Self Branding: Comments That Leave More Than Just An Opinion
Posted on October 1, 2008 by Eric Hamm |
I left a comment on a blog today that was followed by an email concerning the name I had given myself. This particular blogger had a policy requiring that all commenters use their real name and not just the name of their blog/website. I had no problem with this and could understand the logic behind the policy.
But it got me thinking, “I always just leave my blog name. Everybody just knows me as “Motivate Thyself”" (the name of my other blog).
After that fleeting thought I went back to my daily blogging activities. A short time later the thought popped back into my head, “Is that a good thing to be known by the name of your blog?”
Let’s think about this for a second. What’s better to be known by, your blog name or your real name? I think this depends on your blogging intentions. If you plan on having many blogs and/or expanding on your blogging ideas, maybe it’s not so good to be known only by your blog name. But if that blog represents everything that you are or encapsulates your blogging persona, then maybe it’s not such a bad thing.
What about the heavy hitters?
Everyone knows about problogger, but I also bet most of you know the name Darren Rowse. Darren has done an excellent job of branding himself as an individual. Sure, he’s also the problogger guy, but this is only one of his blogging hats and we all know this.
Similar, we have zenhabits. I think most of us know that Leo is the author. And like Darren, he has other blogs that have helped separate his name from his blog name.
What about you?
What do you leave as your ‘Name’ when you make a comment? Do you like people to know you by your name? Do you prefer to focus on your blog’s name? Or do you just like the idea of being behind the scenes as just ‘the author’?
I think it’s important to think about this early on because it’s a lot harder to change the way people know you down the road.
What you say matters
The other aspect of comments that give us a sort of brand, is what we actually say. One or two comments won’t usually make or break you, but over time you will start to create a persona of yourself. What you say, your attitude or vibe, how positive or negative you are, the insight you bring and the honesty/transparency you show, all help in creating an image of who you are and what you’re about.
Now that I have more than one blog and people are starting to know who I am, I’ve decided to leave my name when I comment and not my blog name. I’ll be interested to see if this makes any difference, if this will confuse people. Will people not recognize me? I’m sure this will be the case for some, but my hope is that in the long run I will build a brand and be known as Eric Hamm, not “add blog name here”. As someone pursuing a ‘blogging career’ I am trying to build an online portfolio. My blogs are the pages, but I am the blogger.
If I could do this all over again, would I have changed anything?
I don’t think so. For me, it was beneficial to have “Motivate Thyself” as my name. People instantly knew what my blog was about. I think this drew more attention and created more incoming traffic than if I had used Eric Hamm. But this is just a guess.
Why branding is so important
If our intentions are to build successful blogs, we must become known to the blogging community. To do this we need to constantly interact. It is during these interactions that we are slowly creating an image for ourselves. And it is with this image that we will build our success. It’s our foundation.
So you can see why it is so important that we consciously present ourselves in such a way that leads to our desired brand. Just like products, good ones sell themselves. As we brand ourselves we are trying to create something that people want to buy into. We want to create fans, not just readers.
I know that much of this will come naturally over time, but what we do now matters. So just keep this in mind as you interact with the blogging community. Whether you know it or not, you are creating a name for yourself.
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Kim Woodbridge
October 1st, 2008 7:40 amHi Eric,
I always leave my real name - it actually never occurred to me to leave the name of my blog. I don’t mind when people leave the name of their blog in comments but it does make it more difficult for me to address them - it’s strange to say “Hi Motivate Thyself”.
But what I really wish is that everyone had a gravatar - I tend to recognize people online more by their picture than their name. This is especially true on twitter
Kim Woodbridge´s last blog post..WordPress - How To Create a Delicious Bookmarks Page
Alli Gerkman
October 1st, 2008 8:20 amI have moved toward writing my full name (as I have done here), having previously used my first name and initial–what wasted branding opportunities when I did that, right?
Comments (and comment rules) are a funny thing. I recently read a blog that didn’t have a field for the commenter’s website. Not surprisingly, it didn’t have any comments.
Alli Gerkman´s last blog post..Still Don’t Get the Difference Between Social Media and Traditional Marketing?
rebel
October 1st, 2008 8:24 amThis is a very interesting concept. As you can see, I had decided to go with the name Rebel as it is associated with my Blog. But you are causing me to rethink things. Perhaps it is more personal to use my name.
rebel´s last blog post..My Budgeting Strategy
Michael Martine - Remarkablogger
October 1st, 2008 9:28 amI’ll out myself as the blogger who emailed you about your comment name.
