Understanding your blogging personality type is essential to consistently writing brilliant content that your readers love.
So many business blogs sound exactly the same. They lack personality and originality. They play it safe and can be, let’s be honest, a tad boring.
Identifying your blogging personality type will help you find your unique voice and add some spark to your content.
So which one are you? (Just so you know, split personalities are totally okay – most of you will probably identify with more than one type).
The influencer
You are a professional blogger or social media personality with highly-engaged followers. You make money by partnering with brands to promote their products and/or services to your audience. Most of the time you write about anything you want – the reason you have so many followers is because people are attracted to your authenticity and charisma. You have a natural talent for creating relatable content and your readers know, like, and trust you.
As an influencer, your blog is likely one of the most lucrative ways you connect with your audience. You’re probably nailing it and don’t require any help!
However, you might be in the throes of a personality crisis if you’re feeling creatively stale and stuck for ideas, if you dislike writing (social media is your preferred channel), or if you’re struggling to stay authentic when given paid blogging opportunities.
How to blog like a boss as an influencer:
Be YOU and get personal. People follow you because they want to get to know you better. Mention your cats as many times as you want. Don’t feel as though you have to trade your authentic self for a ‘professional voice’ just because you’re making money from your writing.
Listen to your readers. They are following you for a reason. What posts do they love? What do they want to hear more about/less about? What articles fall flat? Stay open to feedback and enjoy having a conversation with your followers.
Try to partner with brands and businesses you would promote anyway. Form partnerships that align with your values so you don’t have to compromise your authenticity.
Proofread. You’re not writing a literary masterpiece – but it’s nice to make it easy for your readers by publishing typo-free, grammatically-sound articles. This is something you can outsource if you can’t tell your adjectives from your adverbs.
Some of my favourite influencers: Eleanor Ozich, Maria Foy, Julia & Libby, Aimee Fleur.
The personal brand
Your business is you. For example, you might be a life coach, marketing consultant, holistic nutritionist, yoga teacher, professional speaker, author, mortgage adviser or graphic designer. You’re a solopreneur (perhaps with a few helpful elves behind-the-scenes) and you bring you to everything you do. A lot of people offer similar products or services, but your point of difference is – you guessed it – you!
Your blog is an opportunity to grow your personal brand and build trust with potential customers. It’s professional (you’re in business, after all) but it’s also warm, authentic, engaging, and relatable. You have plenty of room to be honest and share your opinions.
How to use your blog to build your personal brand:
Show up consistently. Create a blog schedule and stick to it as best you can. For you, this might mean blogging weekly, fortnightly, or monthly.
Share your gifts of knowledge. Give away some of your expertise (but not all) for free. Add just enough value and information that your readers begin to trust you (and enquire about taking things further and paying for your services).
Inject personality and spark. Share anecdotes from your personal life. Help readers get to know you.
Make sure your writing flows, is easy-to-read, and is free from embarrassing typos and spelling mistakes.
Some of my favourite personal brands: Dr Libby, Kate Toon, Lorraine Murphy, Jack Delosa.
The relationship builder
You’re a small to medium business looking to maintain your reputation as a trustworthy, reliable brand. You’re values-driven and service-oriented – you are committed to providing an excellent customer experience, every time, no excuses! You’re also in business for the long haul. It’s important for you to be seen as contributing to your community.
You use your blog as a platform to showcase your latest business news, introduce new staff members, and share your expertise and what’s been inspiring you lately. Your main priority is to show people who visit your website that you’re a friendly, knowledgeable, and approachable business that cares.
How to build trust and brand awareness with your blog:
Keep it real. Write behind-the-scenes blog posts about your staff social events or team-building sessions. Share staff profiles and interviews. Show your customers that you’re a friendly, approachable team of people.
Share real-life examples of your products or services in action, such as case studies and testimonials from happy customers.
Write tips and how-to articles from the perspective of an expert within your business. Get every staff member to write about their specialty, so you’re providing highly specialised advice (not just generic tips and tricks). If staff members don’t like to write, you can outsource this to a freelance copywriter.
