Blogging for Web Site Traffic – Branding Yourself

Well this week’s mentoring has been about getting free traffic to our blogs.  The whole purpose of getting traffic is to get people to sign up to your lists so you can make money working online. There have been 5 Webinars over 5 consecutive evenings packed with the most amazing stuff ever. Talk about information overload. So much to do, I hardly know where to start.  There are many many ways of driving traffic to your blog but as I go oil rig hopping around other student’s blogs it’s clear that if you are blogging for website traffic you have to brand yourself to be a successful blogger.
Picture by Mazda6

Some of the students are already standing out from the crowd with the way they write and are getting a lot of comments on their posts because of it. I feel deflated. Why can’t I write like that? My post seems so mundane by comparison. Will people be interested in what I have to say?

I start to wonder if I should develop an alter ego. A number of well known people have taken on another persona in the entertainments industry and have been a huge success. But it’s hard to be something you’re not. If you try to be funny and in real life you are not or if you try to be controversial when you are not it adds to the time and effort you put into writing blog posts.

Be yourself

No, I think it’s best to be yourself. It will only come across as false if you try to be someone you are not.  I go and check out some successful bloggers blogs and convince myself that it is possible to be yourself when blogging for website traffic.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that you can’t get ideas from the way other bloggers write. You can learn from others all the time. In fact it’s a good idea to visit other prominent blogs to see what they are writing about. You can get ideas for blog posts if you run out of steam any time.

It’s all about branding

Some students are branding themselves already whether they know it or not. Branding separates you from the millions of other bloggers out there. It’s not all about the topic you are writing about but about the ability you have to promote yourself through your blogging.

Give great value

Some students are coming across as characters by telling amusing stories. Others are are being helpful by posting stuff that is going to help the other students. I think both can work as long as you can deliver value one way or another. When you deliver value people will come to respect you and take notice of your opinions and recommendations. Traffic will follow.

If you can post original content, write clearly and get your point over in an easy and understandable way you are almost there. Give first and receive second. You should not expect your readers to buy from you without giving them value first either as posts on your blog or as a free eBook, report or video. If they find the free product useful maybe they will also buy your
product.

There are many other aspects of  blogging for website traffic but these points are the foundation of branding yourself.  What are you doing to brand yourself?

17 thoughts on “Blogging for Web Site Traffic – Branding Yourself”

  1. Hey Sandy,

    Great post! I hadn’t thought about branding oneself much before so I really liked your article. I agree that it is important to be yourself, and make sure to convey that part of your personality that is charming to other people. You have a very down to earth way of writing that I can really identify with, it feels like a conversation. Good job on that!

    Peace,
    Darren L Carter

    1. Hi Darren, I got one from iStock.com which is a credit system and one from flickr.com which are free if you get them from the creative commons section and link back to the owner.
      Pictures liven up the blog I think don’t you?
      Sandy

  2. Hey Sandy, I want my brand to be honesty, because I am an honest person so I am trying to show that in my posts by always being truthful and never misleading, people respect that. You are certainly providing great value for free, so you have got that down to a tee already, Sally 🙂

  3. Hey Sandy,

    really timely blog post! Branding is something I just posted about yesterday and been thinking about so much over the past week.

    Thank you for being so honest with us and sharing about how you got a bit deflated seeing other people’s blogs. Trust me, I think everyone feels the same way! But I take that as a good thing as it spurs you on to push yourself that extra mile.

    Yes, I totally agree with you about needing to be yourself. I believe that is the best way forward and brings out the best in you so we can be congruent in all aspects of our lives, both professionally and personally.

    Looking forward to seeing more of your “brand” Sandy!

    Bailey

    1. Hi Bailey, Is this a case of great minds think alike? Thanks for the words of encouragement. I have just commented on your great post too.

  4. Hi Sandy.

    I can certainly identify with you.
    When I oil rig hop to all our fellow students
    and see how engaging they are, I also wonder
    what secret formula they tap into.

    I got an eBook from Ted Nicholas,
    “Billion $ Marketing Secrets”.
    Before he writes,
    He reads out loud a list of 20 affirmations
    stating positive goals.

    His last one is:
    “I will write with honesty and feeling”.
    If he succeeds by being himself,
    that’s good enough for me!

    Kind Regards.
    Rod

  5. Hi Sandy,

    Your ideas on branding are spot on and being yourself is a must for people to trust you.

    There are so many great blogs out there it is always good to see what others are writing about and then you can put your own spin on it when you are oil-rig hopping.

    Great post and dont get discouraged people will want to follow you as long as you are giving good information and being honest.

    Glyn
    .-= Glyn Lafferty´s last blog ..How I Have Been Driving Traffic and Optimizing My Blog =-.

  6. Hi there Sandy,

    A really good post, as the old saying goes “honesty is the best policy” I think what can be done though is as time goes by we DO develop our style and start to feel comfortable with it and as long as we are natural and not trying to be someone we’re not and the content is good we will be interesting and helpful to others,

    To everyone’s success
    Pete
    .-= Pete Burns´s last blog ..Determination, Passion, commitment and self improvement. =-.

  7. Is true that the successful bloggers are those that can put a very personal touch on their websites. A bunch of articles means nothing for readers.

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