There is a line between branding and spamming. Unfortunately, spammers abuse the tactic of placing keywords they want to rank for in search results into the comment name box. That is exactly why they do it. They’re spammers, they don’t give a sh*t about branding, but they will cry branding when criticized for the practice.
I KNOW you’re not a spammer, but you see the difficulty here. We all have to carefully avoid even the appearance of anything spammy in order to keep our reputations and credentials in order on the web.
Keep up the great posts!
Michael Martine - Remarkablogger´s last blog post..What’s Your Blogging Creed?
Frank
October 1st, 2008 9:29 amI like your post. been blogging for a year now, and my “self branding” is beginning to evolve.. I’ll keep reading….send me a sout about my blog, I’m always looking for feedback
Frank´s last blog post..You Have Got To Be Kidding!!
Hunter Nuttall
October 1st, 2008 10:23 am@ Michael, I was thinking that the blogger sounded like you.
@ Eric, when you left your first comment on my blog today, I was so glad to see you using your real name. I’ve seen you on BWAB as “Motivate Thyself,” and I thought, “How do I address him if he comments on my blog?” Like Kim said, it’s strange to say “Hi, Motivate Thyself!”
Michael requires a real name with no keywords because of potential spamming concerns. On blogs that allow keywords, I think it would be fine to do something like “[person's name] - [blog name].” But I don’t think using the blog name alone is ever a good idea. Blogs don’t leave comments, people do.
BTW, I see you’re in Charlottesville. Did to go to the University of Virginia, like I did?
Hunter Nuttall´s last blog post..Win A Copy Of ProBlogger
Eric Hamm
October 1st, 2008 11:30 am@Kim: “But what I really wish is that everyone had a gravatar - I tend to recognize people online more by their picture than their name. This is especially true on twitter”
I’m the same way. I don’t even need to see a name if I see their face. And when you don’t use a gravatar you tend to get lost in the crowd. Another important factor of self promotion.
@”Comments (and comment rules) are a funny thing. I recently read a blog that didn’t have a field for the commenter’s website. Not surprisingly, it didn’t have any comments.”
You’re right about that. Not leaving a way for you readers to become known is a big no-no.
@rebel: “Perhaps it is more personal to use my name.”
That’s what I’m thinking. I’ll be interested to see what you use the next time you comment.
@Michael: “I’ll out myself as the blogger who emailed you about your comment name. :)”
I’m glad you did. It raised a good post topic for today.
@Frank: “…and my “self branding” is beginning to evolve.”
It certainly takes time, but it’s worth it if you are looking to turn your online presence into a respectful profit.
@Hunter: “Like Kim said, it’s strange to say “Hi, Motivate Thyself!””
I see you’re points. One of many reasons to use your name.
“BTW, I see you’re in Charlottesville. Did to go to the University of Virginia, like I did?”
No, I didn’t go to UVA, but both my wife and I were born and raised in C’ville. Some of my family members did go, though. I used to enjoy going to the football games. (I say used to because we STINK right now. I know, another fair weather fan.)
Your Friendly Neighborhood Computer Guy
October 1st, 2008 12:32 pmI use Your Friendly Neighborhood Computer Guy as my name, and I think it works well, for a few reasons.
1. It’s the name of my blog.
2. It describes me.
3. It catches people’s eye and piques their curiosity thereby increasing the chances of a clickthrough.
4. People are still able to address me like I’m a person…I’m the computer guy!
Your Friendly Neighborhood Computer Guy´s last blog post..The Chuck Effect: Computer Nerds Finally Have A Worthy Spokesman
Angel Cuala
October 1st, 2008 1:26 pmMy blog’s name is Father Blogger dot Com, and I am using it as user name when posting on some forums. So when they leave comments on my posts, they call me Father. Isn’t it amazing? May be power be with them!
However, I believe that my real name is more sacred than the term “Father” so I am using it for comment posting. lol!
Kidding aside, I think self-branding is very important if you want to be known to be the owner of your blog. Using your real name can be a great advantage if you are being invited for some speaking engagement. Although losing your privacy is a price to pay, I think it is worth to pay rather than introduce your real identity later. People will find it hard to change the way they used to call you.
