In the new media age, the topic of personal branding is getting a lot of coverage. Articles, blogs, entire companies devoted to this term. I think we all essentially know what it means, (for those who don’t, read this). And those of us participating online know that our brands are important. So important, in fact, that some people are picking names for their children based on those with the best potential for a clean Google search. We get it.

But with all the fuss about personal branding, there’s a side of it that doesn’t seem to get a lot of attention. I’m talking about gender. Some of the biggest blogging communities in the world are full of woman bloggers. This entire site is devoted to professional development for women. People are starting and sharing lists of the most prominent women bloggers. Women are supporting each other, sharing and talking about the world the way we see it. But all this brings up an interesting question, in my mind. Are we focusing too much on girl power and leaving our guy counterparts and half of a viable audience out of the mix by being too woman-centric? Here’s a little more of my personal story to see exactly where I’m coming from on this.

It all started a few months ago. In January, in fact. I was approached by a friend with a business opportunity (for women) that sent me into a journey of the heart I never thought would lead me where I am today – writing, blogging and forming relationships with some of the most respected, visionary, and empowering people of my day. The short version of this long story is that I ended up with a vision and passion for blogging but not the business opportunity. For me, it was the right choice. I have a full-time job anyway.

It’s been a long journey, and it’s not over yet, but I have learned so much already about what it means to be a blogger, how to get advice and support, and how to go about branding myself in an ambiguous, constantly evolving place called the Internet. Something I’ve thought about a lot during this process is how being a woman affects all those efforts. You see, I happen to have a growing blog with the intensely woman-oriented name “Little Red Suit.” Tell me that  doesn’t scream feminine at you. I picked this name because I chose to return a red suit I had purchased so I’d have the cash to invest in the business opportunity I ended up turning down. I wanted to embrace the metaphor of trading something I already had for something I wanted more. What I ended up doing was trading spare time and investing that same $100 in starting my blog.

At Little Red Suit, I write about what it means to work, live and strive in a new media world. This means I end up writing about a lot of things. I’ve had people tell me that they think my blog has lots of great content – for anyone – but that the name “Little Red Suit” might send men running in the opposite direction. I’ve thought about it a lot, and will admit I’ve even had moments of self-doubt that had me running to GoDaddy to see what less girly URLs I could purchase in efforts to rebrand. And truthfully, I own several domain names in case that time ever comes.

But when I really consider the change, I wonder why I feel pressured to move to a name that in a way denies the celebration of something that’s at the very core of my perspective and what I have to say about the world. Is it that I don’t want to risk alienating some men? There’s a glass ceiling for you – when your brand excludes you from half the population of the world.

I’ve come to find that some of the biggest fans of my blog are men, and really, if anything, having a strongly woman-centric, image-driven name may help me stand out a little in a sea of generic, niche-branded blogs. I’m fine with that! So, for now, I’ve decided to stick to Little Red Suit. And I’m pleased to say, my traffic is growing steadily. I’ve learned that more important than the name of my blog are the relationships the new media world allows me to build as a person – with women and men from around the world. Celebrating being a woman through the name of my blog doesn’t really have to mean alienating men after all. In the end, it’s not about the name of a blog; it’s about building my personal brand. And my blog is just an extension of that.

But there are still many questions and issues that women face in the personal branding arena, especially online. So, in closing I’d like to offer some of my thoughts for other women out there blogging or thinking about it, struggling with similar questions I faced.

- There are a vast number of unique aspects and challenges of being a woman blogger. They are important. And here’s the tricky part. They matter and they don’t matter. When and why and how they matter depends on your goals, your efforts, your audience, your conversations. So care about them as much or as little as you choose. It’s up to your discretion. Whatever you choose, you’ll probably be just fine.

- Don’t be afraid of your own name. To really build your personal brand online, you have to attach your own name to what you do. I’ve written about my struggle with this decision at my blog, and it’s not one I take lightly. But if you come online and build a brand with no name, then it can be a successful brand, but it will never really be your brand. In the end, it’s about what you want out of the time and effort you put into your online efforts.

- Just because your blog is written by a woman and may be branded as such doesn’t mean your content has to be no-boys-allowed. And, guess what? Writing woman-oriented content doesn’t mean men won’t read it. One thing about the conversation on and between the genders that never ceases to amaze me is that each side wants to understand  and talk about the other. So embracing your womanhood as much or as little as you like is perfectly fine. Whatever you end up doing just adds new tones and perspectives to issues and ideas everyone is already talking about anyway.

All told, telling your story and creating your personal brand is challenging, especially in the expanding territory of new media. But as a woman, I have to tell you that it’s also empowering, enlightening and door-opening. Especially to be able to be a part of groups of other fearless, going-for-it women. From where I sit, joining this conversation is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.