Cassie DeNisco

How to Build a Brand Online

January 17, 2022

Whether you’re a blogger or just starting some sort of business, how to build a brand online is important for audience acquisition and growth. This is truly something I wish I knew prior to creating my blog because I just jumped in and didn’t focus on the bigger picture of what exactly this blog would be.

Your brand is how people will see you for the first time and decide whether or not they are interested in clicking on your link or following your account. It’s important to find a clear voice for whatever you’re starting so that you have the best chance of turning people into loyal audience members.

As we enter into this new year, if you’re taking the leap of creating your own brand I wanted to create this post to tell you what I wish I would’ve known. I’m sharing my top 3 tips and some other important info in between on how to build a brand online!

Color Palette Matters

In the beginning days of my blog, I was honestly just posting whatever I wanted. It didn’t matter to me how it looked or getting some sort of template together. If you are creating a brand, I would take some time during the creation stage to get your theme content together. There’s nothing worse then posts with different colors or different flows of content.

You want your website or your socials to be seamless and attractive to potential audience people. If you’re using crazy colors that are different in every single post, you’re not giving the audience a clear image of what to expect. The same goes for templates or posts in general.

I personally always recommend neutrals or soft colors that aesthetically look good together but if you want a rainbow themed brand, make sure you use the exact same colors. You can easily find the color codes online which makes keeping and using the same colors so easy.

People love to be comfortable and know what to expect so using the same colors and templates just keeps the audience happy and coming back for more. One bonus tip I have is if you are creating a website, either hire someone to design it or purchase a template because if you’re website isn’t easy to navigate, you’re going to lose readers/clients/customers.

Name is Everything

If I could go back in time, I don’t think I would’ve used my name for my blog. Catchy names are what really sticks and stands out. You’re also stuck with your name so if it’s something you’re not sure about in the beginning, wait it out and see if you’re still interested.

Name recognition is literally the most important part of your brand these days. Because everything is so saturated, having a brand name that is easy to associate with your brand and people will immediately recognize is everything.

My brand has become my name and that has worked for me but I do wish I was a little more creative in the beginning. I was a college student blogging about life and fashion so between that I probably could’ve found a unique and creative name. I am not going to change my name though because I have built an audience around it so just knowing you’re stuck with it, means it has to be good.

Another topic along names is making sure whatever you decide is actually available. Whether you’re making an LLC or just need social media accounts, if your name isn’t available how you want it I would consider thinking about something else. It is so important to have instant name recognition with your brand and if you can’t have a website domain with it, then there’s a chance you lose people when trying to find you.

Consistency is Key

I like to write out all my posts for the year.

I can’t stress this tip enough, you have to be consistent. Whether it’s posting, uploading, inventory, answering calls, whatever it is you need to be consistent. People found you and the only way they’ll stay is if you are giving them what they want. They initially related to you and your brand for a reason so it’s crucial you continue to give them that.

Whether it’s a consistent product drop schedule or maybe weekly blog posts, you have to keep that up because people like the expected. I’ve found that I keep more loyal audience members the months that I commit to my posting schedule and make sure I don’t miss it.

My brand will never grow if I ghost the audience members that I fought so hard to get to begin with. It’s a lot and exhausting but you have to keep giving the latest and greatest versions of you/your product to keep the momentum growing. You don’t want the momentum to be stagnant, you want growth and sucess.

Your brand needs you to continue to work and improve on it. It’s so hard to figure out how to get in the groove of it but once you do, you’ll see the rewards. It took me a solid 2.5 years to get my blog seeing consistent views everyday. It was definitely discouraging in the beginning but I kept posting and kept going and now I have an audience that is a community and looks forward to my content.

Wrap Up

This post was a long one! I hope though you took something away from it to help build a brand online. I really love getting to work with my social media clients to identify their voice and build something that they are proud of online.

The tips I just shared with you are the exact 3 things that I think would’ve helped me in the beginning of creating my blog. I now share them with my social media clients in hopes they will help them build a brand online for themselves!

If you’re interested in more social media tips you can check out some posts here! P.S. I am a Social Media Manager with a BS in Digital Audiences from ASU!

Follow me on instagram @cassiedenisco!

How to Use Canva for Beginners

May 14, 2021

As many of you know, I also am a social media manager. I use a lot of the tricks for my own blog that I use for my clients. One of my biggest secrets that will change your life is www.Canva.com. Not a day goes by that I am scheduling posts, creating graphics, or needing to share ideas with other people. I can do all of that through Canva and I thought it would be so helpful to share some of my favorite ways to use Canva for beginners with you!

Content Creation

I Initially discovered Canva when I was looking for something easy to use for blog graphics. I wanted a place to start making everything look the same. Canva stuck out to me because of the “brand kit” section. I was able to go in and pick colors and fonts that I would use every time. As you can see, all of my cassiedenisco.com stuff has the same fonts and is black, pink and white. This saves so much time because it all pops up right when you’re in the design section.

