I’ve been blogging for over six months now, in that time I’ve build up a pretty decent readership and quite a few subscribers – I must be doing something right I suppose. Either that or my rants are amusing. What does it mean though? It’s fine and dandy letting people in the industry know who you are, but if the awareness ends at the edge of the echochamber – it’s never going to massively benefit you and your consultancy.
So how does a blogger currently confined to one industry reach for a bigger audience? (FYI, this isn’t me reaching for the bright lights, but opening the discussion about echochambers and climbing out of one!) How do you take your microbrand to the mainstream?
- Widen your writing remit
- You may compromise your image as a specialist if you write about issues you’re not as comfortable with.
- Widen your mediums
- Create a YouTube channel, set up a weekly podcast (FIR style) or become a reality ‘star’. Ok, maybe the last one was a joke.
- Engage with a wider audience
- Find where your mainstream audience is and pounce. For a PR blogger you could approach marketing, advertising, branding and general business blogs and build rapport all over again. You’ve done it before, now do it with four new communities!
- Apply for every award under the sun
- Winning awards will always garner attention, but if you do apply for the awards make sure that; 1. you have a chance of winning, and 2. if you do win, that your blog is interesting enough to keep your new audiences’ attention.
- Hire a public relations agency
- Anyone can be a celebrity these days. Just make the most of your 15 minutes, unless you have something to say that is…
I’m guessing that by now you’re probably asking ‘but why bother with all those things?’. Simple. Right now your microbrand is part of the PR echochamber, build it and you can be part of a bigger echochamber, build it again and you might reach the mainstream and as soon as you do… Boom! Mainstream awareness makes you a micro-celebrity and that brings with it lots and lots of attention. A positive vicious circle. Then new business rolls in and everyone wants a piece of the latest PR rock star.
Just one tip: make sure that when the offers come in for your specialist advice that you can actually deliver it. Don’t build a microbrand with straw, build it with concrete.