One of my most frequently asked questions goes a little something like this: “I am wanting to launch my own blog, but I have no clue where to start. Can you give me any tips?” Unfortunately, there is no guide book to starting a blog or becoming an influencer. It’s truly a learn as you go type of thing. Even though this may be the case, there are still quite a few things I wish I had known prior to launching my own blog. That’s why I thought it would be helpful to start this new series, which I’m calling “Blogging 101”.  Throughout this series I plan on addressing topics such as: How to launch a blog, the importance of branding, creating a consistent feed, how to build an organic following and MORE!

I’m so excited to kick off this informative series with one of my favorite topics, which is the importance of branding! Truth is, when I first launched Carlyle Thornton Blog, branding was something that I almost entirely overlooked. I was honestly just so eager to start, that I never truly took the time to sit down and think about what I wanted my brand to look like. As time passed, I began to realize the true importance of branding and the fact that I was completely lacking in that department. No matter what field your working in, branding is crucial to differentiating your business. If you happen to be working in the “over saturated” world of blogging, branding is key to standing out amongst the crowd. I can summarize all of this with one statement, which is INVEST IN YOUR BRAND. Trust me when I say your brand is one of the most important things you can invest in and I guarantee you will see a return if you decide to do so.

You may have noticed a few changes taking place this past month on my website, Instagram, Facebook page and other social platforms. Well, a few months ago I decided it was time to start hunting for the perfect Graphic Designer to help me rebrand my own business. I can’t even begin to tell you how great my experience was working with Marti at M. Harris Design. My favorite part about working with her was that she really took the time to get to know me and my brand. We began the process by filling out questionnaires and taking a deep dive into my current brand. We addressed things such as my values, personality, intentions and business goals. We also reflected on my current brand and narrowed down things I liked / didn’t like about it. From there, Marti created a vision board for me to get an overall, general idea of the direction we were headed with my brand. This brand style guide became a guideline for us to follow throughout the entire design process. Being extremely picky and indecisive, many changes and revisions were made during this process. I can honestly tell you that Marti was always so responsive and available for me every step of the way. She was truly such a JOY to work with!

Now I’m going to share a quick overview of what I learned while rebranding my own business and also my finalized brand overview/mood board. I hope all of this was helpful!

TIPS FOR BRANDING YOUR BLOG

• INVEST IN YOUR BUSINESS: Make the decision to invest in your business from the get-go. Prior to launching your blog, take time to reflect on the messaging, look and feel that you want your brand to portray. Don’t take shortcuts, this initial process takes time but will be SO worth it in the long run!

• FIND THE RIGHT DESIGNER: It is SO important to find the right designer. Do your research and don’t settle for just anyone. Find someone who really “speaks” to you and aligns with your brand.

• CREATE A MOOD BOARD: You can find inspiration in so many ways by creating a mood board. It’s a great way to visually see the direction in which your brand is headed and also narrow things down during the design process.

• REFLECT ON YOUR CURRENT BRAND: This obviously only applies if you already have a current brand. Dive deep into your brand and figure out what you like/don’t like. From the moment I launched my blog I have used a millennial pink/mauve color in my branding. I felt my brand had become recognizable by this color and decided incorporate it into my new branding.

• CONSIDER YOUR BRAND OBJECTIVES: Where are you now, where are you headed and where do you want to go? Think about things such as your brand goals, personality, values and intentions.

• GET AN OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE: Constructive criticism is a great thing and is always welcome around here. Take time to analyze your brand from an outside perspective. What message are you currently sending to your audience? It’s important not to get too attached to your current brand and to adapt with this ever-evolving industry.

As always, thank you times a million for following along and supporting my blog. If you enjoyed this post, feel free to comment below, I would love to hear from you!

My designer, Marti, also wrote a great post about building a brand that you love.

You can find that here, it’s definitely worth the read!