A guest post by Tara Gentile of Scoutie Girl.
You’ve got a crafty business. You’ve got a blog because you’ve been told you should. But truth be told, for all the time spent blogging – or time you’ve thought about blogging – you’re not seeing much in the way of results.
This is when I get on the phone, in kind of an obnoxious you-don’t-want-me-to-say-it way, and ask, “What’s your end game?”
You see, just blogging for blogging’s sake is not good marketing. It’s not really that great for SEO. It’s not winning you loyal fans and it’s certainly not making you any money.
Blogging for blogging’s sake is what makes potential bloggers ask, “Why would anybody want to read what I have to say? Do I have anything to say?”
Successful blogging has an end game. A purpose. A method. A goal.
Sell more stuff.
And it’s okay – in fact, it’s great – if your end game for blogging is “I will sell more of my stuff.” But if that’s your end game, you have to blog with that goal in mind:
- You have to create an online space that naturally funnels visitors towards your shop.
- You have to talk about your work, how it benefits the customer, and why its unique.
- You have to create content that is both useful & exciting to your readers but in relation to your product.
It’s a tall order. But it’s a lot easier when you have your end game in mind.
Sign me up, Scotty.
Or you might have a more circuitous goal in mind. Perhaps your goal is to get people to sign-up for your awesome newsletter list that will keep them up to date on how to be more ecofriendly in their daily lives. And so you blog with that goal in mind:
- You give your newsletter opt-in the best space on your site.
- You regularly blog about how green issues affect your readership.
- You create a call to action on appropriate posts to ask readers to subscribe to your newsletter.
And, of course, you use the newsletter to promote your line of ecofriendly home goods.
Won’t you be my neighbor?
Or you might have a more personal blog. You blog about your family, your DIY projects, and your pets. But you have a business that you’d like to promote as well. And so you blog with that goal in mind:
- You create a sense of family on your blog.
- You speak in a conversational tone and use intimate details to make your readers feel like they belong.
- You talk about the work you create as a part of your family life and ask that readers make your work a part of their family life as well.
Your blog becomes a conduit for promoting your lifestyle and so readers want to own a piece of that lifestyle. It’s only natural – if you are blogging with that goal in mind.
Knowing what you want to accomplish makes all the difference.
If you feel lost with your blogging, if you feel like your blog isn’t getting any traction, my bet is that you’re not working towards your goal with every blog post.
You won’t state your objective in every post but your goal – your desire – should inform everything you write and every picture you choose to put on your blog. The subjects you blog about are as important as understanding the objective you’re trying to achieve. That objective will help you brainstorm ideas, make design decisions, and formulate calls to action.
Knowing your objective will also help you build a community around your blog, start conversation, and increase social sharing. There is nothing like being part of a larger mission to get someone to lend a hand. Your readers are people who want to be part of something bigger than themselves and your goal fits the bill. It doesn’t have to be extraordinary – it just has to be interesting and unique.
So, what’s your end game? What are you blogging for? Share your objective in the comments below.
Tara Gentile blogs to empower people to live more creatively and change the world with their money. Preorder Tara’s new ebook 52 MORE Weeks of Blogging Your Passion to help you engage your readers, build community, and convert readers into shoppers.
I started my blog because I thought I should have one, as a free marketing tool, but I continued to blog because I really, really like it! People from up to 60 countries a week read what I have to say and look at my photos, and sometimes it leads to sales as well of my photography and notebooks but I can’t have that as my main objective. Well, maybe I should, but my blog is probably closer to the lifestyle kind of blog you mention and since what I do really is a huge part of who I am, I will choose to think that my blog does matter business-wise as well 🙂
I started my blog because I love to write…not in order to promote my business. But, as the blog has evolved, I do use it as a marketing tool. I would say my main objective is to create a community and give people an inside peak into my life, which in turn will help to promote my business.
I started my blog as an outlet, but now that I am starting a business I want to promote it in my blog. I totally want to ask people to take an interest in my life, my family, and the products I make. Tara, Megan, CraftMBA readers, can you recommend such blogs that have drawn you in? Blogs that do it right?
hey Janice! I would recommend you check out http://susannahconway.com and http://kellydiels.com (if you don’t mind a little adult language…). Those are two people who write about a variety of subjects – including life in general & family – who also rock businesses & build community.
Good luck!
I originally started my studio blog to share what was going through the studio and shine a bit of light on what goes into making my work. It evolved into a studio diary of sorts, roughly documenting the day to day studio life and a place to keep notes to self. Two years later the blog still going strong and has started opening doors for me that would have otherwise remained hidden.
What’s my end-game?
I’m shooting to establish the credibility in my field needed to do a workshop circuit.
That’s a great end game! Blogs are a fantastic way to establish credibility & authority – and knowing that you’re aiming for that goal will help you make connections in your field that will make your dream a reality. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the advice. That has been my personal goal over the past 2 months, to focus in and have some sense of continuity. I still don’t have a magic formula for my blog, but I blog consistently. Here’s to becoming more targeted!
Great post Tara! Before I started Blacksburg Belle, I had a fairly successful event planning blog, but I had no end game. I continued with that blog for 2 years, even though my passion for it dwindled. I was making money from sponsors, but I just didn’t have the drive to keep it up.
