Does your blog need a logo is the sort of question that usually sends me off on a five minute rant about stupid headlines. That is because lately I have become even more enamored with describing myself as your favorite dad blogger turned curmudgeon.
Granted I am the writer whose disdain for these things has been well documented. If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading those posts I’ll do you a favor and share a bunch with you. Go. Read. Now.
Go, I said. We’ll wait for you.
- Great Headlines Are Overrated
- Great Headlines Don’t Drive Traffic
- More Proof That Great Headlines Don’t Matter
- How To Write Powerful Headlines
- Cheaper Than A $5 Whore With Less Risk of Infection
I left out a bunch of others like the one about the talking penis or the other in which I said that I should have slept with her again. And yes dear Jayme, I understand that some of these are going to attract a different sort of element than I want, but I know how to deal with them.
You see I am at my best when I am unfettered and feeling feisty. Take off the gloves, remove the chains and watch out because when the words are flowing and fingers are flying I take great joy in pounding the hell out of a…keyboard.
Answer The Damn Question
The answer to the question is yes, your blog needs a logo. It needs some kind of image that helps distinguish it from the others. There is an awful lot of noise out there and if you want to memorable and recognized a logo can go a long way to making that happen.
But bear in mind that it doesn’t replace the need for good content. Anyone who says otherwise is a damn fool and in need of my size 12 boot in their ass. How is that for a friendly sort of hello.
Ok, it is not very friendly and not particularly endearing unless of course you like grumpy forty something year-old men who blog about anything and everything. Did you know that the social media experts tell you that it is a mistake to do that.
Those exceptionally intelligent men and women think that readers are too stupid to read more than 120 words and that you have the attention span of gnats.
I’ll make like the Redhead and say that they need to be slapped, beaten and told to fuck off. But the thing is that I am not her and I don’t want to be her. I like being a man. Maybe it is because it is all I have ever known or maybe it is because I like being equipped to put out camp fires without fear of torching my butt.
Why Are You Blogging and What Do You Hope To Accomplish?
If you are blogging for business and can’t answer that question we should probably sit down so that I can knock some sense into you. Why would you spend time doing something for work without knowing what it is you are doing and what you hope to accomplish.
That is just a waste and you should treat yourself better than to throw away your time like that. Â This is important so I will type slowly for those who have trouble keeping up.
You need to know why you are blogging and what your objectives are because that is the only way you can determine whether your effort is successful. It is the only way that you can establish metrics that are usable, measurable and valuable.
I am not a social media expert. I am not the world’s greatest businessman. There are people who are smarter, richer, happier and a host of other ‘ers as well.
But I do know a couple of things about all this and that is why Jack, the grumpy old dad blogger who hates posts that are stuffed with keywords and looks at headlines with disdain is sharing this with you.
- Determine why are you are blogging and what you hope to accomplish.
- Figure out what metrics you need to determine whether your effort is successful.
- Get a cool logo. Yes, I know that I need one. I haven’t done it yet but I might try someone on Fiverr.
- Have Fun.
My apologies. I planned on writing more but I have go make dinner. Some of the social media experts will tell you that it is a mistake for me to stop in the middle this way. I will tell them to go play in the street and remind you that there is no one way to do this.
Social media is about people. Some of you will love me. Some of you will hate me. Some of you will be ambivalent. But if I show up on a regular basis and engage in normal conversation with you good things will come from that. And if I do that for an extended period of time more good things will come from that.
Remember the pyramids weren’t built in a day but many were built by my people which reminds me that I am going to submit an invoice to Egypt. Those hieroglyphic painting, slave owning, pyramid building yahoos owe me a chunk of change plus interest.
Wonder if they’ll give me ownership of the Sphinx. Ok, off to dinner now.
Try not to take life so seriously, I don’t.
You don’t need a logo, you’ve already got one. Just make “The JackB” fucking HUGE. Seriously. The simplicity and boldness of what your currently have fits your brand/voice, and it will save you the $5 (and your soul) that you would have lost using Fiverr.
You’re welcome.
@designerdaddy:disqus I like that, makes sense to me and who doesn’t want to save money. Now I just need to do it.
@portlanddad @TheJackB Does it need it? Probably not. Would it enhance? Maybe. I prefer let the content do the work: http://t.co/szQyOZRL
@jakedimare @portlanddad The content should be the driving force behind people coming to our blogs, but a good logo can’t hurt.
