Six Essential Ingredients For Branding Your Blog
Do not underestimate the power of branding your blog! Your branding has the ability to make your readers feel something. Branding your blog the right way can leave your readers feeling satisfied, enlightened, and awesome! It also has the power to set your blog apart from the millions of other blogs. It can help you connect with your target audience, and build your social media presence.
Be Sure To Get My Branding Development Checklist Here —> Brand Checklist
Branding is so much more than a name and logo design. Create a brand experience that leaves your readers feeling something amazing! I’ve created a fun way to build your blog brand from the bottom (or the crust) up. By the end you’ll have the recipe for blog success!
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You can write all of the best content in the world, but without effective brand development and marketing you won’t get very far!
How Important Is Branding?
Branding is the most delicious part of the blogging process. Want to bake up the best brand development strategy for your blog? I’ve got the perfect recipe for you! Branding is one of the most important blogging tools and it all starts with your secret ingredient- your story!
Blog Branding Ingredients:
- Beautiful Blog Theme
- Colour Palette
- Logo Design
- Graphics
- Beautiful Fonts
- Decorative Additions
The Power Of Branding
Branding will help you take your blog to the next level! I had a real ‘aha moment’ a while back when someone suggested I start a blog, because of my background in media. I responded with doubt because there are so many blogs out there already. I thought, how can I compete?? The person who suggested that I start a blog is a small business owner herself, and in a very competitive market.
So, she came back at me with ‘If I can do it, you can do it”. Her business stands out because of her great services, but even more because of her vibe! Her branding!
Inspiration kicked in and since then, I’ve realized the role branding takes in any business venture. It’s all in how people perceive you and your blog or business! Take Starbucks as an example, and I use Starbucks as a comparison often because it’s a well-known brand around the world so you know what I’m talking about. Their coffee is also what gets me through most days. Starbucks makes good coffee, but so do many many other coffee shops. Starbucks isn’t just about their coffee. It’s the experience that makes them so popular.
Branding helps you understand your story and your audience. It’s such an important part of the blogging process. You don’t need to nail your blog brand down the minute you start your blog, it can take time to figure it out. I’m still fine-tuning mine. It’s an evolving system.
Blog branding helps to create a consistent, stable and cohesive style, which can be used across all social media platforms. Branding can help you create a blog you’re proud to show off and that gets recognized. An effective brand, along with an effective social media strategy, can really help you stand out!
Ready? Let’s Brand Your Blog!
Step 1. Your Story. Your story is the pie crust. In order to add any other ingredients, this needs to be made first! Every great brand starts with a story. This should be easy, but it’s not! Just like a great pie crust, getting this part right involves all the right ingredients. Follow along below to help build your blog story. Take your time!
How To Build Your Brand Story
Step 1. Nail down your vision. Why do you want to start blogging? What’s the reason behind the blog? Where do you see your blog heading? Use this as the base and driving force.
Step 2. Define your audience. Who are you writing for? It helps to actually write down an audience persona. An audience persona is a description of the ideal person you envision reading your blog. Include age, gender, job, lifestyle, marital status, hobbies, etc. The more detail you include, the easier it’ll be to tailor your blog to your readers!
Step 3. Create a brand plan. Planning means progress! Where do you see your blog in six months, or in a year! Your brand will evolve a lot over this time.
Use your story to create a vision for your blog. It doesn’t necessarily have to be your personal story. It can be whatever you want it to be. For me, I’m not even sure how I came up with my brand story. Once I started brainstorming ideas, it just sort of came to me. It wasn’t my first idea. I had a few other ideas that were meh, but I wasn’t ‘all in’ with them.
You’ll know when you’ve got it right. You’ll feel it!
I came up with Steph’s Social Pie because I love pie. Like really love it! And, a social pie just sounded sweet and had potential… share a slice of the social pie or serving up fresh branding tips! And, the fact that my name starts with S just made it flow so well. It wouldn’t work if my name were Ashely or Krista. My brand started to take shape and I started to see the vision coming together. I’ve used my story, my deep love of pie and my background in the media to create Steph’s Social Pie. Note: I recently re-branding because branding is an ever-evolving process, and took out the pie. Now I’m just Steph Social!
Choosing Blog Colours
These are the spices in your blog branding recipe! Pick one dominant color to associate with your blog and then choose 2-3 other colors to sprinkle throughout your designs. There are many online palette resources to help you figure out which colors work well together, such as https://coolors.co/.
Then, once you have your color scheme, use these colors in designing logos, graphics and social media promo.
Personally, colour is something I’m still playing around with. Your colours have the power to connect with your audience and so you want them to create a positive and long-lasting impression. When designing pins for Pinterest, I find that even adjusting one color or slightly adjusting a shade just a tad, makes a huge difference. See what I mean?
GOOD 
BETTER!
Logo Design
My first logo was awful. That’s because I hadn’t quite figured out my story and the vision wasn’t there yet! It’s like to trying to bake a pie, without the crust. It was one big mess.
Tip: Canva has some great logo templates you should use for inspiration. If you’re a blogger, I highly recommend upgrading to Canva Pro because you have access to tons more (really amazing) stock images and you can create a custom brand kit with all of your favourite fonts and colours. This makes it super easy and time-efficient when creating designs!
Upgrade to Canva Pro today!
