Questions I Often Hear (And Some Answers!)

When I design websites + blogs, I often get asked the same questions. “Why should I have a blog?” “What do I write on a blog?” “What if I’m an artist/creative, not a writer?” “How can I keep up with a blog too??”

I love these questions and I’m glad to offer some answers!

I answered the first question, “Why should I have a blog”, in my post How Blogging Helps You Sell More and there’s a little more info in my post Why And How – Blogging for Creatives. Once that question is asked and answered, the next step is “What do I write on a blog?”.

Start With a Clear Purpose

As you are thinking about “what do I write on a blog”, ask yourself: What are my reasons for blogging?

• Is it to educate my audience? Will I be writing tutorials on my craft projects?
• Will I be sharing my story, my journey, my approach to my craft?
• Am I hoping to encourage my readers and followers to purchase from me?

Here’s the thing – all of these are very important parts of a creative’s business blog, and you can do all three, but you need to have clarity to get started. Once you decide your overall purpose, you can build a schedule around these ideas, and it will be much easier to come up with content ideas.

Build a Few Cornerstone Posts

If you are in the beginning stages of starting your blog, make sure your blog has a few key pages or posts ready to go:

• About You – Who you are and why you do what you do.
• FAQ or How It Works – Answer the questions customers ask most often.
• Your Story – Why you started your business and who you help.
• Testimonials or Success Stories – Let others vouch for you.

These posts give visitors instant trust and context when they land on your site. You can write these as posts or as pages on your website, depending on what you prefer. I often recommend doing both, because you never know where your customers might find you, and if they land on your blog, having these key posts that can always be found is a good idea.

Stick to Consistent Categories

Once you begin blogging, make sure to think about the organization of what you’ll be writing, and plan for categories. Think of your blog categories like sections in a magazine. What 3–5 topics will help your readers most and support your business? And rest assured, you aren’t limited to 3-5 topics/categories, but it’s a good starting place.

So, go back to your purpose questions, and use those answers to help you determin categories. For instance, if you plan to offer tutorials, you’ll need a “Tutorials” category. If you want to share sales and new products, you’ll need a “New Products” or “On Sale” category. If you want to talk about your approach to your art, or your story behind what you make/do, you’ll want a “My Story” category.

A clear set of categories keeps your content organized and makes it easier for new readers to binge-read what interests them.

You Don’t Have to Be a Writer

The next question I’m asked almost more than any other, “What if I’m an artist/creative, not a writer?”

I assure all of my clients who ask, “you don’t have to be a novelist or creative writer to be a blogger” You can write like you’re having a conversation. Use short paragraphs, use lists if you’re doing tutorials, and use photos to make your point when you need to do so.

Think of your blog as a place to share what you know and who you are, not to impress with perfect grammar or fancy words. Your posts can be around 300-500 words, (although longer is good too!), and that relieves some of the pressure.

I also tell my clients, “the more you blog, the easier it will get”, and you’ll find your rhythm and YOUR blogging style as you go.

And one last thought – you can always go back and UPDATE your posts if you think of more you’d like to add, or you get more comfortable with blogging and see areas you can improve your posts. They aren’t bound in a book, so it’s totally easy to update and revise!

How Do I Keep Up?

And the final question I hear often, “How can I keep up with a blog too??” This is one area that can be the most challenging, because as creative business owners, we wear a LOT of hats and are going in so many directions on a daily and weekly basis. My first recommendation? Add blogging to your weekly schedule and put in on the To Do list like an appointment you don’t want to cancel.

Also, read my post You Don’t Have to Blog Every Day! for some encouragement on this. When clients are first getting started, I recommend trying for 2-3 blog posts a month, and slowly graduate to once a week or twice a week, depending on your schedule, and those answers to your purpose.

One tool that helps a lot of creative bloggers is to BATCH your posts. That simply means sitting down once a month or so, and writing several blog posts at a time, and then scheduling them to post throughout the month. WordPress makes it very easy to write and schedule, so with batching, you can get in a writing flow, and then check blog posts of your list!

Consider Blog Management Services

If you genuinely struggle with the writing, the posting, or any of it… consider hiring a blog manager to help you keep up. My blog management plans are designed to help you maximize the potential of your blog without the overwhelm. If you need a behind-the-scenes team member to help you get it done, I’m your girl!

Ready to get started?

You don’t need to be a writer, a tech expert, or a marketing pro to have a great blog for your business. I know you can do this, and if you’re ready to start (or restart) your blog and want help making it happen, sign up for a new blog… or a blog management plan if you’re needing that kind of help, and let’s get started!