Finding Your Voice
How to be true to yourself and make your blog stand out
The Importance of Personality
“Personality is the glitter that sends your little gleam across the footlights and the orchestra pit into that big black space where the audience is.”
--Mae West
Defining Your Voice(or personality)
• Don’t Be Ordinary
• Find Your Unique “Twist”
• Don’t Be Afraid to be YOU
The UAT Filter
UNIQUE
AUTHENTIC
TALKABLE
-- from “Personality NOT Included” by Rohit Bhargava
Being Unique
• Do Something Different
• Create a Twist
• Don’t Be Afraid of the Negative
Being Authentic
• Qualify Yourself
• Build a Good Back Story
• Be Passionate!
• ENGAGE
• Know Your Motivation
Being Talkable
• Provide Value
• Have a “Hook”
• Make it Easy to Share
• Know Your Community
• Don’t Try to Control Your Message
Pioneer Woman
• UniqueCity Girl Marries Rancher
• AuthenticLiberal Use of Photography + Cooking
• TalkableEngages with Commenters
Dooce
• UniqueFirst person fired for blogging
• AuthenticShared openly about PPD
• TalkableControversial
Aiming Low
• UniqueGroup Blog with a purpose: “Anti Perfection”
• AuthenticWelcomed bloggers with established authenticity
• TalkableBy offering up a bit of everything & being high profile
Cool Mom Picks
• UniqueReviews of high-end products
• AuthenticReview by real moms
• TalkableKeep reviews short & sweet
My Journey
• Began as Infertility Blog“…and I wasted all the birth control”
• Re-Branded in 2007
Uppercase Woman
Uppercase Woman
• Uniquefat, feminist, tattooed, pink haired, sober, formerly infertile, church going mom blogger
• Authenticunflinchingly honest
• TalkableInclude politics and pop culture as well as exploring “mean of life” stuff
Finding Your Voice Means…
• Be Yourself• Love What You Are Doing• Be Passionate• Show Up and Tell the Truth• Be Consistent