Write in plain English – don’t overwhelm readers with industry jargon. Keep it simple, easy-to-read, and approachable.
Inject your brand personality. If you’re a fun business, make a few jokes and share some entertaining blog posts just for fun. If you’re quite corporate and serious, strike a professional tone that is both informative and warm.
Some of my favourite relationship builders: The International Travel College of New Zealand, Frank Stationery, Asia New Zealand Foundation.
The problem solver
All businesses solve problems – but you use your blog to really draw attention to your expertise. Almost all of your blog posts are informative and practical. You write plenty of how-to guides, top tips, and productivity hacks.
You could be a solopreneur, small business, or big business across any industry. Your blog is all about adding value, providing useful information, and helping your readers be the best they can be.
How to solve problems on your blog:
Address customer pain points. Figure out what your target audience struggles with the most and write a blog post offering advice, tips, and practical solutions to help them overcome these challenges.
Create free downloadables such as worksheets, eBooks, templates, and how-to guides. Consider calling the blog section on your website ‘Resources’ or creating a new section called ‘Freebies’ or similar.
Break up your blog posts with images, diagrams, or videos, and use plenty of sub-headings. Write clearly and concisely so your reader can easily follow your tips and instructions.
Ask yourself the following questions before you hit publish: “Am I solving a problem?” and “Does this blog post add value?” If the answer is yes and yes, publish away!
Some of my favourite problem solvers: Braid Creative, Convert Kit, Contently, The Entourage.
The industry leader
You’re an industry expert backed by years of experience and likely have awards and accolades to your name. You might be a solopreneur, a small business, or a large organisation. You consistently perform at the top of your game (and charge appropriately). You’re the first to hear about new industry trends and you’re the type of business journalists call if they want an industry perspective. You’re an information resource – you’re overflowing with knowledge about your chosen niche, and you could blog about it for years. There’s always a new piece of industry research or insight that you can’t wait to share.
Your business blog is an opportunity for you to share your in-depth industry knowledge and show that you’re at the forefront of trends and changes. You keep it updated with the latest news, views, and resources, so your customers know where to go when they’re looking for relevant information.
How to blog like the industry leader you are:
Be quick to blog about industry changes and news. For example, if you’re a leading accountancy firm, aim to be the first to publish an in-depth article about the latest tax changes and how they will impact your clients.
Focus on being a knowledge resource. Become a prolific content creator. Produce eBooks, blog posts, how-to videos, and industry interviews. Be active on social media.
Make your blog posts less about your business and more about the knowledge you’re sharing. Write professionally – consider outsourcing your blog.
Some of my favourite industry leaders: Xero, Shopify, Moustache Republic.
The corporate
You’re a big business with a distinct brand personality and a strong reputation to uphold. The blog section on your website is part of a company-wide marketing strategy. You have a team of experts overseeing your brand messaging and making sure you’re communicating consistently across all channels.
With such a large audience and a strong reputation, there’s more at stake – you can’t afford to be experimental, too casual, or too personal. Your blog must represent your company’s voice, not the voice of one particular writer or staff member. Each post goes through a strict quality control process to make sure it aligns with your brand values.
How to keep a corporate blog interesting and fresh:
Take inspiration from the ‘problem solver’ and ‘industry leader’ blogging personality types. Solve problems for your customers and showcase your expertise – all while writing in an authoritative, trustworthy tone that’s true to your brand.
Publish a wide variety of content in one place, from media releases and customer stories to how-to guides and informative articles.
Show your ‘human side’ – share stories about your staff, your involvement in the community, and your corporate social responsibility initiatives to remind readers that you’re more than just a big business.
Some excellent corporate blogs: Vector Energy, ASB, Vodafone, Beca.
Jess is an amazing writer, and has her own small business running Made of Words. We're just waiting for her to return from maternity leave, and we'll have her profile up lickety split!
