We’re at the end of the Blogging 101 Series, folks. Today is the last post in the series and it’s a goodie: having a standout blog.
Each of the ladies in the series (Kristin, Sarah, Lindsay, and Emily) definitely fit this bill and I can’t wait to read what they have to say.
How do you make your blog stand out among the sea of others? What can make yours different? Unique? Dare I say, special? I want to hit a couple of different tips on this topic, starting with branding.
I think branding is really important. Keeping the look, feel, message your blog sends out there consistent is key. The colors, the font, your photo quality– all of it should be saying the same thing. If you look through each page of my blog– from the homepage, to my portfolio, my home tour, even my youtube channel– it all has the same look and branding. A lot of work and planning goes into that, and I feel it makes a big difference in terms of professionalism.
The next point I want to talk about: quality of content. This is maybe the most important for me. I’m not interested in putting something out there that is halfway. I try very hard to only give you well thought-out, produced, photographed, written, and composed content. Writing and video are my jam, so why would I want to put something out on the inter web what wasn’t a good representation of that? Think of your skill set that way. What is your strength? If it’s, say, photography, then don’t put a single photo out there that isn’t a good representation of your work.
And while we’re talking about specialties, because writing and video are mine, I don’t allow “freelance writers” on my site. In my experience, there are a lot of companies who will approach you via a “freelance writer” and say they want to produce free content for you. I have never allowed this, and don’t see myself ever allowing it. It’s my site, therefore it’s my content. Period.
Finally, if you want your blog to stand out, you have to do something that sets you apart. I am encouraging you not to imitate something you love that someone else is doing really well, but instead to find your true niche and carve it out. This is not an easy thing to do, friends. It’s why everyone doesn’t stand out, am I right? I know that not many bloggers have the same background in journalism and video that I do (that are in the same design space). Therefore, that’s where my strength in blogging lies. That’s where I try to shine. Basically, find what you do well and do it better than as many people as you can.
And there you have it. I hope you have found this series helpful! I have learned and continue to learn so much from other bloggers and this series is invaluable.
Lindsay from The White Buffalo Styling Company
Sarah from Sarah M. Dorsey Designs
Kristen from Bliss at Home
Emily from Emily A. Clark
Have a wonderful Halloween week!
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