Creating a blog identity and brand with a single character
- In WordPress, a character is more akin to a cover image than a decoration.
- How did a small sticker become the face of a brand?
- What else is needed for a single character to be sufficient?
- There are three rules for creating memorable characters.
- It must be shown repeatedly.
- The content should be connected to the main text.
- Even when reduced in size, it must still be recognizable.
- Before incorporating a character, there are certain limitations that must be considered.
- Using DecoBlocks to position characters within the flow of the text.
- Depending on the nature of the blog, the roles of the characters should be defined differently.
- Frequently Asked Questions.
- WordPress-related plugins
On the day a new post is published, visitors first see a small image on one side of the screen, rather than the author’s name. When they return a few days later and see the same image, they begin to remember the blog as a single space.
Then, could using a single character as the representative image for a blog create an identity and branding? It is possible. However, simply posting a single image is not enough.
In WordPress, a character is more akin to a cover image than a decoration.
The character used in WordPress is not just a decorative element inserted between lines of text. It can serve as a visual identifier that helps visitors recognize the website.
The site logo is an image that represents the website. Once changed, the modifications will be applied to all logo blocks throughout the site.
The site icon is a small image that helps users identify the website in browser tabs, bookmarks, and mobile apps. Starting with WordPress 6.5, it can be specified in the general settings, and a square image of at least 512×512 pixels is recommended.
A character does not remain confined to a single profile.
In cases where the site name appears too small or is obscured, a blog can be used as an alternative introduction.
How did a small sticker become the face of a brand?
The reason why characters are familiar on platforms like Naver Blog, Tistory, KakaoTalk, and messaging apps is also due to this. People recognize the atmosphere of an account by repeatedly seeing the images before reading lengthy descriptions.
Kakao Friends originated as KakaoTalk emoticon characters in 2012. Kakao’s corporate presentation materials from 2016 stated that these characters were used as conversation stickers and became the most popular characters in South Korea.
Subsequently, Kakao Friends was spun off from Kakao in May 2015, and the company expanded its business through collaborations with brand stores and intellectual property-based games. What started as small illustrations for communication evolved through repeated use and expansion into an independent business.
LINE FRIENDS also began with messenger stickers in 2011 and officially launched its character business in 2015. The official introduction page currently presents business hubs in 18 countries, a cumulative transaction value of 5.9 trillion won, and a global social media fandom of more than 70 million people.
Surprisingly, the starting point was not a grand advertising campaign.
It was a small character that reappeared every day in the chat window.
What else is needed for a single character to be sufficient?
A brand cannot be built with just one character. However, it can serve as an effective representative cover image that instantly conveys the theme of the blog and the atmosphere it promises to its readers.
WordPress distinguishes between the site logo and the site icon as elements that define the site’s identity. Within the site editor, users can manage the site title, tagline, logo, and icon together under the “Identity” section.
The logo is displayed on the large screen, while a simple icon is displayed on the small screen.
When the roles of the characters are clearly defined, their purpose becomes more apparent.
As Line Friends explains, characters can be entities that convey everyday emotions and conversations. However, in personal blogs, instead of promoting products or advertisements, it is important to consistently connect the writing’s theme and tone.
There are three rules for creating memorable characters.
The key to creating a character’s identity is not simply cuteness. Rather, three things are more important: repetitiveness, connectivity, and identifiability.
It must be shown repeatedly.
Once a character is introduced in a profile, it is easily forgotten. The same character should be used repeatedly in all places where the reader encounters it, such as in the profile, site logo, site icon, and illustrations within the text.
The site logo block can be used not only on the home screen but also in various locations throughout the site. The ability to update a single image and have it reflected in multiple logo blocks is also beneficial for ongoing operations.
Repetition is more powerful than a single instance.
The content should be connected to the main text.
If the blog deals with personal stories, the author’s persona might appear as a guide who speaks directly to the reader. However, if the blog focuses on providing professional information, it is more natural for the writing to be understated, like a signpost that quietly directs the reader.
The character’s expressions and actions must align with the tone of the writing. If the visuals and content are disconnected, visitors may feel distracted rather than feeling a sense of familiarity.
To ensure that the image and content work together seamlessly, there is a method of first establishing the format around the text assigned to the character, rather than focusing solely on the character itself. In DecoBlocks, you can use speech bubbles, a Section Box (Solid) to group related content, a Highlight (Yellow) to emphasize parts of the text, and character stickers all within the same text.
In the interface, you can assign roles such as speech bubbles for dialogue, boxes for explanatory notes, and emphasis for key sentences. However, the specific expressions and colors to be used must be determined separately.