Another part of Canva I love is that there are so many templates. It did take a while to find something I liked because there were so many options. If you look at my IG story blog annoucements or Pinterest pins, I used Canva templates and tweaked them to make it my own. I love that Canva automatically saves all your work because I just go back in and edit the same template for my next posts. This saves me so much time and helps to make all of my stuff look cohesive.

Content Scheduling

This is definitely a newer aspect of Canva that I just started using. I previously used Tailwind to schedule my Pinterest pins but I found that it was becoming too tedious to sit, download, and then reupload my pin to that scheduler. With Canva, you just click a button and write in all your details and it schedules it for you. I already am paying for Canva so I can save money here by getting rid of Tailwind. You can also schedule to Facebook and other platforms but so far I have only really used it for Pinterest.

Instagram Bio Links

If you click this link here, you’ll actually be sent to a mini website that has all of my Instagram bio links. This is super helpful if you’re like me and have a lot of different links for different things. I used to use Tailwind for this as well but I recently switched over to Canva because this just looks so much more professional. You can click on everything and be taken to the link I set up for it. This hack helps to have all of your important links in one place so people visiting your social profiles will be able to see all you have to offer. I found this through a Canva template that made it so easy to design and add my links!

Organized Content

This is probably my favorite part of Canva. It keeps me so organized. I manage a lot of different accounts but it has a feature to put everything in different folders. Once I create a template I love, I pop it in the folder for that brand and just go back to it whenever I need. I used to use a million other apps but everything can be done in one place.

Easy to Share with Others

When I was an intern, I was introduced to Canva and I haven’t looked back since. It really opened my eyes to how easy it is to collaborate with. You can add people to your team or just share the content during it’s draft stages. This is helpful because I like to have clients double check what I post before I post it. The best way for me to describe Canva is like Google Docs. It gives you links to share and makes it easy to work with other people to get whatever you need to get done.

Pro vs Free

This is where I think you just need to assess what you need Canva for. I initially started out on the free plan because I really didn’t need the Pro. For just the basics of content creation, Canva is perfect for you on the free plan. I only upgraded when I started getting more clients. The features that pro offered like being able to resize something easily and the brand kits was something I really wanted. I would start out using it for free and then if you feel like you need more, switch to pro. It’s also so affordable at around $119 for the whole year and in my opinion, that is so worth it.

I could literally go on and on about just how much I love and use Canva. Canva for beginners is definitely the easiest way to get started in content creation. For content creators and social media managers, this is a dream program. It does so many things for you and helps you to stay on top of all of your things. Like I previously mentioned, I was using the free version for awhile before I decided to make the switch to pro when I started taking on more clients.

Let me know if you liked this post on how to use Canva for Beginners and if there are other apps like this that you love!

A Productive Work Day in My Life

April 23, 2021

Last year I shared a day in my life as a blogger, but this year things are very different for me! I now am a freelance social media consultant so not only do I have my own social media platforms, I also do a lot for other people. I thought it would be fun to share what a day in my life currently looks like and maybe share a few tips along the way on blogging and free lancing!

My Day

7:30-9am

This time frame isn’t work related but I swear it’s what helps me start off on the right foot. I wake up around 7:30 and get Sky going for the day. If you have a Frenchie, then you know they literally love to sleep and she would sleep all day if I let her. This time period is essential for me to get myself ready for the day with skincare and maybe even a change in outfit if I’m feeling it. I also make my iced chai or iced oatmilk latte and am always at my desk my 9am.

9-9:10am

The first 10 minutes of my day are dedicated to emails. I’ll check them when I first get up but won’t reply until this time. I also like to make sure my planner is set and ready for the day. I love filling out this Doing Well Daily planner and then get in the right mindset for the day.

9:10-11am

This chunk of time is where the bulk of my work is. Depending on the day, I’m either writing and scheduling a blog post for myself or working on projects for clients. I shared a few weeks about how I plan and create my blog posts, but for client projects it’s usually working on their website, or getting together images and other media for a campaign. One other thing I recently started doing first thing is making sure I’m posting a IG or FB post or story first thing. I find that even if I’m not posting at the right time, it just helps with engagement and visibility. I try to post at least one thing per client first thing in the morning.

One question that I often get asked is how do I charge clients for work. It really depends. For somethings it would be a flat rate, like building a website but the day to day content posting and interacting is generally hourly. As many of you know I also am a dance teacher so this work that I do is usually part time as well. I like getting most of my bigger things done in this time period so I have enough time to get everything done in the day.

11-12:30pm

This is probably Sky’s favorite part of the day. We go for a walk and I workout, two things she absolutely loves. My workouts are usually a Melissa Wood Health video and maybe an arm circuit with dum bells. Sky is notorious for trying to workout with me, whether she’s doing her yoga stretches or trying to catch my feet, she loves MWH workouts as much as I do.

I also take the time to have lunch during this time. If you noticed, I don’t usually have breakfast so lunch is always my first meal of the day. Generally I have a salad, sandwich, or whatever leftovers we have from the night before. I can’t stand having to make a whole meal at lunch time when I just want to eat quick and get back into the day.