Angel Cuala´s last blog post..How to Deal with Difficult Parent In-laws
Daniel Allen / The Efficiancy Proposal
October 1st, 2008 2:34 pmMy post format has been what’s shown above because of the obvious. It kills two birds with one stone. Later on when my blog gets more popular, I will go to just Daniel Allen
Daniel Allen / The Efficiancy Proposal´s last blog post..Get On The Right Path To Stopping An Addiction
stubsy
October 1st, 2008 2:41 pmI always use the name stubsy coz my real name is quite rubbish, I do find it quite annoying when people leave comments under the name Motgage Quotes or Debt help.
stubsy´s last blog post..Blogging as a lifestyle
Lyman Reed
October 2nd, 2008 12:59 amI’ve gone back and forth on this one, and have finally decided that I am my own brand, so I stick to my name. It’s fairly unique, so I’m lucky in that respect.
Now my problem is deciding on which website to use consistently.
Lyman Reed´s last blog post..Hero of Healing - Ernest Holmes
Matthew Dryden
October 2nd, 2008 1:26 amI guess I have my work cut out for my because my name is basically my brand…I think.
Although, it’s scary to think that some people would want my name on their t-shirts…
Eric Hamm
October 2nd, 2008 8:36 am@Matt: I’d have to agree with you. The name you chose to use kind of covers all aspects and presents you in just the right way.
@Angel: “…I think self-branding is very important if you want to be known to be the owner of your blog. ”
This is key because in the blogging world you want to make a name for yourself AS WELL as your blog.
@Daniel: Like Matt, I think you’re using the perfect name for your needs right now.
@stubsy: “I do find it quite annoying when people leave comments under the name Motgage Quotes or Debt help.”
These are often caught by Akismet (commenting spam protection plugin). But either way, this is definitely annoying.
By the way, if you don’t mind me asking, what’s your real name that is so, as you put it, rubbish?
@Matthew: “Although, it’s scary to think that some people would want my name on their t-shirts…”
That would be a little awkward.
Julie Gaffey
October 2nd, 2008 9:58 amThe whole reason blogs make such an impact on the internet world is because they are personal. Building trust with your readers is crutial, and if they know the real Eric Hamm rather than an entity that may build a stronger brand . Curious to see if it works for you!
Laurie | Express Yourself to Success
October 2nd, 2008 11:38 amI’ve been thinking a lot about this lately so I’m glad to read your post.
I started using only my first name when commenting, then found a couple others with the same name doing the same thing. I thought that was confusing.
So I thought about including my last name. But I also appreciate when commenters leave the name of their blog. So I decided to use my first name and the name of my blog. I figure if others are interested, they’ll see my full name on my blog if they visit.
Having said that, I’m still not sure if I made the right decision. Fortunately, I can still change my mind!
Frank
October 2nd, 2008 11:45 amI publish my last name because it is a common one, besides, Jack Nicholson played me in the Departed!
Frank Costello
Frank´s last blog post..You Have Got To Be Kidding!!
Eric Hamm
October 2nd, 2008 6:05 pm@Julie: “Curious to see if it works for you!”
So far so good.
@Laurie: You’re not the first one to mention the advantages of using both names. I think for some that is definitely the way to go and it seems like it’s working well for you. That’s great!
@Frank: Sounds like you know what works for you.
Homemaker Barbi (Danelle Ice)
October 2nd, 2008 6:25 pmI agree that the dilemma between blog branding and self branding can be a tricky one that varies wildly based on the person’s intention. From the beginning, I’ve tried a double-branding approach, using both my name and website name (like I’ve done below). That way comments I leave on blogs that are not related to my niche will still let people see me as both a reader and a blogger.
Homemaker Barbi (Danelle Ice)
Homemaker Barbi (Danelle Ice)´s last blog post..Freebies and Free Samples Available 10/2/08
Eric Hamm
October 3rd, 2008 3:01 pm@Danelle: “…see me as both a reader and a blogger.”
This can be very important. Thanks for bringing it up! Eric.
Doug C.
October 5th, 2008 8:27 amI always leave my name. I mean, after all, it’s me. A nick is ok for a forum thread, but out in the blogosphere you want people to know who you really are. It’s also good marketing, especially if you’re a designer (like me). I also try to say something intelligent when I leave a comment, because if I say something moronic then people will remember that and the next time they see me they’ll think, ‘Hey, there’s that Doug guy, the one who said ‘i ned a free grphc fer my website pleez!’
