Does your business need a blog?
23 Aug
Load up on these “content is king” tips from DIY entrepreneurs
Are you ready to take your online business to the next level? You might want to get into the business of blogging.
Blogging is a great way to engage shoppers and beef up your site with additional content. For an August 5 panel called “Etsy Success: Crafty Blogging” at the Etsy headquarters, a crew of DIY bloggerpreneurs talked shop about reeling in readers, crafting creative content, and incorporating a healthy dose of self-promotion. Here, they share a handful of their tips.
Pull the Trigger Already
Is fear standing between you and blogging?
Crissy Herron of IndieBizChicks.com
Everyone’s got to start somewhere. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take baby steps. For instance, give yourself a goal to set up a blog on the first day (or week), and on the second or third days, write your bio or “about” page, and then, write your first post, and so-on.
“Don’t be afraid to start blogging until your blog design is perfect or until you have the idea for perfect posts,” says Crissy Herron of IndieBizChicks.com. “Your blog is going to be a continual work in progress. It will never be perfect, so just get started.” In fact, many first-timers find that once they get rolling, so too does the inspiration.
Show Your Best Side
“Compelling content is the key to an awesome blog,” says Rachel Johnson of Swap-bot.com.
Bethany Nixon of RewareVintage.com
If you’re not sure what makes for good blog content, similar to dating or applying for a job, it’s best to play up your strengths while playing down your weaknesses. For instance, if writing is not your strong suit, why pressure yourself to crank out 3,000 words of nonsense? If, on the other hand, your strengths are photography, reporting trends and news bits, or writing hilarious captions, rock out those skills.
Also, keep it real by reflecting your personality, says Bethany Nixon of RewareVintage.com. “If your blog reads like an advertisement, readers will only see you as your business,” she says. To avoid sounding like an infomercial, “inject moments from your life to encourage your readers to see your business as you instead,” Nixon says.
Take a How-To, Interactive Approach
Looking for ways to spice up your content? Think of creative ways to involve the readers with a how-to angle.
And by how-to, we don’t mean you have to provide a step-by-step guide on how to make your product. This could be as simple as “Five Looks for This Necklace” or “How to Wear this T-shirt as a Skirt, a Dress, and a Scarf.” Or, better yet, invite readers to get involved with content development and offer up a prize for the winner.
In short, “don’t just talk about you,” advises craftalicious blogger Tonya Staab. Instead, she says, “Ask questions, network, and share information.” The “I’m loaded with info” angle not only juices up your blog content, but it makes for attractive fodder in your social-networking smorgasbord (Facebook, Twitter, what have you).
Lish Dorset of Handmade Detroit
Know Your Readers
Not sure what your readers want? Ask them, says Handmade Detroit co-founder Lish Dorset.
Herron says that once you know what makes your community tick, you’ll be able to cater your content to them—and keep them coming back for more. “Your blog acts like a virtual watercooler between yourself and your reader,” she says. “Write in a conversational manner so that you can develop a relationship with them.”
Rachel Johnson of Swap-bot.com
Make a Good Impression
Not sure what your blog should look like? “Start simple,” says Johnson. Stick with a white or solid-color background emblazoned with a bold and beautiful header. “Try to resist the urge to clutter your sidebars with lots of icons,” Staab says. “Too many buttons and links will make your blog look cluttered and detract from your content.”
Content is, in fact, king, but if you’re not so much a wordsmith, focus instead on compelling visuals. “Use fun and original photos to engage your readers and pull them into your story,” Nixon says. If photography’s not your thing, invite friends (and even readers) to help.
Stick with the Program
Are you a master procrastinator? To fight the urge to put off blogging until tomorrow, Lish Dorset recommends creating a schedule for yourself—for example, Mondays could be “trends” day, Wednesdays are “customer appreciation,” days, etc. “Many blog platforms offer scheduling options so that you can [pre-schedule] several posts at one time,” she says. “Regular content means regular readers.”
