I struggle with blogging (Mary Beth here!) I think it might be one of the things I dread the most. Does anyone read our blog? Is what we have to say relevant or important? Will I sound like I am falsely establishing myself as an expert on something I really don’t know anything about??? One of the things I always think when starting a blog post is: “I have to write soooo many words on this subject” and become overwhelmed that I can’t even finish it. So I sought help for my blogging issues from fellow photographer Jasmine Star. She shared her 5 Effective Blogging Tips to Grow your Business on ShowIt Live this past week and I really related to her story. I know myself and Jasmine Star are not the only bloggers who fall into this rut, so I have decided to share her tips with you (because the video while informative, it is almost an hour long) and my thoughts on each technique. I believe this can apply to any blog, not just photography or wedding industry blogs. Here we go!
5) Consistency & Planning – Jasmine stressed the importance of consistent blogging. If your readers begin to see patterns of when your posts will debut, they will start to follow you and therefore you gain more readers on a regular basis. Being that we have uprooted out business from one side of the country to the other, we had started all over again…with everything. Maybe we lost some followers along the way but are now more focused in the wedding industry. We want our blog to be informative for our couples, a place to show who we are and sharing what we learn so that we might help others. Not blogging on a regular basis stifles our reach. With Facebook being so choosy as to who sees your posts on a business page and the rules changing over time, your blog is the BEST way to control how your content is being shared, and how often. Plan your posts! I love that I can think of an idea to blog about and then create a draft with just a title. Then I can go back and write the full post later!
4) Create a Schedule – Select when you will write your posts and when you will actually post them. Work this into your workflow so that you know when this needs to be done. I have enjoyed not working for “the man” so much, but one thing I realized was the structure of my days went missing when I decided to work for myself. With having your own business you can become quite scattered. You start one thing, but because you don’t have a boss over you telling your deadline is, you start many things and then don’t finish them. You must structure your time and do it wisely. Blogging schedules are so important to stay consistent with content sharing.
3) You Make the Rules – Don’t let what others say dictate what you are sharing on your blog. If you are passionate about a topic, share your thoughts and experiences about it! Your blog can be whatever you make it. Jasmine Star had mentioned that if you decide to share or comment on something that is trending or controversial, be prepared for the conversation that ensues. People can get heated on trending topics so you have to keep in mind that your blog can create a great discussion on the topic and you can reach out to others with similar views.
2) Be You – as cheesy as that sounds, it’s so true! We believe that our friends & couples are drawn to us because, well we are us! We love adventures, photography and laughing at crazy felines when Cat Saturday comes up on The Chive. (If you love cats, and you have not discovered Cat Saturday you must!) We are also very passionate about our relationship and working as a team within our marriage AND our business.
1) Choose 3 words that you want readers to feel when they read your blog – Fun. Inspiring. Helpful. That is our 3 words. I took away from this video that this was the most important tip to me. We hope to share aspects of our business life that are these three things and also personal experiences. Your three words you should keep in mind whenever you are writing your blog. You don’t have to include all three in every post (remember, you make the rules). These 3 words can drive what comes off the keyboard. Gives you a starting point and can keep your topics on track with who your blog is really geared towards.
Hopefully this has helped you with your blogging woes and inspired you to blog more often if you don’t already. Share with us your blogging experiences and your pages, we are always looking for new people to connect with!
Do it! Blog it! Share it!