This article was originally published on Social Media Today on September 4, 2014.
One of the best ways to build your brand through blogging is to establish yourself as the “go-to” person on your topic, in your niche or in your industry.
There are four reasons you’d want to do this:
- As the “go-to” person, you will be top of mind when people need services or information.
- You can build your credibility as a resource by providing a platform for people to share their thoughts, views and expertise.
- You will have continuous content which will keep your audience returning.
- Having a brand opens the door to many income-generating opportunities.
Thus, following are seven strategies you can use to build your brand and bottom line through blogging.
Event Calendars
Build your brand with event calendars by promoting local, national or international events in your niche. You can list all of the events yourself or allow others to upload their own. Consistent promotion of your calendar, regardless of the number of events listed, is the key to success.
Strategies to build your bottom line with event calendars:
- Charge people to post their events
- Charge to promote individual events on social media and to your e-mail list
- Charge to advertise on your site, RSS feed or newsletter
- Become an event affiliate
Directories
Directories can really position your site as a resource, especially if you’re providing information that is not found anywhere else online, including local searches. You can create a directory of businesses, jobs or any other needs you uncover. This would boost traffic to your site and increase your search engine rankings.
Strategies to build your bottom line with directories:
- Charge people to post information in your directory
- Charge to promote individual listings on social media
- Charge to advertise on your site or newsletter, write a sponsored post
There are four ways to build your brand through Twitter.
- Live tweet events with topics that are relevant to your audience. You don’t have to be in attendance; just be sure you are providing information in real-time.
- Have weekly Twitter chats like Small Biz Lady’s #SmallBizChat.
- Tweet all articles and blog posts that you produce – consistently.
- Re-tweet relevant articles, testimonials and conversations.
Use WordPress plug-ins to embed tweets into blog posts or place your Twitter stream in the sidebar or on designated pages on your site where they can be read by all visitors.
Strategies to build your bottom line with directories:
- Charge organizations to live tweet their events
- Charge to sponsors Twitter chats
- Charge promote to your Twitter pals
- Use the information from your twitter stream to write freelance articles for sites and publications
Breaking News
You will definitely be a hit in any industry if you report breaking news first. This is how TMZ became famous. To position yourself in this arena, you have to stay abreast of what’s happening in your niche or industry at all times. Breaking news alerts from newspapers and magazines, Google alerts, trending topics on Twitter and Yahoo, as well as regular status updates on social sites are sources you can use to find out what’s happening right now.
Strategies to build your bottom line with breaking news:
- Charge for ads
- Send press releases to the media to let them know that you are available as a subject matter expert, which will further boost your brand and bottom line
- Become a columnist for publications or a special segment reporter for TV and radio
- If you are in the technology and business industries, write paid reviews on new products, software and apps.
Interviews
Interviews are great for positioning because you do not have to be the authority on the topic; you just have to interview those who are. Your topics can be general or specific. By promoting others, you are actually building your niche and brand as a resource. Although people may not look at you as the “go-to” person; they will look to you as the person who can get them to the people and information they need.
Strategies to build your bottom line with interviews:
- Compile interview topics and pitch stories to sites and publications
- Create information products from interviews
- Charge for ads and sponsorships
Reviews
Share your opinion about products and services through reviews. Be sure to highlight positive and negative factors. Although reviews are commonly found on technology and gadget sites, virtually everything can be reviewed.
Strategies to build your bottom line with reviews:
- Charge to write reviews on your site
- Work for review sites
- Submit freelance stories to online and print publications
- Become an affiliate for the products you like
Causes
There are many small nonprofit organizations doing great things that people do not know about. You can build your brand by researching and promoting these institutions and their causes. Due to the large number of organizations, you will have to narrow your options by cause, industry or region.
Strategies to build your bottom line with causes:
- Write articles about causes on sites and in magazines
- Charge for ads
- Work for the organizations you’re promoting in a freelance capacity – writer, blogger, consultant, public relations or communications
Above are just seven strategies you can build your brand through blogging. Once you establish yourself as the “go-to” person on your topic, in your niche or in your industry, your visibility, traffic and bank account will grow.
What are some ways you’ve built your brand and bottom line through blogging?