At least you acknowledged that you needed one as well. lol Actually, I have one blog where I’m now thinking I need a professional logo, but I’m just hesitant to go to Fiverr for it for some reason. The price is right but… well, we’ll see.
Hi Mitch,
I figure for $5 it is hard to go wrong. I am just waiting to make a few changes before I make the move.
Hey Jack, does you blog have a logo?
Not yet, but I am working on it.
Loud and Clear and great! Thnx
Greetz C.
Any time. 🙂
@TedRubin @thejackb my blog branding makes it instantly recognizable. My dh @rafiber even won a @gdusa award for it!
Hi Jack,
I must say that each time I read your post I really had fun and informed. Well, I do agree that you really need to have a logo on your blog to leave a remark on your followers and to give justice to your business. You will gain more respectable and trusted followers if you will give your blog a logo.
G’Day Jack,
What every business needs is a clearly defined business focus and a narrow, specific target market.
If you don’t have those all the logos on the planet wont help.
‘Nothing,” as some smart bloke once said,”is so important as the proper execution of the fundamantals” Those two things are fundamental.
May I compound my heresy by suggesting that business name and probably even slogan, should be settled before a logo. A logo merely represents the name.
It’s so easy to forget that marketing is about the prospect/client, not the product/service/company or business owner.
I claim no expertise in marketing. I’ve merely run a business for over 30 years,
And it’s still fun.
Best Wishes
Leon
Hi Leon,
Don’t ask bloggers to follow smart business principles or you might cause their heads to explode.
The Internet Gold Rush has been going on for years now and everyone knows that a snappy headline, killer content and a website will make you rich, rich, rich. 😉
Hey Jack,
I don’t really know whether I need a logo. I just am happy to be writing, to be getting it all out and it is wonderful if people come by and listen. Logo… not me for I guess.
But yes, business blogs and those on the same lines might need one. Exclusively for customer recognition and ease ability.
Over your sleepover hangover? 😉
Hi Hajra,
I love your attitude. If you are not having fun with all this then there is no point in playing.
Thanks for asking about my sleep hangover, I am getting there.
Amen to what Hajra said. It took me years of reading social media advice to realize that I want the same thing out of my blog that she does: a space to write and to connect to other people.
I’ve found that I break most of the advice I read and that’s okay because I’m not and probably will never be blogging for bucks…unless I can find someone to pay me to ramble on about the deep meaning of potty training, that is. 😉
You know I was pretty confident with what I was writing and happy to be just getting around and doing my networking and getting decent comments; but the more I read blogs about blogging , I had this panic attacks that had me all worried – should I be having this, should I be buying this book, why don’t I make money, every body else is, SEO nightmares and all that!
It took me some time but I realized that if I really wanted to earn money and all that jazz then I might as well have a blog where I am serious and take it all business like (which I plan to some time) but I am serious about my personal blog and if people like it; good, if not, too bad for them!
P.S. If I feel the itch to make money, I just join a blogging contest and work my a** off! Yayyy for me 🙂
But I blog because I want to 🙂
Hi Kristen,
At least you realized it. I think a lot of people never get to that point and end up getting really frustrated.
If you aren’t happy doing this there is no point in it.
You know what they say about large-sized boots, The Jack. BTW, thanks for the link love even though it was littered in a suggestive area in which you called me by name.
Gloves off?
I like my Timberland boots. They have been a valued part of my wardrobe for years.
In fact Timberland ought to hire me to be a brand ambassador so that I can promote my big feet and big hands using their clothing.
Darn, I think I meant to say that differently.
On the social web I interact with faces much more than logo’s and I connect with very few logo’s if any…
Not to say a logo doesn’t help with branding yourself or your business – just sayin’
It’s great to be connected Jack, I look forward to sharing in the journey 🙂
Hi Mark,
So what you are saying is that if a face was used for a logo it would be better. 😉
I am glad that you are part of the journey because the people are what make the difference.
Here is an option that some of my friends have used with great success for their blogs and websites. Go over to http://www.feverrr.com and you will find all kinds of people offering services for five dollars. Find someone offering logos for five dollars but you wan a logo designer not just some guy like me drawing on a napkin so you want to really check out the evaluations of previous customers. Good luck in finding your logo.
I appreciate the suggestion. Thank you. I am going to check it out.
I agree. Everything with value needs a logo.
