Last week I offered up a few tips on making your blog appear larger than it really is. Surprisingly, some bloggers have the opposite goal; that is to appear smaller than they really are. A strategy mostly enacted by monster companies to give themselves a human face. Here’s how:
All in the Details: Did the waiter botch your lunch order? Miss the train? Come down with the stomach flu? When big companies take the time out to share the small stuff, they humanize their efforts.
Self-Deprecation: Poking fun at yourself or mildly putting down the organization for which you blog, can engage the reader. They’ll be surprised, entertained and be reminded that you are not infallible.
Hand Drawn: Using homemade graphics, in lieu of standard stock photography shows that you are putting effort into creating specialized images. This not only shows dedication, but that you don’t have access to a big budget.
About Me: Instead of a professional head shot showing the blogger at their best, why not post a picture of you and your parents. This is something that TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington has on his “About Us” page. His office is also his house. He has a Web empire, but has found a way to blog small. Proof that blogging small can lead to a big payday.
Originally posted on March 11, 2008 @ 1:27 pm
