Have you noticed that when you settle into your niche and find your target audience, everything else comes into focus?

The way you look at your social media, content marketing, business – everything has a new sense of clarity. Though true, solidifying your niche and audience is only the first step in building a memorable brand. Now comes the next step: finding your edge.

I started using this phrase a few weeks ago on Periscope and was asked by several participants “what the heck is an edge?”, so I thought I’d answer with a blog post.

I define “your edge” as the characteristic(s) that allows you to stand out among others in your niche who are doing similar things. Yes, even against those big players in your field. It’s what you possess that no other blogger or business owner does.

There are plenty of bloggers who cover the same things I do: blogging/content marketing, social media, branding, and the creative process. Here’s the difference between them and myself: I know my edge is community.

Everything I create then is through this lens and always relates back to building sustainable communities. It’s what helps me become more than just a blogger who blogs about blogging. (We’ve all heard that before, haven’t we?)

Here’s a great place to start.

For you equation-friendly people, let’s put it into a simple formula:

Your edge = your niche + (your area of expertise + your unique traits)

Your niche is important because it will define the categories of your blog, thus building a foundation of what content your audience can expect which breeds trust. Then we add your experience and expertise with the personality of your brand, all resulting in your edge.

So how do you go about filling in those variables? Here are some simple but powerful tips to help you out.

Write a list of your strengths

What are you good at? This question seems simple at a glance, but can actually be pretty tricky to answer yourself. Start by making a quick list of all your skills. Anything from your communication and learning styles to the hobbies and activities you have a knack for. Your answers don’t have to be specific to one area. Once these are all listed, you’ll be able to find ties between them. I listed a few of mine below to get your own wheels turning.

Mine: adventurous/willing to try new things, short-form copy, meeting quick deadlines, transparency/vulnerability, high energy, actionable content, tenacity

Acknowledge your weaknesses

Not sure what your specific strengths are? Then start with your weaknesses. It might sound strange, but hear me out. We can’t find our edge if we tell ourselves we have to be the best at everything. Your weaknesses will reveal your strengths by naturally guiding you their opposites.

Mine: large groups of people, no wiggle room outlines, structure, financial side of business, legal side of business, my Minnesotan accent (kidding, kind of), addressing conflict, people pleasing

If I hadn’t previously listed my strengths, from my weaknesses I would gather that I probably should invest in building an intimate community to match my personality. Also, I’d know creativity is my thing since numbers and jargon aren’t. You’ll want to go more in-depth, but this is my way of showing you that working backward can help you work forward.

Listen to what others know you for

I used to think people knew me for rebranding since I shifted so much in my first year *insert laughing while crying emoji here*, but my audience let me know that when they thought about community building and content strategy, I came to mind. That changed everything for me, so I encourage you to ask your blog besties (or BBFFs, as I like to call them) what they know you for.

You can also create a reader survey for some extra insight into what content your audience connects best with and what they enjoy reading. This is going to give you more detail into how they feel about your thought leadership thus far. If you blog about visual branding and your readers unanimously say they love your blog photography, you know you’re on the right track.

You can even tweet and ask your audience for quick responses. I did this a few times when I was shifting my blog vision in the first year and it really helped me narrow down my content so I could write to my ideal audience. When doing this, I also offered to tell others what I knew THEM for, so I could pay them back with some extra value for their time.

Now that you are well on your way to finding your edge, I’ll leave you with a few tips to keep in your back pocket.

•  OWN YOUR EXPERTISE. Yes, all caps were totally necessary. When you’re meeting someone for the first time, remember your edge and be sure it’s clear in your introduction. The most successful people are the people who know what they excel at and make sure you’re aware of it too, in a humble way of course.
• Not matching what everyone else is doing is a GOOD thing. Who wants to see the same content with the same voice over and over again? Stay true to your vision and don’t be afraid to take a stance on topics in your niche. When I talked about not monetizing in my first year, I shared an unpopular opinion but it turned out to be one of my most engaged with posts.
• Done is better than perfect. I fully believe that starting somewhere and shifting until you find the right fit is better than never launching because of a fear of failure. Get off of that launch pad! Blast off! You’ll find your purpose and clarity in the free fall.
• Keep challenging yourself to try new things. The more nervous I got about video content, the more I knew I had to try it. When you conquer your doubts, you open yourself up to a whole new skill set. You never know if you’re a natural at something until you give it a real try. Maybe you will uncover a new edge you never knew you had.
• Goals can always be changed. Maybe you went into blogging for an entirely different reason than you find yourself blogging for now. It doesn’t matter how you got here; it just matters that you’re here now and loving every minute of it. Stay close to the things that light you up.

