10 tips that I think should be taken into consideration by every website (including blogs), that will help increase the awareness and branding of that website:

1. Your brand (name) should be easy to remember, pronounced over the phone and should be the same as your domain name. You may be asking why I use Webli.st when my brand name is Weblist, that is because I have been wanting to use a hacked domain ever since I was a little kid and I am just making that happen.

2. Your slogan should say exactly what you do or at least what field you are operating in. If not, your logo design should handle this task.

3. Your website should have a unified brand identity, which includes the Logo, Icon and a Favicon (most preferably the same as the icon). All these items should walk together, they should be using the same colors, fonts and concept. Your Favicon is an important item which most webmasters ignore. The Favicon is used as an icon for your bookmarked links when your readers bookmark your pages, also it is viewed beside your title and URL when viewing your site.

4. Use your @website e-mail, do not use free e-mails (Gmail, Yahoo!, Hotmail, etc…). I personally use my @webli.st e-mail and have e-mails forwarded to my Gmail account. So, I use Gmail for sending and receiving my @webli.st e-mails. Every time you send from a free e-mail there is a lost opportunity that, the recipient is visiting your site and that, the word about your website is being spread. What’s better than word of mouth?

5. Include a Link to your website within your signature in every single e-mail you send, you can also try Feedburner’s Email Signature, it’s pretty cool.

6. Don’t tell me you do not use Twitter! You have to; it’s a great social tool that helps you in many ways. You can check what people are saying about your brand (search option), you can spread the word over Twitter (Tweets) and also keep in touch with the external world, whether customers or partners. These are the least and very basic things you can do with Twitter.

7. Make sure you have custom made business cards that also walk in line with your brand identity. Most businesses have their own business cards but bloggers tend to not. You should, since they do not cost much. You will realize their effect and the good image a business card will reflect on your brand in addition to the awareness it will create.

8. Other giveaways that are branded and include your URL won’t harm at all, if affordable. Pens are a viral giveaway tool, post-it notes as well.

9. Presence on related communities will help you build your brand. Commenting on competitors’ blogs and forums will create huge brand awareness to your targeted segment.

10. Finally, to a have a well written “About” page and Bio, where it will point out and clarify what it is you do. A FAQ page will help a lot as well, if necessary.

There is one thing you have to all know, I myself have not done all of the above, remember I am using a hacked domain which is not well pronounced over the phone, and still haven’t got have a well written “About” page but I am working on them.

Firas Steitiyeh, the one behind Weblist, owns a passion for Marketing, Internet and Technology; has dedicated the past 15 years of his life exploring the never ending trends of the Internet.