Should you personally brand your blog?

A lot of new bloggers believe that you have to personally brand your blog. That is, you have to use your name and face in order to gain trust and popularity. This advice comes from a lot of marketing experts, but it’s actually not the right approach for every blog.

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What’s personal branding?

What we are talking about here is the difference between Mari Smith branding herself as marismith.com and writing in “company voice” on one of my other websites.

 

Mari Smith has done it right – for her. She’s selling her services and her expertise. So her domain matches her name, and her friendly intro tells you about her, and she includes a headshot to reassure you she’s a real person. The focus is on her as an expert.

Examples of Successful Non-Personal Blogs

Conversely, a lot of popular websites aren’t tied to one person. They may have bylines for authors, but they’re still not putting one person out there as the face of the company.

• NerdWallet: Finance advice from a team (not one person)
• The Kitchn: Recipes and kitchen tips from many contributors
• Wirecutter: Product reviews by staff writers

These sites have built trust by being helpful, not by focusing on one person.

When personally branding your blog works

Smith’s personal branding made sense for her because she was selling her services as a consultant. She’s selling herself as an expert on online marketing rather than selling her knowledge about online marketing via her blog.

When personally branding your blog doesn’t work

When I started blogging, I knew I wanted to have more than one website, to cover a range of topics. And who knew what other topics I’d want to write about in the future? I didn’t want to brand myself as any one thing. I didn’t want to limit myself.

Think of it this way. Imagine you visit a site about power tools and see a particular person’s name and face on it. Then you visit a site about fashion and there she is again.

Next you go to a book review site – and, hey, it’s her again. You feel like this person is proudly branding herself as an expert on many topics, just because she’s attached a name and a face.

Why Topic-Focused Blogs Can Grow Faster

When you build a blog around a topic instead of yourself, you open up a lot of doors. For one, readers usually come to blogs because they want answers or help with something, not because they want to follow a person (unless you’re a big celebrity already).

If your content is useful and focused on a certain topic, it’s much easier for people to find you through search engines. Google also tends to give more love to blogs that clearly cover one subject. This means your posts are more likely to show up when someone types in a question about your topic.

Also, when your blog is about a topic and not you, it’s easier to get guest posts and other writers involved. If your blog is called “The Ultimate Gardening Hub,” it makes sense to have different experts or hobbyists share their tips. But if it’s “JaneSmithGardening.com,” people might expect only Jane’s advice.

And there are other advantages. Since I blog anonymously, I can:

• Compete with huge brands. Because my sites look like they might belong to companies, I get opportunities small personal bloggers don’t.
• Sell a site. There are limits to what a new owner can do with a personally branded blog, but someone could buy one of my sites and just continue building it.
• Start a new site without worrying what fans of my existing sites will think of it.
• Take long breaks without anyone noticing, while the passive income keeps rolling in. I never want to apologize for not updating my sites as often as I used to.

Why do marketers recommend personal branding?

My guess is that they believe the personal approach better enables you to sell their products to a trusting audience. And that could work for you if you want to write sponsored posts for the rest of your life.

I prefer passive income. Marketers are advising you on what’s best for them, not what’s best for you.

Your Privacy and Safety Matter

Another thing to think about is privacy. Putting your name and face out there means anyone can look you up. Most of the time, this is fine. But sometimes, people can be weird online.

You might get nasty comments, or even people trying to dig into your personal life. I’ve talked to many webmasters – usually women – who have had someone hunt them down in real life and send them mail at home, or even show up on their doorstep. (If you do want to brand yourself, I strongly suggest using a pesudonym and alternative address to your home!)

By blogging as a “brand,” you keep your private life more private. If you have kids or just don’t want everyone on the internet knowing who you are, anonymous blogging is a great choice.

More Flexibility for Growth and Change

And consider this: the thing you want to write about today might not be what you care about five years from now. If you brand your blog as “Bradley’s Bread Blog” and then suddenly get tired of baking or go gluten-free, your blog name doesn’t fit anymore.

But if your site is called “Home Kitchen Helper,” you can talk about bread, cookies, air fryers, meal prep—whatever you want. If you ever decide to sell your blog (or just step away and let someone else run it), it’s a lot easier if it’s not attached to your name.

Buyers like blogs that have a clear focus and aren’t tied to one person’s story or reputation.

Building Trust Without Personal Branding

Some people think that if you don’t use your real name or face, readers won’t trust you. That’s not true if you put effort into making your site look professional and helpful. Add an “About” page that talks about your mission and why you started the blog (you can use a pen name if you want). Share your knowledge and provide sources for what you write.

You can still have a friendly voice and connect with readers without putting your real life on the internet. Reply to comments, offer email support, and be helpful. That’s how trust grows!

How to Build Authority Without Branding Yourself

You don’t have to be the face of your blog to be seen as an expert. Here are some ways to build authority as a brand:

• Share real results: Show before-and-after photos (with permission), case studies, or data from projects.
• Interview other experts: Publish Q&As with well-known folks in your niche.
• Use guest posts: Let other writers share their experiences.
• Link to reliable sources: This shows you care about being accurate.

If readers see that your site always has up-to-date, helpful info, they’ll trust it—even if they don’t know who writes it.

When Personal Branding Does Make Sense

There are times when personal branding works better:

• If you’re selling coaching, consulting, or freelance services
• If you want to become a public speaker or influencer
• If your story is a huge part of what makes your site special (like sharing a health journey)
• If building a loyal community around YOU is the main goal

Even then, it’s smart to use some privacy tricks—like using only your first name or sharing only what you’re comfortable with.

How to Decide What’s Best for You

Ask yourself these questions:

• Do I want my face/name out there forever?
• Am I selling myself, or am I selling information/products?
• Do I want the option to sell this blog one day?
• Would I ever want others to help me write content?
• Do I feel comfortable handling negative attention?

If most of your answers point toward privacy, flexibility, or building something bigger than yourself, then go with a topic-focused brand.

Tips for Launching an Anonymous or Brand-First Blog

1. Pick a domain name that describes the main topic.
2. Use a logo instead of a headshot.
3. Write an “About” page that shares your mission (and maybe uses a pen name).
4. Focus on really helpful content that solves problems.
5. Build an email list so readers can stay connected.
6. Don’t worry about being “faceless”—let your writing style show some personality.
7. Think long-term: what will this site look like in five years? Can someone else take over?

You’re Not Locked In Forever

Maybe you start off anonymous and later decide to reveal who you are—or vice versa! The best part about blogging is that you can change things up as you go along.

Whatever choice you make, remember: readers care most about good answers, honest help, and useful advice. Focus on that, and your site will grow—whether or not you ever put your face on it.