You’ve got this, my friends.

The post Finding Your Edge appeared first on Sindie.

The art of brainstorming is like a board game.

All the pieces need to be aligned in order to claim your victory. The reward: incredible, free-flowing ideas.

Before you embark on your brainstorming journey in search of new blog post ideas, let’s take an in-depth look at why it’s important to keep track of your ideas and how to do it in the most effective way possible. We are all in the business of trying to save time, right?

Why should you bother to keep an archive of blog post ideas?

• You’ll have ideas when your creative well runs dry (aka what most people call “writer’s block”).
• You’re able to build a more solid strategy in the long-term.
• You can create a timeline based on trendy and evergreen content.
• You won’t fall victim to procrastination.

I pull blog post ideas from my list monthly and set aside time at least once every month to list as many ideas as I can. This way, the ideas that are crossed off the list are quickly replaced with new ones.

Before you start brainstorming, keep my biggest rule of thumb in mind:

Every blog post idea that earns a spot on your master list should fit at least one of your categories.

I cannot stress this enough. My blog categories are blogging, branding, social media, community, creative process, and personal. If I have an idea that doesn’t quite fit these categories, I don’t write it down.

Why? Because that means the idea is off-brand, which is something I don’t want to pursue. Creating off-brand content could confuse your readers and maybe turn them off.

Of course, you can still write the idea elsewhere like a journal dedicated to side project ideas (everyone has one of these too, right?), but having a specific list only for your blog will help you stay on topic and consistently create relevant posts.

So what should your master list look like?

I’d like to replace the “should” in the above question with the word “can” because there’s no right or wrong format. I’ve tried many in my one and half years of blogging and have finally settled into one that feels like the right fit.

Originally I started with a list format where my ideas were separated only by bullet points. This running list worked alright in the beginning, but when I started to have several pages of ideas, it was hard to find past ideas and focus on similar themes. While this may work for some, I knew I needed to shift the format to better fit my needs.

Then I decided to separate my ideas into the categories I defined for my blog. Each category was a header and the corresponding ideas were listed below. This helped immensely with keeping everything organized.

I have continued to use this format, but I’ve updated it to include a simple tracker where I write each blog post title with its corresponding category. Here’s an example:

This helps me see if there’s an equal spread between all of my categories. By looking at this, I can quickly determine I need a Branding or Personal themed post for next week (since I’ve covering Creative Process today) to keep the flow of content. It can be super nifty and takes very minimal time to put together.

So the next time you dive into brainstorming blog post ideas, remember these things before you jump in.

The post Making the Most of Your Master List of Blog Post Ideas appeared first on Sindie.

I like to think of my blog as the “mothership” of my brand.

While I’m a huge advocate for extended communities on social platforms (holla Twitter!), too many bloggers forget to build a community on their home base. Yes, I’m talking about your comment section.

What happens when your traffic increases but the number of comments people leave on your blog doesn’t grow with it? This signals a disconnect between your readers and what you offer as “next steps.” You want to keep readers on your site for as long as possible and comments are a great way to keep readers engaged.

Comments are crucial to your site’s success because:

• they serve as an introduction to new readers
• they can be used to brainstorm more topics
• you build strong relationships
• you extend your expertise and thought leadership beyond the blog content

There are some serious benefits to investing time and effort into your commenter attraction strategy (or at least that’s what I’m calling it).

So where do you start?

