Beat a Boring Blog – Blog Tips

We’ve all been there… you end up on a boring blog and wonder what the blogger could possibly be thinking!

Here’s the problem: Topics and features that may be interesting to one reader may put another to sleep, so what’s the key to making your blog exciting?

A blogger’s initial challenge is to determine the blog’s intended audience and create new features and write posts that will appeal to that market.  This is where having a clear blog mission statement becomes vital.  Chances are if you aren’t sure where your blog is going, readers will know either!

Most handmade sellers can admit their day to day activities may not hold an reader’s interest for long.  Finding humor in your business and personal activities, or switching up the way you write, may help keep a reader’s interest.

In addition, HandmadeMarketing.org is surprised to see seller blogs that do not allow comments.  Many readers enjoy connecting through comments – allow them to make a connection with you!  Plus, comments will help your ranking in search engines.  In the end, allowing comments to be posted on your blog is a win each way you look at it.

The goal behind your blog should be to engage the reader.  After all, from a world traveler’s blog to an Artfire seller’s blog – engaging the reader may be the only common thread.

Think like your blog’s readers.  Consider what features would appeal to them, their goals, the amount of time they have to read, etc.

Looking for more new ideas to spice up your blog?  Lois, from the Etsy.com shop FoxyGKnits (foxygknits.etsy.com), shared some simple ideas to keep blogs exciting for readers:

• Blog About Others. “I have started “Art from the Heart” on my blog,” Lois told us.  Lois uses this feature to highlight artists and artisans who share their creativity, passion and energy with others on behalf of humanity. “I feature Art from the Heart on Thursdays and promote it on my Twitter and Facebook page,” she said.
• Blog About Your Craft.  “I write “Monday Morning Musings” where I have been showing photos of my projects in progress,” Lois told us.
• Create A Blog Giveaway.  “I have put a seller’s bio on our Etsy Team blog,” Lois said.  “Then, I offered a prize to the random winner from people who came to our site and comment on their favorite item from my Etsy site. I also try to always enter an item in our team monthly blog contest.”  Lois also donates items to the packages of gifts her Etsy Team gives away to the winners of those monthly contests.  “We recently started an Etsy team shop where we will be donating 50% of sales to a monthly charity, and I donated an item to that shop as well,” Lois said.
• Blog About Features.  If your handmade items have recently been featured on another site or blog, consider blogging about the feature.  “I have been interviewed on a blog that features artists and artisans,” Lois said.  “I offered a gift certificate again to the random winner whom went to my site and commented and what item they liked best,” she told us.

Have a great blog centered around your handmade shop?  What makes it work?  Why do readers come back?

Share your tips about what makes a good blog.  If our editors like your ideas, we’ll feature your shop in a HandmadeMarketing.org article!