Doug C.´s last blog post..Characters Welcome
Kris C
October 5th, 2008 9:09 amSomething else has to be considered when you’re making the decision on what name to leave when commenting, and that is Google searches. I have left my full name, and that comes up first when people Google me, when I would rather have one of my professional profiles, such as my VisualCV, LinkedIn (Facebook, sigh… I don’t love that site) or the about page on my company site, etc. come up first, rather than my pithy remarks on an article. Lately I write things like “KrisC” instead of my first/last name because of that. There are places where I just want to toss in my two cents, and it is part of my brand because it’s part of me, but I don’t necessarily want the focus when people Google me to be on my various comment contributions. Just something else to think about regarding this discussion - great article, by the way!
Sine922
October 5th, 2008 9:13 amHi Eric,
What a timely blog post this is for me. I am just starting to use blogs, SL, Twitter, basically Web 2.0 tools. I have had the hardest time motivating myself to get started and now I know why.
You really put yourself out there in the metaverse by doing it, and once you are there, you cannot just simply take back anything you have said! You are right on about being thoughtful IN ADVANCE.
Thanks, brother, for the heads-up!
Sine
ImJustCreative
October 5th, 2008 9:26 amAfter reading the above replies I wondered what people felt about leaving a personal name if it’s common as muck?
Graham Smith
Also, my avatar i feel is quite established as I have had it a few years, and I also use it in my blog header to associate ImJustCreative as being a person rather than just a company name.
The other factor is that ImJustCreative is finding it’s feet, its a new Freelance venture for me, so initially thought signing off with IJC was more appropriate in addition to my avatar.
Now Im confused.
Personal name or company name. Maybe I could try changing my Twitter ID to see the effect and take it from there.
But a awesome thought provoking post in any case.
Graham
ImJustCreative´s last blog post..One Uber LinkedIn List for Creatives and Geeks
Joann Sondy
October 5th, 2008 9:46 amThis one will have us sitting on the fence post for some time. I could have gone with either.
I’ve been using “jsondy” as my social networking name.
But have come to realize that I must self-check when it comes to posting personal opinions because I don’t want to interfere with business. And, if friends/family are following me, do they care what I post regarding business?
A double-edge sword for the solo-preneur, indeed.
Ari Herzog
October 5th, 2008 10:24 amAfter reading your post, Eric, and the resulting comments, I’d like to add my $0.02 that everyone may be looking at this issue as a microcosm.
Suppose you are sitting at the local greasy spoon for breakfast and strike up a conversation with the person next to you at the counter. How do you introduce yourself if not as Eric Hamm?
People need to look at blogs (and the Internet as a whole) as a segment of branding, not the whole of branding. I comment on my blogs with my name no different than how I’d sign a letter to the editor of a newspaper, what I’d use for a name badge at a convention, or who I’d call myself at the greasy spoon.
Walk into McDonalds, Eric, and call yourself McBlogger and you’ll either be laughed at or asked for more information. Introduce yourself as Eric Hamm and creator of McBlogger.com and you’ll definitely get asked questions but would be perceived as more legitimate.
Ari Herzog´s last blog post..Tweeting On the Bus
leona
October 6th, 2008 12:53 amHi Eric
I am still wondering about this as I have really just started to get into blogging.
I tend to use my first name (which is a little unusual). I have 2 blogs, with different purposes, so sticking with my name seems easier at this point. I have my empathyangel blog which I just kicked off as an advice column (with a twist of empathy, insight and coaching). My other blog, http://www.transformativeliving.wordpress.com explores personal development (with a twist of nonviolent communication, Focusing, mindfulness and anything new that strikes me as interesting).
Now I am off to read your blog on Wordpress.com (free) vs Wordpress.org (paid)…my next decision to make…
thanks for all your great tips.
leona´s last blog post..Am I an Enabler or a Friend
Eric Hamm
October 6th, 2008 8:43 am@Doug C: “I also try to say something intelligent when I leave a comment, because if I say something moronic then people will remember that and the next time they see me they’ll think, ‘Hey, there’s that Doug guy, the one who said ‘i ned a free grphc fer my website pleez!’”
Very funny and very true! BTW, I really like your theme. Quite unique. Your design?
@Kris C: “Something else has to be considered when you’re making the decision on what name to leave when commenting, and that is Google searches.”
I really appreciate you bringing this up. I would have never thought of this otherwise. Something to chew on.