Before diving in, you have to be sure your existing comment system is user-friendly. Without a commenting plugin that works for your audience, they’ll be too turned off to share their insights on your blog. We’re going to make sure that doesn’t happen.

I personally love Disqus. It allows you to sign in through Twitter or Facebook as well as through your email if that’s your preference. Once you’re signed in, you can comment on any other blog using the Disqus plugin without ever having to sign back in. It’s a big time saver.

(By the way, I’m about 10 times more likely to comment on your blog if you have Disqus installed. Just saying…)

Disqus is extremely easy to install too, especially on Squarespace. For Squarespace, simply locate “Settings” , then click “Blogging”, and insert your Disqus username under “Disqus Shortname”. It’s extremely simple.  For Blogger or WordPress, feel free to look at these directions.

There are other commenting systems like CommentLuv, Jetpack, and more, so take some time to research and see what your audience prefers since they are the ones who will be using it.

Now that you have your commenting system all figured out, let’s shift and discuss some things to keep top-of-mind when building your strategy:

Address the commenter by using their name at least once

Let’s be honest; people love hearing their own name. People who comment on your blog want to be seen and are there to make a connection with you. The best way to return the favor is to call them by their name. You wouldn’t shake someone’s hand without acknowledging their name, right?

Someone saying “Kayla, I really enjoyed your thoughts on how you’re a wantrepreneur” is better than “Hey, I really enjoyed your thoughts…” You see what I’m saying. Personalization is everything!

If you can’t find their name, search for their blog and see if it’s in their About page. This small effort can have a big payoff.

Always reply

There may be some bloggers that disagree with this point, but readers notice when you reply to comments. Not surprisingly, they will be more likely to leave a comment if they notice you reply to everyone else.  It is one of the most genuine ways to build your readership. People don’t want to talk to a wall, which is basically what they end up doing if you never answer comments.

If your brand is large and gets hundreds of comments a day, you may want to think about investing in a community manager to keep your readers happy while you have time to focus on your creative work behind-the-scenes.

Remember, you’re never too big to talk to your audience.

Add a call-to-action at the end of your blog post

Have you noticed I always end each post with a question? I do that to keep people engaged even after they’re done reading. Sometimes it’s the difference between a reader staying on your blog or quickly closing the tab. A simple, relevant question that entices them to share their perspective should do the trick.

If my blog post is about stepping up your Pinterest game, I might end with “What are you doing this summer to up your Pinterest game?” or “What do you think is most important to keep in mind when optimizing your Pinterest for business?” Try to write a question that YOU would actually go out of your way to answer.

Don’t pull your hair out with timing concerns

Comments aren’t like tweets. Your audience doesn’t comment on your blog and then tap their foot anxiously if you don’t answer in an hour or less. It’s better to write out a meaningful response than a short “thanks” you quickly wrote to save on time. While waiting a week might be long, but one to two days is acceptable.

The post How to Create a Comment Frenzy on Your Blog appeared first on Sindie.

I’m always looking for ways to shake up my creative process.

The way you brainstorm should be as creative as what you brainstorm. Pen and paper will always be the classics, but let’s take it a step further.

Here are 5 alternative ways to take notes and have seriously productive solo and group brainstorming sessions.

Dictation

Did you know there are free tools that allow you to transcribe your voice so you never have to manually type out a voice recording again? What the what?!

You simply locate ‘System Preferences’, click “Dictation & Speech”, and then turn the setting on. This will then prompt you with a message that cues you in on how to activate it while you’re writing. That’s it.

This function helps me a lot when I’m doing virtual brainstorm with various #createlounge friends and want to remember something that either of us has said without having to disrupt the call. I simply press the ‘command’ key twice and start talking to store my thoughts into a word doc.

This alternative form of note-taking is perfect for those who would rather brainstorm out loud than on paper. Although I like to brainstorm by writing things down, thinking out loud breaks up my standard creative process and unlocks different ideas I wouldn’t have had otherwise. With dictation, you’re able to have the best of both worlds.