12:30- 3pm

This is usually the last chunk of time in my productive work day. I usually would leave for the dance studio shortly after this so that’s why 3 is usually the end of my day. I like to do my lighter tasks after lunch. I’m usually starting to hit the mid day slump so I make sure my work is lighter.

My favorite after lunch thing to do is work on content. Whether it’s the IG stories I post or my Pinterest pin images, I love this time of day. I use Canva to create my content like that and for my clients as well. Canva is my go to for my own content and other’s. It literally is amazing at doing so many things. Paying for the premium subscription is must for a social media manager. You can try Canva here!

Like I said, my day either ends with heading to the dance studio or taking Sky on another walk. Since I’m only doing this part time, I have a lot of flexibility with how and when I work. This is like my favorite thing because when I was interning, I know for a fact I hated being in an office 9-5.

My final productive work day tip is time blocking. As you noticed, I do everything in chunks of time. Each day is usually the same but with different tasks during that block of time. I find it makes me work harder knowing that I am only doing something for 2-3 hours at a time. It helps to keep my days less boring and me more engaged throughout the day.

I hope this productive work day gave you some tips and tricks on productivity and even social media consulting. If you’re interested on a post diving deeper into social media management let me know in the comments below!!

How I Plan and Create Blog Posts

February 5, 2021

With having my blog for almost 2 years now, I’ve truly started to get into the flow of how to plan and create blog posts. The first word that comes to mind when I think of my early days of blogging is overwhelming. In the beginning, it definitely was hard to figure out what to do first or how to even plan a post. This system didn’t come overnight but I’m going to walk your through my process and hopefully can help you out sooner rather than later.

Step 1: Brainstorming

If you were to look at my notebook of ideas, you would think I was crazy. I literally write down any and every thought that comes to mind of a potential post or content idea. Maybe I’ll use it or maybe it will just sit in the notebook forever but I make sure to always write it down. This has helped tremendously because I have a notebook of ideas now, something I didn’t have before. I can easily look at it and get the creative juices flowing for picking a topic.

Step 2: The Topic

Sometimes I already know exactly what I plan to post. Others, I have to refer to my notebook to get an idea. I like to think of my topics in terms of categories from my site. You can see here my posts are always put into a different category. Not only does this keep my blog organized but it helps to keep my topics within my niche. If I wrote last post about beauty products, I’ll try to make sure this post is a recipe or puppy related. This helps to narrow my choices and keep you, my reader, getting fresh content each week. Let me know if you’re interested in a blog post dedicated to just blog topics in the comments below!

Step 3: The Outline

I can’t start writing unless I have an outline. This isn’t necessarily something I write out but it’s a picture in my head of how I want the post to look. If you notice, I use a similar structure for recipes but a different one for product reviews. The photos and fonts are also something I like to starting imagining during this plan and create stage. One thing I never actually do is start with an outline that already has content. I like to just be able to write so I make sure that the outline in my head is ready and then I’m ready to write.

Step 4: Actually Writing

This step is absolutely different for everyone. When I plan and create blog posts, I want to make sure I am open for my content to go in a different direction. This is why I never have a set in stone outline. I take my theme and just get to writing it and seeing where the words and content take me. Whether it’s a recipe or a in depth how to, this step is one that you have to master . It takes a bit to get into a rhythm with writing and once you find a way to be productive, you’re all set.

Step 5: Images & other Visual Content

This might be odd, but I like to write my entire post but leave sections labeled {image} or {video} so that I’m able to just write. One reason for this is so that I’m not slowed down by uploading or downloading extras. If I need to take the pictures of products, I like to do so before I even write so that I can already know what I’m talking about. Images really help to bring your words to life so taking your time on these images will make a serious difference.

Step 6: Visibility & Scheduling

Ensuring your post is visible and will drive traffic is a crucial component to blogging. Once I have a pretty final cut of the post, I will go through and make sure I’ve hit SEO points (search engine optimization) and tagged this post properly. I want to make sure posts have everything they need in order to be ranked well on places like Google. On WordPress, I have an SEO plugin that helps make my life easier. Check it out in the image below. In addition, I’ll schedule the post for a time that I’ll be able to make social posts about it.

SEO and how to SEO — Yoast SEO Plugin- WordPress

Step 7: Promotion

Once your post is entirely finished and scheduled, I like to spend time creating the promotional posts for it. For me, this means a Pinterest pin, Insta stories, and an Insta post. My blog automatically goes out to Facebook and Twitter. This is so helpful so I don’t have to worry about them. I like to use websites like Canva.com to create these. Canva makes things so easy for you if you have no graphic design background, like me. If you’re interested in trying out Canva, use my link here for free Canva credit! I highly recommend taking the time to announce your blog posts on your social media platforms. This helps to to increase your traffic and visibility!

I really hope that this post gives you at least a few tips and tricks on how to plan and create blog posts. Blogging can be really rewarding but definitely overwhelming when you are starting out. This process is one that helps me produce the best content for you guys so I was happy to share just a bit of my knowledge.

Feel free to leave me any questions you may have below and be on the look out for my next post!