Jenna Hatfield, a fellow Pittburgh girl who writes Stop, Drop and Blog, is moderating the panel “The UnMarketing Manifesto” at BlogHer 2013 and she’s written a manifesto prepping for her session. I read it today; it resonated in so many ways with me. The whole thorny issue of brand is one I’m constantly fiddling with as you can tell from this post I wrote over a year ago. It’s even more important today, I believe, because at last, finally we midlife bloggers are getting into the marketing act:
Before I was a brand, I was a blogger. And before that, I was just a person. I liked being a blogger; I’m not sure I like being a brand. And if I’m a brand, what am I?
I know who I was as a person: a woman, American, Jewish (yes, these are ordered as I feel them).
I know who I was as a blogger: sharing whatever in my life seemed relevant at the time whether it was big or small, earthshattering or quotidian.
But as a brand? Who or what am I? What do I look like? What do I sound like?
Don’t think for a moment that I go from this to a kneejerk resentment of the way blogging has evolved over the seven (!) years I’ve been doing it. All along I’ve worked, and sometimes struggled, to find my place and feel at home in the blogosphere. This is no different.
If I were actively parenting, I could make a soft landing into that Mommyblogger niche, with the ever-growing myriad of ways that being a mom is being expressed on-line. But I’m not, and thus that niche, which has come to be almost the only one that offers ready access to women, is closed to me. For a while, I tried to read “woman” for “mom,” just so I wouldn’t feel so excluded. But that works less these days, because the issues of parenting seem to have become the cause celebre and raison d’etre of the Web.
So if I’m a brand and parenting is not a part of my brand, then what and who and why am I? Below, in no particular order, some of my answers to that:
- I’m a woman of a certain age–just put me in the Baby Boomer cohort–who remembers the Good Old Days, but has no desire to return to them. They’re a fond memory that she likes to visit occasionally, to laugh at, cry at and say, thank God, that’s over!
- I believe that my best days, my most fun, my greatest success is still in front of me. My daily life and my future plans all center on realizing my ever-growing potential.
- I’m not thrilled with all that time has wrought on my face and body, but I don’t resent it either. Aging is what it is. Rather, aging is what each of us makes of it–and I refuse to waste a moment lamenting the ageism or the youth bias of my culture.
- That said, I am a ready and willing target for any and all skin care preparations. Even though I know nothing is going to magically erase the wrinkles, the marionettes lines and the age spots that I’ve accumulated through living, I’m still loving rubbing this or that on my face and peering into the mirror to see–hmmm! maybe this one does actually make a difference.
- My interests are not defined by my chronological age. I love fashion and pop culture and still read most of the women’s fashion magazines, even if I’m not exactly outfitting myself in the latest Mark Jacobs. Actually, Stella McCartney would probably be my choice, but that may be because I’m still just the tiniest bit in love with her father. I still have the same issues with dressing that I had ten, twenty, thirty, forty years ago: does this make me look fat? do I look stupid? how can I express my personal style in a way that is flattering and affordable?
- When it comes to running my household, I am always on the lookout for what is new and different. I may not have the cleanest house of all my friends, but I have more cleaning products and accoutrements than they do. It’s like a treasure hunt to find new things that promise instant and easy results, even though, as with face care, I do know that the results are always a product of my efforts. I think, perhaps, that I amuse myself with trying new mops and soaps and sponges; it takes the tedium out of actually cleaning.
- I am educated (some would say over-) and smart (some would say too) and articulate (some would say mouthy). I’ve spent a fortune in therapy which has given me the ability to think before I speak, but when I do, to say what I believe to be true. This is a problem for some who are not similarly direct; others love it. I’m befuddled by both responses.
- With all apologies to Family Circle et al, I am no longer looking for expert advice on any of the subjects I care about. That’s why you will never find a How To or service-type post on MidLifeBloggers. What I am looking for is what you did and how you worked it out and why you chose whatever. Our tagline is Making The Best of MidLife Together. Collectively, we’ve got all the wisdom we need, which means that this is a brand that’s all about sharing.
And more recently, I added:
- I’m good at finding clever ways of positioning something so that it appeals to people. I like doing it–but not for free. If I’m going to write what amounts to an ad for a product, I want to earn at least some portion of what they’re paying their big time ad agencies. Paying me in product or claiming that the added bounce I’ll get in my stats from featuring said product are the same as paying me makes no fiscal sense to me. I’m sure it’s great for the brand’s bottom line, but for mine, nope.
- I can’t lie. That means I can’t do sponsored posts for those networks who insist that I’m being paid for positive only comments. My policy has always been–if something really sucks, I just won’t review it. If something is marginal, I feel I own it to my readers to tell them the good and the bad of it. Otherwise, MidLifeBloggers becomes just an online ad sheet–and that would bore me to death.
How do you feel about being a brand? Or not? Here’s Jenna’s manifesto, I am not a brand you cannot purchase me. If you had to write one of your own, what would you say?
