Rock Star Personal Branding for Bloggers

by Robb Sutton

In this guest post by Maren Kate from Escaping the 9 to 5, she explores how your personal brand online should mimic that of a rock star for guaranteed success. Personal branding is a large part of success in blogging.

Since when is the word Rock Star only synonymous with musicians? I don’t know who created this trend but I’m here to break it… I believe you can be a Rock Star blogger too! Harness the power of the rock star within you and use it to explode your blog to new success!

6 ways to apply the Rock Star mystique to your personal brand

1. Rock Star’s a made not born. Joan Jett wasn’t singing “Cherry Bomb” coming out of the womb, so if you haven’t built a rock star worthy personal brand up to this point don’t sweat it. Your inner rock star is just hibernating that’s all. So now it’s your turn to dig deep and see if you have what it takes to develop a rock star brand for your business or personal use? If so I can promise it’ll explode your success online and off and the benefits it’ll have to your blog may very well change your life.

2. Personal branding is mandatory in today’s economy. Whether you run a blog on baked goods or help mommies get out of debt, it is time to sum up your inner rock star and start getting personally branded. People love to feel connected to the blog they are reading and the business they are buying from, they want to know you are special… different, not just one of the thousands of drones out there pitching something. How can you do this? Develop a personal brand worthy of any rock star of course!

3. Rock Star’s are known for something. Whether it be Elvis’ pelvic thrust or Ozzy’s dove head decapitation thing, rock stars are usually known for a ‘signature’ thing. This can work for your personal brand as well. Look at celebrities on and off the net, they usually are known for something too. Naomi from Ittybiz is known for her potty mouth and sparkling sense of humor, Problogger is known because he was first and is biggest and iJustine is known for recording every part of her life – even the ones we don’t care about.

4. Know your Rock Star name. My full name is Maren Kate Donovan, online and on all of my social platforms I go by Maren Kate. This is because when you Google Maren Kate you find me every time… and it is unusual enough that I don’t have to worry about another Maren Kate popping up and battling for her turf. Rock Star’s go by nicknames too, sometimes these are derivations of their real names and sometimes they totally made up pseudonyms. Look at Lady Gaga, Prince and Madonna. Think about Johnny B. Truant when it comes to blogging, do you think he REAL name is John Ben Truant? It may be – I don’t know for sure – but I am 99% positive he does that so he can dominate the niche for that catchy name and image.

5. Rock Star’s have a voice. Every rock star sings or communicates in their own unique ‘voice’, for a blogger you need to do this as well. You can write a mid term type blog post or you can write something from your heart in your very own voice. Think about how you want your voice to sound? Do you want to be the funny business blogger? the overly serious clown blogger? the dynamic, eccentric financial blogger? Pick a voice and stick with it through all of the channels in which you communicate online. If you do this people will get to the place where they know your voice when they read it anywhere – just like how we can pick out a song that Elton John did from hearing just a few seconds of it.

6. Be sure to keep consistent. Though rock star’s throughout the ages have had identity crisis’ it’s best once you decide on your personal brand to stick with it, at least for a while. People will grow to trust and love you this way – they will read your blog and feel as if they really ‘know’ you. This loyalty can pay off for years down the road and your consistence will make you a pillar in your online community.

In closing, I know there is a little rock star in all of us – there sure is in me! Whether you choose to show yours through videos, the written word or another form of media be sure to let your true self out. Not only is it liberating but you’ll be amazed at how much your blog & business grows once you’ve ‘come out’ so to speak with your true, rocking self.

This guest post was written by Maren Kate. She is an entrepreneur and blogs about her journey in leading an unconventional life at Escapingthe9to5.com.

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19 comments

Edward May 11, 2010 - 7:47 am

Personally for me Rock Start is associated with GTA and not any rock band =)

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Robb Sutton May 11, 2010 - 8:09 am

Where did you get “rock start” from?

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Edward May 11, 2010 - 2:39 pm

Ah, sorry – Rock Star – just a misspelling.

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Robb Sutton May 11, 2010 - 2:42 pm

Hey…I am the only one that is aloud to mispel things on this blagh.

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alex May 11, 2010 - 9:03 pm

‘Hey…I am the only one that is aloud to mispel things on this blagh.”

hahahahahaha FTW!

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Maren Kate May 22, 2010 - 10:08 pm

I think “Rock Start” sounds like the name for an amazing book on branding!

Robb Sutton May 11, 2010 - 8:11 am

Great post Maren!

Personal branding is a crucial part of blogging. By cementing your name and your uniqueness into your blogging, you can further your brand outside of the pages of your blog and achieve success through viral spreading as well.

It’s all about creating your own corner of the web and you have to make that corner remember-able.

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Maren Kate May 22, 2010 - 10:08 pm

Thanks Rob, I couldn’t agree more – i think without it, it’s impossible to get anywhere because of the sheer magnitude of other people out there clawing for the same space.

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John Paul May 11, 2010 - 12:54 pm

Go big or go home.. blog with personality.

Nice tips on rock star blogging.

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alex May 11, 2010 - 9:05 pm

I think the underlying lesson here is ‘be consistent’ not just with your content, but with your brand. That way as it perpetuates, you benefit from a single solidified brand. Great post and I agree with JP. Go hard or go home (unless you work from home, in which case go back to work)

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Maren Kate May 22, 2010 - 10:05 pm

I agree, the whole consistency thing is key in blogging or business – because when you waffle around people trend to trust you less

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Muzi Mohale May 12, 2010 - 12:30 am

One of the co-founders of WooThemes, Adii is already using the rockstar brand…http://www.adiirockstar.com/

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Robb Sutton May 12, 2010 - 5:06 am

The point she is making is to do your personal branding like a rock star…not actually use rock star.

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Maren Kate May 22, 2010 - 10:06 pm

Haha, it isn’t a copyrighted word or anything! I think anyone can use it and do it justice!

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dennis May 12, 2010 - 11:36 am

i heard that you have a very popular blog and you make a lot of money with it. congratulation!

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Grace Wieber May 20, 2010 - 6:31 pm

Encouraging words ‘ Rock Stars’ are made not born.
To thine own self be True !
Rock on ~ Gracie

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Maren Kate May 22, 2010 - 10:06 pm

Too true Grace! 🙂

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Steve May 27, 2010 - 11:41 pm

Encouraging words ‘ Rock Stars’ are made not born.
To thine own self be True !
Rock on ~ Gracie

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What American Idol Taught Me About Personal Branding « Lifestyle Scientist June 16, 2011 - 4:51 pm

[…] Personal Branding is all about being your own Rock Star. […]

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