@Sine922: I’m glad the post was so helpful. Making ‘thoughtful’ comments is key when you are trying to build a solid name for yourself. Gaining respect can be hard, but trying to re-gain it is a much greater challenge.
@ImJustCreative: “After reading the above replies I wondered what people felt about leaving a personal name if it’s common as muck?”
I do agree that leaving John Smith would probably not be the best way to go. Great point.
@Joann Sondy: Mixing ‘business with pleasure’ is almost a requirement for most bloggers who interact with the world. But I do thing you can and should keep this to a minimum (depending on your blog focus, of course.) Thanks for raising another great question.
@Ari Herzog: “Introduce yourself as Eric Hamm and creator of McBlogger.com and you’ll definitely get asked questions but would be perceived as more legitimate.”
It DOES seem like the general consensus is, “When in doubt, use both.” It just all depends on your situation, I guess.
@leona: This definitely seems like a big question for new bloggers especially. I hope you find what works best for you. leona, as you said, stands out pretty well.
Frank
October 6th, 2008 8:55 amMy name is Frank, Eric, and I have enjoyed the discussion on this topic. I’m becoming a convert to your point of view. I have recently published my name on my blog, INTERNET-HOME-PHONE.
I’m a subject matter expert (self appointed, with 25 + years experience) in home communications. I write something on a daily basis and try to remain committed to building a brand for myself and building readership.
Thanks for your insight!
Frank
Frank´s last blog post..Is Cable TV A Dinasour?
Doug C.
October 7th, 2008 5:26 amThank you, Eric. Yes, it’s my own design. Actually a tweaked Thisaway theme.
Doug C.´s last blog post..Characters Welcome
Richard X. Thripp
October 7th, 2008 11:55 amI use my real name always—and my real name is the URL of my blog, rather than something relating to its content. This is so that it can encompass everything I do. I prefer one heavy-hitting website to ten fragmented blogs. If people are interested in my photography, they’re also going to like what I write about personal development, and vice-versa.
It helps to have a memorable name.
Richard X. Thripp´s last blog post..Photo: Vegetarianism
Me
October 7th, 2008 7:03 pmI’ve always preferred to sign comments as “Me”
Eric Hamm
October 7th, 2008 10:08 pm@Frank: “I write something on a daily basis and try to remain committed to building a brand for myself and building readership.”
This can be a challenging task, but worth the effort if done right. I hope the best in your blogging pursuits!
@Doug: Well you did a great job tweaking it. I’m definitely a fan of theme tweaking. I love starting with a basic theme and turning it into a work of art.
@Richard: I definitely see the advantage of having your blog title be your name. There’s a lot of freedom in that.
@Me: This is an interesting way to go about it. Certainly unique and probably causes a lot of curiosity.
Danny Brown
October 9th, 2008 4:58 pmInteresting question. I can see the value in both options.
Personally I always leave my name, as I feel that personal branding and recognition of any expertise in your niche will be better allocated to your name. Look at Chris Brogan, Seth Godin, Lee Odden, etc - names that are instantly recognizable and you also know what their specialty is.
However, I can also see the benefit of a blog name being left, since this can also immediately identify you if your blog has a strong name - ProBlogger, for example.
I think I’ll always stay with the “name over blog” approach, but that’s not to say I don’t understand why the opposite would be just as good an approach.
Danny Brown´s last blog post..McCain versus Obama, Twitter-style
Codrut Turcanu I Amazon Associate Program
October 10th, 2008 4:00 amWhen I firstly started with the blog commenting strategy I used just my name.
Then I use both my name and blog name, then I gave up…
Afterwards I started to recover, and used my name, along with a key term that was associated with my last blog post.
And I liked to that in the “website” field.
I’m doing it now as we speak!
Not sure if it’s a red-hot tip for branding yourself, just the way I’m doing it.
Hope my competitors won’t see this — yet there are slim chances as you have a popular blog!
I could tell from a mile, although it’s my first visit here today. lol
Eric Hamm
October 10th, 2008 10:38 am@Danny: “I think I’ll always stay with the “name over blog” approach, but that’s not to say I don’t understand why the opposite would be just as good an approach.”
That’s pretty much inline with my current train of thought. It seems that both avenues have their place, but making your actual name known to the blogging community seems the most important in the long run.
kennaSaxTenFlamN
December 28th, 2008 1:37 pmuirhhfaauujjhykkwell, hi admin adn people nice forum indeed. how’s life? hope it’s introduce branch
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