Characters should be a part of the writing.
Even when reduced in size, it must still be recognizable.
The site icon appears in a very small space, such as in a browser tab or bookmark. Detailed images with many expressions and props may look impressive in the original, but they can be difficult to recognize when they are reduced in size.
To reduce this issue, you can simplify the original image for both large logos and small icons. This involves identifying the essential elements that should remain, such as a key facial feature or a distinctive color, even when the image is reduced in size.
It is necessary to have characteristics that remain even when something becomes smaller.
Before incorporating a character, there are certain limitations that must be considered.
The biggest misconception is the belief that simply adding characters will automatically create professionalism and memorability. Characters do not compensate for a lack of substance in the writing.
Another issue is when other companies’ characters are used as if they were part of one’s own brand. Kakao Friends and Line Friends are operated as separate character businesses, so using official characters as the representative image for a personal blog is different from building one’s own brand assets.
Even if you want to use a character you already like, it is safer to limit its use to decorations or case studies to avoid being perceived as a personal brand symbol. In the long term, it is necessary to create your own unique character, rather than relying on someone else’s.
The character of others is not my identity.
When attempting to resolve these issues directly, new problems arise. While illustrations for the logo have been created, reducing them to website icons results in distorted facial features. Furthermore, the colors vary depending on the profile, and it is difficult to determine what expression to use within the text.
Attempting to solve this problem with a single image file requires repeatedly resizing and adjusting the position, which is time-consuming. A more significant limitation is that if the character, subject, and tone are not determined together, only a pretty picture remains.
Beautiful artwork alone is not enough to establish a brand.
Using DecoBlocks to position characters within the flow of the text.
To repeatedly display a character, you need to find and insert the image file each time, and manage the body text structure separately. DecoBlocks allows you to insert character stickers from the installed sticker pack into the text, and group related content using a “Section Box (Solid)” or divide sections using a “Divider Line – Solid.” The same decorative features can be used in the block editor as blocks, and in the classic editor as shortcodes.
If you want to structure the character’s role as described in this article, using explanations and instructions, you can place speech bubbles for dialogue, boxes for rules or cautions, and highlights (yellow) for key sentences. You can also create an automatic table of contents based on the H2 and H3 headings of a long article. However, these features do not define the character’s identity or usage rules; the writer must first determine the repeated expressions and colors.
Depending on the nature of the blog, the roles of the characters should be defined differently.
For personal blogs or individual brands, it is best to choose a simple character that you create yourself. Try using the same expression and color scheme repeatedly in your profile, website logo, website icon, and illustrations within the main content.
For a professional information blog, it is better to restrict the use of characters and focus on icons and author information. This approach serves as a visual identifier for the site while maintaining the credibility of the information.
If the blog focuses on hobbies, reviews, or daily life, the character’s speech and actions can be incorporated as a consistent element of the writing. This can involve the character greeting the reader at the beginning, explaining important information, and hinting at future content at the end.
The character used in the main content and the icon used for thumbnails do not necessarily have to be the same image. In WordPress, you can set the site logo and site icon separately, allowing you to assign different roles to the larger and smaller images.
Ultimately, the answer to the question of whether a single character can create a brand is a conditional “yes.” A simple character, created directly, becomes a brand identifier only when it is consistently used and connected to the blog’s theme, tone, and colors across various platforms.
A character, when repeated, becomes a brand.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Q. Where should I start applying the character designs on my website?
A. First, apply the logo and site icon to the website, and then expand its use to profile images and illustrations within the main content. For professional information blogs, it is natural to limit the use of icons and author introductions. For hobby or lifestyle blogs, it is more appropriate to extend the use to include greetings and introductions within the text.
Q. Can I use Kakao or Line characters in my personal blog?
A. Using official characters as a representative image of your brand is different from building your own brand assets. It is safer to limit their use to decorations or case studies, and to develop your own unique characters in the long term.
Q. Can this problem be easily solved using a tool? What kind of tool should be used?
A. By utilizing the site logo and site icon settings in WordPress, you can manage different locations. It is important to first determine the roles of the large logo and the small icon, as well as the usage rules for the character, before using them.
Q. How are the sections with extensive character descriptions organized?
A. DecoBlocks’ Auto Table of Contents feature generates a table of contents based on the H2 and H3 headings within a post after it has been published.
In the main text, you can insert “Insert Character Sticker” and use “Section Box (Solid)” or “Divider Line – Solid” to create sections for introducing and explaining the characters. The table of contents and the arrangement of the characters should be determined separately, based on the theme and tone of the writing.
