Hey guys! My name is Z and I blog over at Sometimes Z Takes Pictures. Right when I started thinking about my guest post for Allie, I was also in the fledgling efforts of rebranding my blog. Hopefully everything will be set into action in early January, but for now - I'm a bit of a nervous wreck! I figured I could share my thoughts and things to consider when rebranding. Best of luck if it's something you're considering!
1. panic.
Okay, maybe not full-scale panic - but the moment I knew I should rebrand, I really knew. There was a point where I just entirely disconnected with "Sometimes Z Takes Pictures." Not to say I didn't love and cherish my blog and how far it had come...but it simply didn't fit with my vision anymore. SZTP was all about photography and essays, and what I'm trying to go for now is full on lifestyle - still great writing, with an emphasis on all the things I love. Essentially, when you'll need a rebrand, you'll know.
2. who do you want to read your blog? what do you want them to feel when they glance at your site?
Thank God my mother was involved in marketing, since she helped me come up with a branding statement. Basically, you figure out who you want to read your blog, then adjust all your other branding to fit that "ideal viewer." It all sounds very clinical, but the way I think of it is that your main consumer is YOU. Less of a sell-out way to appeal to someone, and more of a refocusing on your goals. So I settled on college girls who want good advice, funny stories, and a lot of genuine writing. Ever since laying that out, I feel as though my current posts have improved, as well as all my decisions with rebranding.
3. what could be better about your current blog?
There were several things that frustrated (and still frustrate) me about SZTP - certain things about my writing voice, design, and general "atmosphere" of the blog. I had to be specific about all of these things and figure out how I could change or adjust for the new blog. Write down maybe your top 3 or 5 pet peeves and the matching improvements that could be done with a rebrand. For instance, I could never get all my photos to look the same - little did I know I could create a template with my photos and texts to add to each post. How handy!
4. what is you, in essence?
This goes back to #2 - don't beat around the bush. Don't present just the "good" or "right" parts of you. Be ALL of you. Contradictions, juxtapositions, all of it. I see so many blogs on the web right now that are just parts of people...and why not be your whole self? I've been so careful with my online presence - and rightfully so, since a lot of bloggers can get in trouble - but that's strapped my honest persona. I need to always "check myself" for how real I can be.
5. wait for it to click.
Eventually (or, in my case, almost forever), a name will come to you. And then a color palette. And bit by bit, everything slowly shifts together. Be patient and don't be afraid to be a bit of a perfectionist. You want this to be great and LAST. Take as much time as you need and remember - this is supposed to be fun!
--Z
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