Does Your Blog Need A Logo?

Does Your Blog Need A Logo?

The answer to the question is yes, your blog needs a logo. It needs some kind of image that helps distinguish it from the others. There is an awful lot of noise out there and if you want to memorable and recognized a logo can go a long way to making that happen.

But bear in mind that it doesn’t replace the need for good content. Anyone who says otherwise is a damn fool and in need of my size 12 boot in their ass. How is that for a friendly sort of hello.

Ok, it is not very friendly and not particularly endearing unless of course you like grumpy forty something year-old men who blog about anything and everything. Did you know that the social media experts tell you that it is a mistake to do that.

Those exceptionally intelligent men and women think that readers are too stupid to read more than 120 words and that you have the attention span of gnats.

Why Are You Blogging?

If you are blogging for business and can’t answer that question we should probably sit down so that I can knock some sense into you. Why would you spend time doing something for work without knowing what it is you are doing and what you hope to accomplish.

That is just a waste and you should treat yourself better than to throw away your time like that.  This is important so I will type slowly for those who have trouble keeping up.

You need to know why you are blogging and what your objectives are because that is the only way you can determine whether your effort is successful. It is the only way that you can establish metrics that are usable, measurable and valuable.

I am not a social media expert. I am not the world’s greatest businessman. There are people who are smarter, richer, happier and a host of other ‘ers as well.

But we are not here to have a conversation about my strengths or weaknesses. No, we are here in part because I just finished walking three miles in 105 degree weather and I need to cool down before I jump in the shower.

Not to mention I stumbled across a post that repeated the canard that anyone can be successful at blogging because all you need to do is write and people will read.

In the midst of my skimming through that post I saw a line that suggested that it doesn’t matter if your blog looks like or reads like every other blog out there because search engine traffic will find your words and feed them to interested readers who will come and spend their valuable time on your non-descript, looks like everyone else and offers no distinguishing value blog.

I want to say I was reading a parody site but I wasn’t.

Useful Advice

You want a logo because it helps distinguish you from the crowd and is part of the brand/image you want to build. But before you get to that point you should take some time to answer address the first two items below.

Once you have done that you can look into numbers 3 and 4.

1. Determine why are you are blogging and what you hope to accomplish.
2. Figure out what metrics you need to determine whether your effort is successful.
3. Get a cool logo. Yes, I know that I need one. I haven’t done it yet but I have a few things lined up.
4. Have Fun.

Don’t be afraid to take chances. Be smart and think about what you are doing but don’t let fear prevent you from taking action.

Social media is about people. Some of you will love me. Some of you will hate me. Some of you will be ambivalent. But if I show up on a regular basis and engage in normal conversation with you good things will come from that. And if I do that for an extended period of time more good things will come from that.

Remember the pyramids weren’t built in a day but many were built by my people which reminds me that I am going to submit an invoice to Egypt. Those hieroglyphic painting, slave owning, pyramid building yahoos owe me a chunk of change plus interest.

Wonder if they’ll give me ownership of the Sphinx.

Figure out the answers to those question. Work hard, provide value and keep showing up and you’ll make inroads and good things will happen for you.