When I decided to start Blacksburg Belle, I knew everything had to be different. I needed to know exactly what my goals were going to be–exactly what I wanted from blogging. My main goal is to help creative women lead more fulfilling lives and make some money while doing it. I think about this goal every time I start writing a post. Now, I’m trying to build trust with my readers and give them a chance to get to know me. After a few more months, I plan on offering paid programs. Knowing all of this helps to keep me focused.
I’m not quite sure how to say this; you made it exreemtly easy for me!
Great points Tara! I started my blog to give my customers and fans a “behind the scenes” look at my life…which is primarily work. I share a mix of business and personal info on the blog. Many shoppers want to feel they “know” who they are buying from and I think a blog can help make this happen. I found my readers were genuinely excited to read the personal side of re branding my business throughout the past few months, one even came up with the tag line!
On the flip side, I get all excited to be able to engage with my customers through the blog…I have gotten to know some of them rather well simply by being open about Manic Trout and I think that’s an awesome thing. At this point, I get as many hits on the blog each day as I do on the website!
Interesting concept.
When I started in 2008 relatively late in the game, I did a lot of research. Artful BLogging was the best resource I could find. Those were the type of blogs I wanted to be. Yes, I make and sell jewelry, but I didn’t want to be pandering for business. That is not the sort of client that I want. I want to tell the unique story of the person who will be wearing it. So I made a conscious effort to create a community of people who believed in creating and that inspiration is everywhere. Sure, my inspiration is translated through my jewelry. And I share it on my blog. And I just recently opened up an Etsy shop that I need to completely populate before I share it on my blog. And I have had people from far away places find my blog, like what I have to say and have me make them something one of a kind. But that is not why I blog. I also refuse to monetize the space on my blog. It is a decision I made long ago. I want my blog to be a space to come and discuss ideas about tapping into your God-given creativity in a way that honors that gift. I want people to be inspired, whether that is to run a marathon, bake a pie or write a letter. It is different for each of us. And if someone wants to buy my jewelry, then who am I to say no? But I agree wholeheartedly that you need to define yourself before you commit to a blog. And miraculously the right people will be there to read it. They have for me.
Thanks for sharing your inspiration today!
Enjoy the day!
Erin
Hi Erin!
I think the type of “end game” you’re playing is one of the most successful kinds. You create a space that people buy into – a community they can use & grow in – and they naturally want to own a piece of “you.”
It works. It’s gratifying. It’s intentional. I love it.
Thanks for sharing!
It’s interesting, when I started my main blog I wasn’t really sure what my goal was – I guess I’m still not 100% sure, but I feel that it’s something that can change and grow over time. One of my problems is that I have so much going on that I find it hard to fit it all together! My other blog has a much more defined purpose, which makes it a bit easier to focus my posts 🙂
Knowing your End Game is sooo important! Thank you for the reminder 🙂 I tend to be all over the place & it’s time to buckle down & be more focused where I’m directing my readers!
Hi Johanna! I think what you said – “directing my readers” – is really key. As a blogger, you’re a leader. Someone with authority. And people trust you – or they should.
So not only do you have to have a focus, you have a responsibility to direct your readers towards your focus.
Thanks for your comment!
Tara what a great post!
I personally blog to build long term relationship with individual customers + fans. I’m very passionate about people + connections. So for me it’s all about this personal ties.
So often we are bombarded about the things we should + should not write about in our blogs that it’s sometimes hard to listen to our inner voice. But having this end goal clear helps me prepare stay focused. I will write it in a post it not in my inspiration board so I never forget!
Great post. I love the idea of setting goals. Just last week I tried to reaffirm my own reasons for blogging and came up with a list of Why I blog. I decided that I blog to remember, to share, to promote, to create and to entertain. That’s all fine and good, but after reading your post I have to sit and think about what my blog is doing for me…
I would have said that my endgame is to grow and promote my business and sell my art.
I’ve been struggling with how much personal info or stories not directly related to my product to share. Unrelated to the art I make I work with a lot of celebrities. The one time I posted about “my other work” I got a lot of great feedback. Based on that I realize I need to start blogging about my life and not just about my products. Like you said, I think I need to make a new endgame which incorporates selling me and my lifestyle and not just the products I make.
I just saw this blog post.
I am creating a blog soon that focuses on the life-style of a girl who JUST graduated college in America. There’s a lot of questions about what to do for a career, how to make it by, dealing with parents, and living frugally. My blog will be a “Won’t you be my neighbor?” As I figure out the details to making it on my own.
Eventually, I will start a business. Thankyou for these tips and also the tip about the ladies who are good at community-building but can still sell. Will heed your advice in great detail. I’ll let you know my results 🙂
I started my blog as a way to communicate with potential customers. Talking about my personal life seems like it would get boring fast. I’m a mom of two, so I spend more time playing than anything else. I thought about my idea costumers and what they would find interesting. I make fantasy and fairy tale inspired toys and dress up accessories. I write about anything and everything mythical and magical. I never get tired of it or run out of ideas, because when I’m blogging it’s like the little girl in me wakes up from a daydream and has a blast. Through blogging I’ve discovered a whole other world of people, I’m just having trouble helping them discover me. But I’m just getting started and have a long way to go before I become a blogging Jedi master. This site has helped me so much.
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