Hey Aaron,
Agreed. Now comes the hard part…
Ranty today! 🙂 I dig that. My tumblr is named Psychotic Foaming and really, the only reason why I started one was because I like that title. Anyway, the site that you showed us? I got so dizzy. Too much stuff going on there. Yes I am old. Unlike these gen Y kids I cannot process multi-media multi-thread like that. Can’t wait to see your logo. An abstract design indicating a grouchy daddy blogger will be awesome!
You know that I am good for all sorts of ranting day in and day out. 😉 I try to space them out a bit. Wouldn’t want people to think that is all I do.
I am working on that logo, trying to come up with a good idea that I can take and make something out of.
Grouchy Daddy Blogger- like it.
Who are these social media people that you are reading? Kristen Lamb is the only one I need, and — of course — she would say you need a great masthead/banner. I also have a button that I give people to use when they link up to do guest posts. I’ve never seen you refer to anyone (which is fine), but I just think this is a non-argument. People remember visuals. This is why we abandoned radio and leapt into television. It’s why women love our glossy magazines. (And men love theirs.) You should totally get a logo or make one yourself with Photoshop — or Gimp software, which is free.
Hi Renee,
I intentionally don’t name people because I am not interested in flame wars. They have moments of fun but for the most part they bore me.
But I find that there are lots of “experts” in this space who don’t provide any substance in their advice.
It is good for the new and the ignorant but anyone who has a shred of common sense will figure these out on their own quite quickly.
I want a better logo because there are benefits to having one but it isn’t why people visit here nor why they subscribe.
I am not a photo or video blogger (though I would love to be) so I rely upon my words to paint pictures that make people want to come back again.
Radio isn’t dead, it just changed.
Anyway, going back to the “experts” I think it would be very telling if they had to open up their “books” and show us what they earned from their vast social media knowledge.
I’ll lay odds that very few make anything we would call significant.
There are very few things in this space that require expert help. Most of it can be figured out and or solved by working with the friends we make and the people we interact with.
“…grumpy forty something year-old men who blog about anything and everything.”
Hey! I could join that club…
My logo isn’t much to look at either. Oh well…
Hey Joe,
We’d love to have you. Grumpy is good and welcome.
Ah! The man has taken the gloves off and the punches are flying. Seems all very Irish JackB and I love. Pass the Guiness and keep on punching sir!
Looking forward to a logo only you would choose.
Billy.
P.S. thanks for thinking of me!
Hi Billy,
I have Irish relatives. We lost touch with them quite some time ago. I imagine that there can’t be that many Jews in Ireland, so if they are still there it might be easier to find them. Or maybe not.
In any case there would be much fun in the journey and the search for them.
I have to clarify something, the gloves are still on. These are nothing but love taps that I am dishing out.
When the gloves come off I name names and do my best to tear out their throats immediately.
It is the Taurus in me. If you fight the bull you get the horns. 😉
No there is not a large Jewish community in Ireland; but maybe we can find them for you?
I am going on a trip in about 16months with a friend, mentioned this before.
we are going to have a site for family and friends to look at; better than just pictures.
going to post video, photo’s, blog stuff and more.
Posterity and all that.
Anyhoo JackB I would stand beside you if you ever needed to take the gloves off. Scorpio and I use the stinger when it is needed. 🙂
I appreciate that. Thank you.
One of my favorite characters in literature is both Irish and Jewish: Leopold Bloom. Maybe he’s a long lost relative of yours, Jack? 🙂
Leopold Bloom? I don’t know the name but he very well could be family. 🙂
I’ll see what your logo looks like then I’ll decide if I need one. Or, like Carolyn mentioned, if they give you several choices maybe I can use one you don’t choose…….
Hey Bill,
I can send over the invisible one that I have up on my masthead now. 😉
Bill, I would love to have gone to high school with you. We would have gotten into soooo much trouble and been able to blame it on so many other people. He he he! 🙂
Don’t hope too much Billy! He would just have been busy with the girls… and I wonder who he would blame it on 😉
Hey Jack, I got a logo from Fiverr and love it. My guy actually gave me four to choose from. He got it done quickly and it was very professional. Love it!
Can’t wait to see your new design.
Hi Carolyn,
I have heard really good things from others who have used Fiverr. Do you still have the contact information for the person you used?
Things are definitely going to change around here. I haven’t made all of the design changes that I want so I may wait a bit to do it, but change is coming.
I definitely like all the colors and the gradient in your banner, i is cool.