Sticky Notes

I am not shy about being a sticky note fanatic. I have 5 piles of multi-colored sticky notes in my view right now. While sticky notes aren’t the new kid on the block, most people only use them for quick reminders when they can really be used for so much more.

While I was in the outline stage of putting my ebook together (stay tuned!), I wanted to play around with my creative process. I’d consider my writing process to be somewhat scattered since my best brainstorming isn’t typically in a linear way. I do, however, like to be organized and I can’t stand having to scribble on paper or put arrows to put my thoughts in different places. So what’s a girl to do?

The answer is to utilize sticky notes, of course! Sticky notes allow me to write down random, in-the-moment thoughts and group them together at a later time with easily moveable pieces. No more crossing out on outlines. Cue the Hallelujah chorus!

Try it out for an upcoming product or service you want to offer and see what you think.

Tape Recorder

I have some of my best “ah-ha” moments when I’m driving solo in my car. While I have a 2+ hour commute every workday, I can’t really write down my ideas. In order to capture ideas before they become a distant memory, I use the voice recorder app on my iPhone. All I need to do is simply hit the record button and talk. After you stop the recording, you’ll have a digital file that can be stored and sent to your email to be saved elsewhere.

One of the best things about audio recordings is how easily they can be repurposed. Maybe an idea you talked through over a voice recording is super useful as is. You can use that as a soundbite to add extra value to a blog post.

Maybe you’ve been dying to start a podcast but don’t feel like you have the time. Tape some mock episodes while you’re in the car and edit the pieces together. There’s so much you can do!

As a bonus, this will also help you get over cringing at the sound of your own recorded voice. Been there.

Here’s a sample of a mini-podcast I send my newsletter subscribers using only the tape recorder on my phone:

Periscope

While this live streaming app may seem like an odd addition to the list, it’s already helped me brainstorm in my first week of being on the app. What’s unique about this app is how quickly you can get feedback from an interested audience. Many live viewers are there to interact with the host, so ask them intentional questions and share what you’re working on. Maybe someone else’s comments will spark an idea for you, or maybe you’ll do the same for them.

Like the tape recorder, you can also save these snippets to repurpose at a later time. There’s an option to save your “scopes”, as the pros call it, to your camera roll, which I highly recommend for later viewing and use. To do this, you simply go to the ‘People’ tab, click on ‘Profile’ icon in the top right corner of the window, click ‘Settings’, and swipe to turn on the ‘Auto Save Broadcasts’ feature. Simple!

Slack

Brainstorming is more enjoyable when you’re collaborating with other creatives, right? Definitely, but what about when your group is in various time zones? Luckily for us, instant messaging just got a whole lot cooler with Slack. This tool allows you to set up different chat rooms by topic and the tool automatically creates direct messaging inboxes so you can have private conversations with each of your members. Oh, and it’s free.

So how does this tool make brainstorming easier? Let me count the ways.  You can ‘star’ your favorite entries so when you go back through the conversations, you have already highlighted the key takeaways. Also, when you log off and come back to several new entries, the tool provides a bold line underneath the last entry you saw. No more having to hunt down where the conversation ended the last time you were online.

This tool works much better than email threads and it’s easy to participate on desktop and mobile. The next time you have a group brainstorm and aren’t able to meet at the same time, give Slack a try.

The post Reinventing the Brainstorm appeared first on Sindie.

Sometimes you sit down in front of your notepad or computer and nothing connects. It’s not writer’s block, but sometimes your creative well runs dry.

If you’ve been lacking inspiration lately, here are a few blog post prompts that might spark some ideas. Feel free to use as many as you’d like and have fun!

(Note: the number of prompts is reflective of the number of days in June. Clever, right? Let’s pretend it is.)