Also, check out your competition to see what styles you like and what you don’t. This helps the creative juices flowing! Don’t be afraid to re-brand and re-design until you’re fully confident in your creation. Recipes are meant to be tweaked to fit personal preference. Use your brand story to help in the design process.
Font and Decorative Additivies
Once you’ve got your story, logo and colours you can go ahead and add some beautiful fonts. Play around with a few styles. Personally, I like one simple font and then a script for texture. If you’re more fun and playful, include a pop of colour and handwritten fonts.
If you like the more minimalist vibe, go for a simple sans serif and a script accent, and use a touch of gold and marble or whatever you want! It should all mix well with your story, and tone of your blog. I like to keep evolving until I feel I’ve really got my style down.
It has taken me literally months to figure out my tone and style and coordinate it all. So don’t rush it or exepect it to all come together overnight!
Style and Tone
It’s important when branding that everyone mixes well. Your blog vibe and tone should represent your blog story. Notice how Starbucks has a vibe that’s consistent in all stores. It’s simple, clean and fresh with a touch of hip. How would you describe it? Their store layout, cup design and even their employees all fit with their brand story. It’s recognizable across their social media channels as well.
Be Adaptable
It’s too easy to become overwhelmed in the process and lose sight of your vision. And, it’s okay to not get it right the first time or the second time… Most successful entrepreneurs have failed at least once before getting it right. It’s a learning process and each time you overcome an obstable, it just means you’re one step closer to success. Don’t be afraid to change your plan, re-define your story, or re-design the whole damn package. In the end, your only regret will be not trying. After all, even the best apple pie recipes have had a few modifcations over the years.
What’s your story? Have you been through the blog branding process? What were the biggest challenges you faced when branding your blog?
Absolutely love the twist on this post! Very valuable information. I too am working on rebranding my website and business but I at least want to be a year in. Love this post girl! You always come through with the goodies! I’ll definitely be sharing!
Ahh Vee darling! Thank you girl! I think you’ve got some good branding ideas and can make it work for you! It’s a process, that’s for sure! Mine is still a work in progress:)
wonderful ideas! I’m just starting out Steph so your advice hit home thx!
Thank you for the comment! I’m so glad you liked it!! Good luck! If you ever need any help, feel free to reach out!
I was actually thinking about this and thank you for this post. I am looking into branding or changing some things on my blog.
Writing is just half the battle! Blogging is a process! Lots involved! Just keep evolving:)
My first logo was awful as well and I had chosen the name of my blog very poorly. Nobody could pronounce it, let alone remember it 😉 Loved this post, it’s very informative!
There’s definitely a learning curve!
I need to look into branding my website. This post sure gives me some ideas on what to do.
My logo might not be the most beautiful, but it was created by a person who was important for me, so I decided to keep it. Hope to follow your tips soon! 🙂
Sounds like there’s a story behind that:) I like it!!
I definitely want to update my logo, I want something a little more professional. Thanks for sharing!
I’m working on a new logo for this site and another site:) Have fun with it and if you work with a pro branding agency that’s fun too coming up with different ideas together!
I am working on this! I try to brand my blog appropriately, but sometimes I have no idea what I’m doing.
I have updated my logo over the years. It is so important that your audience recognize your brand through your logo. Your second logo is really great in my point of view.
I am working on this too! Blogging is hard work.
I feel like I work on this all the time! I am sure it is because I haven’t really nailed down what I am all about.
Oh yes, I have experienced such challenges….particularly, when I was starting out. I had a SERIOUS PROBLEM with matching colours for my blog and my content that I intended to post.
Creating a logo is something I still need to work on. Blogging is not a walk in the park. We have to put in hours of hard work for our blogs to be noticed!
This post reminds me of what I need to work on! I understand the importance…I just need to make a decision and do it! Thanks for the inspiration!
Looks like you found a great spot to enjoy with your family!
Thanks for sharing these useful tips which will serve as an inspiration for wannabe bloggers looking to stand out among others.
These are great tips! It’s really important to create a unique brand for your blog so that it stands out from the others.
I really love the style of this blog, and how you made it feel like a recipe! Theses ingredients are awesome!
Thank you 🙂 I thought the idea was cute 🙂
I think everyone looks back at where they started and cringes a little. We all have to start somewhere with what we have and work our way up!
Omg total cringe!! But you gotta start somewhere!
This post was so HELPFUL!!! Thank you so much for sharing this resource!
I love using Canva! I believe that for your website, branding is really important! It should be unique. Colors should be well coordinated.
I sure needed this post. I just started a new blog and I’m feeling lost and don’t know where to start. This post is going to help me when I get it started and I think a pretty logo would help and maybe give me the nudge to get busy.
I would love to try these essential ingredients for branding my blog. Seems simple and easy to do!
Your blog is very lovely. It’s nice that you’re sharing tips on how to make something look pleasing.
you advise is super helpful and very clear. If I had any questions about branding I no longer have it now
I am into blogging for a year and am still learning the tricks. Thank you for sharing these great tips on branding.
Great post, love the spin you put on it. Really simplifies a complicated topic!
The list on the point. And I really needed to read this articles since I am trying to brand my blog. And also, you have branded your website nicely!
This is a great list of ideas! I’m always learning new things about blogging and I’ve been doing it for 11 years!
It’s a brilliant post. It’s quite helpful for me as a blogger. Thanks for providing all the information.
Pie ~ such a creative way to conceptualize this valuable information.
Such valuable information in this post! I look forward to reading more of your posts!
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