Anna Powers from misosouper shares her final post in her blogging tips series.
by guest contributor Anna Powers from misosouper
Still with me? If you’re perched on the precipice of your blog and still afraid to jump, this list might give you a push.
‘Ten Ideas For Indie Business Blog Content’
1. Post about a new product you have made. This sort of post may seem like a no-brainer, but if you include some interesting details about the materials you used and the process you undertook, this bit of cross-marketing will help drive readers to your shop and illustrate the care you put into your work. Bonus points for including lots of pictures!
2. Post on “a day in the life of,” and be sure to pick a day that includes a lot of creating. Maybe it’s because I’m totally nosy, but reading the detailed minutiae of other’s lives never ceases to fascinate me. Better yet: interview a colleague/friend on the detailed minutiae of her life.
3. Post a giveaway, either for your goods or for someone else’s. Once you’ve done a couple, giveaways are quite easy to set up and run. Here’s a good rundown of giveaway guidelines.
4. Post on something that another indie artist has made. Then e-mail her to let her know. It will make her day, I promise.
5. Post a how-to. You know how to make stuff, right? Consider sharing the wealth with the rest of us, step by step, and of course, illustrated by pictures.
6. Post a video tour of your studio or workspace or home. Show us your materials and your beloved treasures. (See #2. Voyeurism is always in vogue.) Vimeo can help you embed your video in a post.
7. Post a list of recent blog posts that you read and liked. Or, post a more detailed discussion of why you like one particular blog, complete with links to various posts that have moved you.
8. Post an inspiration board, which can be as simple as a series of images that make you happy. (These posts can be, well, inspirational, but beware the trap of posting all 87 pictures of your recent trip to Belize.)
9. Post a blog swap. Once you’ve been at this for a while, ask a blogging friend to take over your site for a week, and see what she comes up with. When she needs vacation or burnout coverage, you can return the favor.
10. Post value. This is more of a general suggestion than a particular idea, but it’s a good mantra to tack up above your computer. When you blog for your business, your goal is to produce something of value (just as you do for your shop). If your answer to the vital question “Would anyone but my mom actually care about this post?” is probably not, then just call your mama and take the day off from writing a post. Your readers will appreciate your restraint.
Any other tips you would add to this list? Post them in the comments!
About the contributor: Anna Powers likes to buy stuff, particularly when it’s well-designed, fun, and (relatively) cheap. Since February 2008, she has been sharing her purchases on her shopping blog called misosouper, which is a equal parts snarky, smart and fun
Thanks for all the feedback! And Jamie, that is a great tip about flagging magazines; I do the same thing, and despite the fact that my desk is a total nightmare, it *is* quite helpful.
This was wonderful and soooo informative, now I’m brainstorming my next blog post. Thank you so much for sharing these with everyone. I’m am adding the link of this post to my favorites so I can refer back in the future as well.
Excellent list! Here’s a another tip: flag things in your magazines and books as you read them and keep a pile near your desk so you can easily get inspired to write about something that you had previously read about.
this is a great post! i think i am going to print it out and hang it on the cork board over my desk as inspiration to use my blog more!
very helpful tips! thanks so much for taking the time to spell everything out 🙂
Have a super day ~~
Laura
All good advice, much of which can be applied to micro-blogging (such as Twitter) too!