1. Blog goals for the second half of the year while recapping the progress of your 2015 goals
2. Home office tour
3. Favorite typography/fonts
4. Your personal mission statement
5. Moodboard / aesthetic
6. Ways to make networking feel non-icky
7. Your favorite social media platform and why
8. The importance of hobbies
9. An inside look into your workflow
10. Your must-have online resources
11. Mapping out the user journey for your current (or redesigned) website
12. A look into your editorial calendar
13. Your favorite podcasts
14. Day in the life
15. Highlight what you DIY on your blog
16. Office organization tips
17. Blog photography pointers
18. Your favorite productivity apps
19. The anatomy of your blog posts
20. Your creative process quirks
21. How you make the most of 140 characters
22. Your most popular posts and why they are the most popular
23. The evolution of your blog’s branding
24. Why you started blogging
25. Your top inspiration sources
26. “Ask me anything” column
27. Work-life balance
28. How you organize your inbox
29. A look into your newsletter strategy
30. How you’ve built your social media community

The post 30 June Blogging Prompts appeared first on Sindie.

I was inspired to write this post after speaking with many bloggers over the past few months who knew they wanted to rebrand their blog but kept getting stuck on their name.

To name a select few, Geraldine was looking for guidance in her rebranding efforts while negotiating with a domain seller. Courtney was set on a name that was already taken while trying to discover a unique way to keep the essence of the name intact. Mariah wanted to change her blog title but keep her URL the same.

All of these up-and-coming bloggers had one thing in common: they were stuck on blog names and weren’t sure what their next move should be.

I also had a difficult time naming my blog. I knew what I wanted my brand to encompass, but finding a powerful name that wasn’t already taken was challenging. Still, there are things you can do to find a name that is available, powerful, and feels like the perfect fit.

This how-to will take you step-by-step through the blog naming process. Let’s dive right in!

Know your brand

Before you do anything, you must discover and define your brand. This is the first crucial step in choosing a blog name. Here are some important questions for you to answer in creating your brand. There is no right or wrong answers here, so follow your instincts in answering each of these prompts.

• What do you want your brand to convey?
• What story do you want your brand to tell?
• What are your values?
• What would others say you are best at?
• What adjectives would others describe you as?
• What kind of personality does your brand have?
• How will you make your brand different from the rest?
• Why should others care about your brand?

You may also look at my two vlogs on creating and implementing your own brand here and here. Now that you are closer to understanding your brand, let’s get to know your audience.

Know your audience

Now you know your brand, what you want to write about, and what services you want to offer.

The next step is knowing how to reach your audience. The most important sector of readers you want to reach is your target audience, which is different for everyone. That’s what makes niche bloggers so successful!

Here are a few crucial questions to ask yourself in order to uncover who your target audience is.

• What is the age range you are writing for?
• What is the demographic of your audience?
• What shared interests do you have with your audience?
• What will your writing tone be?

Brainstorm words

Your next step is to get a blank sheet of paper and a pen (or, if you are like me, your laptop) and start listing the values of your brand. You could even jot down some words that sound aesthetically pleasing. Don’t worry if it doesn’t make sense now. Write down anything and everything that comes to mind.

A thesaurus can be your best friend while brainstorming. There are many fabulous resources all around you, so use them!

Search titles and domains

Now it’s time to do a Google search to check the availability of your blog name. You may also want to search for a domain, which you can do here. Now, this process can have two results. The best outcome is finding that your blog name hasn’t been used and is ready for purchase if you are considering buying a domain name.

But, Kayla, what do I do if my blog name is already taken? 

It’s hard to hear, but you’ve reached a dead end. I urge you to look for another name if your desired name is taken. Your blog title should be as unique as your brand. You don’t want to be confused with another blog or company.

The best advice I can give you is to not be discouraged when the list of possible names you’ve created shrinks because many of them are taken. Revisit the brainstorming step and keep an open mind.

Ask for feedback

Whether or not you decide to publicly announce your blog name before your launch date is completely up to you, but at least reach out to a few professionals you admire and share your blog name.

Is it as catchy to them as it is to you? Do they understand at a first glance how your blog name fits your brand? This will help you determine if your brand is telling the story you want it to. Their feedback will either help you become more confident in your brand, or steer you in another direction that’s even more exciting.

Most of all, remember that this process takes time. If you are faced with a tough decision, sleep on it. Take the time now to save time later. Your blog will thank you.

The post How to Choose a Blog Name appeared first on Sindie.