Photo credit: plrinternetmarketing.com
This is brilliant. Each of us finds our own niche or brand, and that’s great. From what you wrote -the point that most resonated with me is “I’m no longer looking for expert advice…” – that’s me!! Yup! I like to figure stuff out and do what works for me. I don’t mind when people share stories of how they realized certain things – but when they come out and say, “this is how to do that…” I resist. Especially with regard to relationships…my “specialty” – although I will not give advice – but just tell stories is relationships with adult kids and children-in-law – as in http://motherinlawhood101.com.
Love this Jane. I can so relate. I’ve been all over the place myself, scraping by because I can’t seem to lock myself in to a “brand that sells”. We, dare I say “creative types” (women & midlife-ers as well), are just not to be locked in! Isn’t it enough to say we’re women of wisdom with ever evolving interests? Why be locked in too precisely (unless of course you really know what the heck you want to do and exactly who you are from here to eternity)? I think the very best thing about blogging and bloggers (who are in it just because they love to do it) is that each blog has its own unique personality. I’m here now, not because of your brand, but because of who you, Jane Gassner, are as a person and as an entertaining writer. You draw me in. Your personality. Period. So I say to all midlife bloggers, just “express yourself”. (And I need to quit using quotes and parenthesis. It’s gotten to be a really bad habit as I try to convey the yin with the yang of it all.) Oi.
The whole idea that I’m a brand is still something I shove off to the side, even though I acknowledge the truth of it. My blog has never fit into any one niche, which makes it difficult to promote in any one area. While I blog for my own pleasure, it sure would be nice to make some money to justify the time spent, but those paid opportunities are few and far between when you become a midlifer, it seems.
Are you actively seeking those “paid opportunities”, Barbara? I love your blog; it’s one of the few that I read regularly and with enthusiasm!
Hmm. I think you can, and should, brand your blog, but not brand yourself.
As mid-lifers, we know we change over time. That change may need a different brand at some point. And what if you wanted to focus on gardening or martial arts for those ‘of a certain age’ or otherwise? If YOU are the brand, how do you manage that change?
I’ve had a self-improvement site for awhile, and I just decided to re-position it to focus on life transitions. Primarily to the after children transition.
With people starting families in their 40’s, would you say their midlife starts then, with children? Or in their 60’s when their children are starting out on their own?
I think I’ll go read Jenna’s manifesto now.
I’m just starting out blogging, but I made the decision to start a blog after reading “Firestarter” by Danielle LaPorte (not a paid endorsement). It is a modern, more spiritual “What Color is Your Parachute”. In fact, one chapter in the book specifically addresses branding. My blog/brand is midlife with a sexy French flair. My blog is joiedemidvivre.blogspot.com.
I honestly don’t mind becoming known for one particular thing. How else will people separate me from the noise? On the other hand, if a blogger/author resists specialization because she wants to blog about “just whatever,” I feel like I’m being invited to read her daily diary, and unfortunately time is too precious…I’d have to say no.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on a very common concern among midlife bloggers. I have grappled with branding and positioning issues as I plan content and growth strategies for my blog. The mom blog niche is a rich, vibrant and supportive space, but I am not a mom. I have decided to brand my self as a healthy, green, natural and creative lifestyle blogger, focusing on making connections within women-centered, green, vegan, organic, natural beauty, DIY, health and wellness and fitness related niches and networks. I have decided that the content is king (or queen) not my age.
Deborah…it sounds like you have a good understanding of what you’re wanting to achieve with your blog. That’s more than half the battle!
I’ve been blogging off & on for almost a decade now, and I have yet to want to call myself a brand. I’ve never been one for trying to fit into a niche, so I suppose it follows that being a brand would be difficult for me.
However, for those bloggers who are comfortable doing so and can figure out the branding conundrum, I say “hurray for you.” You’re going to do great. All I ask is that you please don’t forget us niche-less, brand-less bloggers who started it all!
Ally, I keep starting and erasing this response to your comment. I suppose it’s because I want to go in so many directions…like my blog–and yours. Once upon a time the blogosphere was a space for self-expression and connection. That still exists but it is becoming drowned out by the sounds of the marketplace. It’s great that blogging is finally getting some respect from the outside world, I just wish it wasn’t always attached to the bottom line. But that’s good old American capitalism for you!
SORE SUBJECT!
Yes, branding is important. But before I can brand myself effectively, I must decide what the hell I want to do with the rest of my life.
Do I want to travel and write about it? Do I want to be known as a midlife expert? Do I want to be that ol’ lady who walks city blocks? Am I a ‘redefine yourself, follow your dream” blog? The graffiti – where does that fit in? I’m all over the place!
Once I can focus on one goal, then I can clean up the mess I’ve made of my own branding.
Actually I find this whole “branding” exercise a terrific way of winnowing out my wheat from my chaff. I too was/used to be/am still all over the place, but I am figuring out which parts are truly me and which are the me I think I should be.
I remember and still love blogito ergo sum. I can’t get beyond that to the brand quandary.
Awwww, the blogito ergo sum. Those were the days…..