“In the midst of the personified impersonal, a personality stands here. Though but a point at best; whencesoe’er I came; wheresoe’er I go; yet while I earthly live, the queenly personality lives in me, and feels her royal rights.”
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Lately one Google search term has brought inquisitive minds to my blog. People arrive wanting to know:
HOW TO GIVE A BLOG A PERSONALITY.
When the inquisitive ones arrive here they find themselves looking at a post that I wrote called: Yea Verily, A Personality Test Doth A Blog Post Make. As this post talks about the variables that form a human being’s personality, I can only assume that the inquisitive ones leave here sad & uninformed.
WELL, THIS WILL NOT DO AT ALL.
Thus, as someone with a queenly personality, I am pleased to explain how I believe you give a blog a personality. Happy to do it, in fact. From what I can tell, there are four points to keep in mind.
#1 You, yourself, must have a personality that you are willing to share with the world. I’m not being snarky here, but I’ve come to realize that if you do not know who you are & how you want to be perceived by other people, then your blog will show it.
#2 Make your blog look stylish in a way that reflects who you are. Sounds shallow, but a smart-looking blog keeps readers coming back. Don’t know why, but it does. (See #1)
#3 Show up to your stylish blog on a regular basis and write posts that are the epitome of clarity, that give an insight into your values, that suggest an authentic person is keeping this blog. (See #1)
#4 Leave supportive, interesting comments on other blogs so that everyone who reads what you have to say will know that you have a personality– and that you’re not afraid to use it. (See #1)
SO THERE YOU HAVE IT.
Giving a blog a personality is really just about as simple as that. Not necessarily easy, but simple. And doable if you put your heart and mind into it.
Good Luck, inquisitive ones. I leave you with this blessing.
• • •
“May the blogging gods smile upon you– and reward your efforts with genuine followers, sincere likes & insightful comments.”
THE SPECTACLED BEAN 
Aside from posting good stuff, your #4 is important. I found some blogs through wonderful (sometimes funny snarky) comments they left on someone else’s blog. I just had to find out who these witty people were. Interesting post. I am always amazed at the Google searches that land people at my blog. Scary.
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Kate, I agree with you. It’s usually in the comment section of a blog where I find new-to-me bloggers who seem like they’ll be fun and sincere. So I do like you do– and find out who they are.
And “scary” is right about some of these Google search inquiries. This one, however, I thought that I could address– and maybe even be helpful.
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Tremendous suggestions for blogging . . . and for life: be yourself (and life it), show up, share and support. I can do . . . some of that. Well done, Bean.
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Zen-Den, I never even thought of my four points as being how-to-live-your-life lessons, but you’re right. And you present the material in a much more succinct way than I do!
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The comments are the best part for me. Of course, to get comments the post itself must feel worth commenting on, it must inspire comments. I suppose it must reflect a personality with which I can connect.
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Zazzy, since I stumbled into blogging 10 years ago I’ve always liked the interaction within the comment section of a post. That’s where the fun is.
But in the last year or so, fewer readers are commenting, opting instead to lurk or to just “like” my posts. I still haven’t decided what I think about this paradigm shift within the blogosphere.
I feel more like an entertainer now, and less like a friend– which is a difficult transition for me to embrace. I didn’t get into blogging to be on stage, I got into it to meet people and start conversations.
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After writing what I did this morning, this afternoon I came upon this article, The State Of Our 2014 Blog Union, by Grace Bonney.
She writes about the changing nature of blogs over the last few years and suggests: “Try something new, engage in a new way. Open yourself up to the idea that your voice and your vision are the true strength you have to offer. And if that voice no longer lives only on your blog, all the better.”
Gotta think that she’s on to something with this advice. Less blogging, more other social media? Food for thought.
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I find FaceBook and Twitter even lonelier. The connection feels much more shallow and well, fake. I know far too many people who just paint a happy little picture on social media that has nothing to do with their lives.
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Zazzy, you’re right about that. Never seen so many perfect people in my life as I did when I was on FB! Glad I left it. But maybe Google+ is different… ?
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I agree completely. My blog has had different focus over the years but my goal has always been the dialog. Without the dialog I may as well just be writing in a pen and paper journal.
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Well said. So true.
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In other words, we have to be ourselves and be open about ourselves and to others to make the connections. However, it is difficult to have lurkers, but few commenters to connect with. I guess part of the importance of a blog (to me) is putting my thoughts/feelings into words and being able to reflect on them later.
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Margaret, I know how to put my personality into my blog, which in the past has started lots of discussions. However lately fewer people read what I write, let alone take the time to comment.
I enjoy connecting with wonderful people like yourself who get involved here, but without a sense of community I’m beginning to find blogging to be a lonely endeavor. And I don’t like that feeling at all.
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I think this should be mandatory reading for new bloggers. They would start off on the right foot with your suggestions.
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robin, thank you. I certainly would have appreciated something like this when I started out. Hope it helps someone find his or her way.
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Ms. Bean, I do believe your blog has a fabulous personality–thus you have followed your own advice to a “t”!
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Kathy, it took me a long time to figure out how to do a blog, so thank you for the compliment. And let me say, I think that your blog has a great personality as well.
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My blog thanks your blog, Ally Bean!
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😉
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All great tips Ally! It’s really hard to be yourself. But that’s what people want–to know you, not some facade or some idealized version. #4 is key to building relationships–investing time in others and they will invest in you. 🙂 You do a great job with all 4.
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Kourtney, I agree that learning to be yourself in a blog is tricky. While I don’t talk about everything that happens in my life, what I do talk about here is pure me. Nothing idealized about it. Thanks for stopping by to comment– clearly you believe in #4 like I do.
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