I’ve mentioned this a few times over the past couple of months. The title of this blog needs to change. So does the tagline and the about page. That stuff needs to be reflective of the content. It’s a matter of truth in advertising. It was reflective of the content when I started, but it’s not now. So, I have two problems:
1. I can only do this once. My social media is so extensive, it will take an entire Saturday afternoon to make the switchover. That time is very valuable.
2. When I try and brainstorm how to re-brand this blog, I draw a blank. Can’t come up with the right combination of catchy, good for searches, and accurate. I’ve been anticipating this for months, and am in a bit of a bind, idea-wise.
This is not a situation where the content has drifted and I just need time to correct it. The photo blogging, the personal posts, and the pages on the sidebar that are themed with things like Blogging, Tolkien, Batman, and Reading Lists are not going away. This blog isn’t drifting. It’s evolving.
I do plan to keep it writing-centric. I’ll keep blogging about writing and building resources for writers. But now it’s also a personal journal, a place to share photos, and an archive for three blogs. Sourcerer and Part Time Monster are established. They have identities. There’s no room at either of them for me to do personal blogging or keep an archive. The way I see it, I have two options:
1. Brand this blog with my name and trust the potential of my personal brand. Not a bad idea. I already have Twitter and Tumlbr accounts as “Just Gene’O.” When I credit myself in copyright notices and whatnot, I use my first name only. It’s a thing. And apparently, I’m a pretty engaging guy.
2. Come up with something that tells people what the blog is about and use that. At the moment, the best I can come up with is “Text + Image.” That’s lackluster, but I’ve discarded dozens of ideas and all of them were worse.
Creative input and/or sympathy are welcome. The poetry feature runs this afternoon, and I have a good one for you this week 🙂
My Former Blog 
Would just rebranding as “Gene’O’s Writing Catalog” do the job? Putting your name in the title makes it instantly clear that there’s going to be personal material and there’s nothing else that you’re posting that I feel like genuinely doesn’t belong on a site called “Writing Catalog.” Even the pictures, honestly; I don’t have a problem with the “Text + Images” (but make it plural) tagline either.
You’ve always been more interested in the business/branding/marketing end of blogging than I have, so it may be that that lack of specificity/precision in titling just bothers you more than it does me, but I feel like it would work.
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I like that idea!
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hmmm. Some variation on that could work. I’m really trying to get the “Catalog” out of the title. It feels stodgy to me, but that’s a good idea, and so is making the Text + Images into the tagline.
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I wish I could help but I have only just started blogging and still have a bit of the new car smell on me. But, since you are one of the few blogs I follow I will think on it.
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Thanks! All three of the blogs I contribute to took a while to develop. We were still tweaking the look & feel of the other two three months after we started. Couldn’t tell you how many themes and cover images we went through before we found the right ones.
This one’s not where it needs to be yet, but it will get there. Once I settle on a new name, I’m going to change the theme, I think.
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I vote Just Gene’O. I think keeping it simple works best. As for a tag line…… I got nothing. But I’ll throw the request up for the other Sisters to ponder and see what they have to offer. Hang in there, I know from experience making big blog changes is stressful!
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Thanks very much. I’m leaning that way. I’m more concerned about the title than the tagline at this point, and I’m looking into the consequences of changing the URL. If WordPress won’t automatically redirect old links, I’m stuck with the address.
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I think “Just Gene’O.” works as a title. Maybe you can use the “Text + Images” as a tag line. Or steal from Bowie’s “Sound & Vision” and do something like “Mind and Vision” as a tag line.
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That’s a nice tagline suggestion. Thanks!
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This is where I don’t do so well, but then again I can’t remember what username or gravatar I have from week to week 🙂
I will have to think on it a little more…
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🙂 Thanks very much for stopping by, and let me know if you come up with anything, please.
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I’m rebranding my blog in two weeks. There was a cd released recently with the same title as my blog name. While I was using it long before he was, it’s easier to just do a small rebrand. No fuss or fanfare needed. The blog name will not be an indicator of the content, rather an inticement to come visit and read a few pages. It’s definitely a crazy name, but I waited and let the name come to be when it was ready.
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I remember you mentioning you were going to do a swtich some time ago. I’m interested to see what you come up with.
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I still just don’t know, though I think that your name probably does need to make its way into the title somewhere.
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Yeah. I think so, too. It’s a very unique set of characters.
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What helped me when I was trying to name my blog was to ask myself what I wanted my name brand to be. I’d encourage you to go with your name. It’s so unique and people already know you by it.
For a tag line, I asked myself: what’s the core of what I want to write about? What’s at the heart of this blog? For me it wasn’t just romance (because I write paranormal) so I added the piece ‘with a little imagination’. You could do that too, i.e.: Writing, expressions +. The + adds that extra part of your blog.
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Thanks! I’m leaning toward incorporating my name somehow, and you’re right. The tagline can be used to expand the theme easily enough. I didn’t think very much about the personal brand when I started this one because I didn’t anticipate it turning out have as much personal content as it does. Nor did I expect to get so far ahead with the photoblogging in such a short time that I’d be posting two photos a week here.
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I’m glad you’re considering incorporating your name. It’s pretty well known already and can only grow if you use it on your blog as well. Who knows how big it’ll grow! 🙂
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I’ll add sympathy, encouragement and a vote for having “Gene’O” in your title. I think “Just Gene’O” would set it apart as a clear indication of a personal blog. As for creative input though; I gots nada. Tagline: again; nada. 🙂 I hope the muses bombard you in the middle of the night and your cup runneth over with inspiration my friend.
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Thanks for the sympathy, and it seems like a lot of people think putting my name in the title is a good idea.
The tagline will come.
I’m hoping to have a post about marriage equality at the blog early next week. About a locally-produced film that’s premiering in Jackson on the 27th.
There’s a trailer. If you haven’t heard about it yet, hit me up elsewhere. It’s not really something I can drop on this thread. Most of the $$ was spent on production and they need help getting the word out.
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I do know the film you speak of and have shared it as much as I can as well. I also like Miss Vicki’s suggestion for a tag line; it seems to fit. 🙂
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[…] a quick thanks to everyone who commented on my blogging ideas Wednesday night at Sourcerer and my post here yesterday about […]
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Just thought I would add my two cents worth to the discussion…I really think that “Just Gene’O” is unique enough to set you apart from the crowd. As you and I know you are very well known, on line and off. You may even continue to use Writing Catalog, in some form, with “Just Gene’O”. As for a tag line how about something along the line of “Powered by the Mind of Gene’O”?
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