Stop #2 On the Road to Brand YOU for Social Media Marketing Success ~ Your Branded Blog

On the Road to Brand YOU for

Social Media Marketing Success

 

Your Branded BLOG!

 

 

On our previous Stop #1 on the Road to Brand YOU for Social Media Marketing Success, we discussed Brand YOU which brings us to Stop #2 Your Branded Blog.  Your blog website is your single, most important brand domination tool.  Your blog website is your virtual real estate.  It creates an online presence for you to share information or services to your followers, friends and connections.  It will either turn people on or off depending on the look and feel of your site. Whether you are a business owner, professional or hobbyist, it is important to grab your virtual real estate today.  I recommend a WordPress.org website if you are in business to make money. You will also need web hosting, a place for your blog website to live. A vlog is similar to your blog but video is used throughout as well to share your message with your audience. You can incorporate both into your website. 

Websites are becoming more and more engaging and interactive.  There are many common elements of websites that make me want to stay on them for hours versus those that I would rather NOT!

Here are some elements of a well-branded blog website:

1. Header & Graphics

Your header is the very first thing your visitors will see when they come to your site.  It is the very first glimpse they get of your brand and a great opportunity for you to put your best face forward to create a great impression.  Elements of a great header include your logo, a great tagline, slogan or saying that describes your brand in a short phrase to explain to visitors what your website is about.  Additionally, images and graphics should be well designed and represented within the header and throughout the site.  Other common features within your header are your navigation menus such as about/me, blog, services, and your contact information. Your search box is also a great way for your visitors to search your site.

 

 

Consider incorporating a branded opt-in box at the bottom of each blog post to encourage list building.

2. Your Irresistible Offer

An irresistible, well-placed free offer is key for your visitors to opt-in to begin to receive emails from you and connect with you.  The best place is to place it in the top right corner of your header or the top right sidebar of your site. Begin to pay attention to what they are asking you time and time again to create your free offer.  It can be a list of tips, an e-book, a checklist, a report or other tidbit of information that they can’t wait to get their hands on.  It should answer their burning question or provide them with great tips regarding how you may be able to assist them that highlight your brand. 

 

3. Social Media Integration

Today, visitors to your site are looking to get social with you through social media platforms so it would be to your advantage to integrate your social media so they can easily connect with you and share your content to their followers, friends and connections. Studies show that the best place for these icons is the top right side of your website and should include the top platforms such as

•  Facebook
•  Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Pinterest
• Google+
• YouTube

There are many more but these will get you started. For example at the top of your blog post and the bottom is a great place to include share buttons.  There are many tools that will integrate your social media platforms within your site.  Here is an example of a Facebook Integration Tools for your site.  

 

4. Comment Box & Engagement Tools

Allowing interaction on your site is an excellent way to engage with your audience.  One way you can create engagement on your site is to allow comments to your blog posts so your visitors can provide feedback, ask questions and leave comments.  Comment Luv and Disqus  are great tools used to leave comments on blog posts.  Users can create a profile and each time they leave a comment, their profile photo is displayed and when someone clicks on their profile they are directed to their site it just depends on how they have set up their profile and how they respond.  Don’t worry; you can set these engagement tools so you can approve them first before they are posted live to your site.  I recommend this to avoid spammers and unwanted content on your site.

 

5. Fresh Content

Providing your visitors with fresh blog content is a great way to keep them coming back for more.  Here are a few elements important to a great blog post: 

• Have a compelling attention getting title that tells the reader what they will learn. 
• Write a great introduction that will draw your readers in and invite them to learn more. 
•  Be simple and concise in order to make the post digestible.  Use headings and bullet points to break up content. 
• Finally, have an effective call to action that encourages your reader to act.  Whether it is commenting on your blog posts, visiting you on Facebook or signing up to receive your free information.  

In Closing…

Your blog website is key to helping you create a dominate brand across social media platforms and online.  It gives your brand an excellent place to live.  It is important to have your house in order when visitors come knocking at your virtual door.  I look forward to working with you on your journey and helping you achieve social media and online success for your brand. 

Join me next time on the Road to Brand You for Social Media Marketing Success!

 

 NEXT…

Your Branded BIO! 

 

Supporting You One "Savvy Step" at a Time!

Share with me below "How have you incorporated your brand elements into your Blog Website?"  I look forward to hearing from you!