, right? But i do believe that, the second we’re using this ‘tool’ [blogging] as a way to express ourselves, are we really speaking as our own person, or are we giving a voice to our thoughts, and, secretely, taking advantage of the possibility to use a technological tool to ‘hide’ our true selves?? Deep and crazy, right? 😮 As I stated earlier, I feel comfortable blogging, and letting my thoughts/words go wild… maybe, because, deep inside, I feel like… it may not be “me” saying/writing/discussing, but, instead, the “blogger”… 😮
LikeLike
I imagine there are a fair amount of people that confuse the blogger with the brand, right? Insightful question, though, because it forces writers/bloggers to ask themselves what their work is all about. A year into blogging, I’m still trying to figure that out!
LikeLike
I totally agree! It’s like we’re living thru a ‘persona’, created specifically to represent not ourselves, but yet, our thoughts, and bring them to life. It also puts us [bloggers, writers] in a much more comfortable scenario when we ‘speak’ via blog – is it the author talking? is it the blog that’s coming to life? Intriguing questions, as you pointed out… I’m not sure where I fit. 😮 I guess, in one way or another, we’re all trying to figure out our roles in the blogsphere! and, in the meantime, we continue to bring our thoughts to life… thru blogging! Thanks for stopping by!
LikeLike