Promoting Tips & Tricks Part VI: Promoting your Blog

I could easily to a ten- or twenty-part series just on how to promote your blog, but that would be beyond the scope of this article series, and others have covered it far more comprehensively elsewhere. So I’ll just do a single post, focussing on the needs of the online shop owner.

Much like your shop, your blog will benefit by being listed in directories. I’m in several — some limited to crafty blogs, others listing blogs in general.

Our Craft Directory is small and tightly focused. The owner checks every link before posting it, so you can be sure you’re in good company. As with most directories, they’ll ask you to put a link to their directory in your blog in return.

Blog Catalog is a much larger, more general listing broken down into nested categories. Again, they check every link before posting it. BlogCatalog also has a nice little feature which you can put in your sidebar, displaying the last five BlogCatalog folks who’ve stopped by.

BlogSearch is similar to BlogCatalog though I think somewhat smaller.

Technorati is the king of blog listings — in addition to a simple listing you get statistics on who’s reading your blog, what they’re typing into search engines to find you, and who’s linking to you. They’ll also supply a searchbox for your blog if you like.

VerveEarth lists and sorts blogs by physical location — offering a map of sorts of the earth as expressed on the internet.

RingSurf gives a slightly different perspective on the blog directory — instead of simple categories it provides hosting for blog rings. These are groups of blogs on a similar topic. I’m a member of several, as you can see in the first sidebar to the right.

As with shop directories, there are a lot out there. Some are worth it and others less so. It’s just a matter of looking.

Once you’ve signed up to a directory, treat it the same way you do a shop directory listing — upload an avatar, write up a profile, post pictures if it allows you to. Use it every way you can to get the word out.

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Entering blog carnivals is another good way to get people looking at your blog — I talk more about them here, so I shan’t repeat much. Do note, though, that this is one of the advantages to doing those little personal posts from time to time — you’ll have a lot more fodder for carnivals.

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On a more personal level there’s your blogroll. This is a listing of blogs you like and read frequently. It’s useful for you — they’re all right there in one place. It’s also a way of getting those you list interested enough to take a look at your blog — and perhaps put it in their blogroll in return. Remember the unspoken contract I mentioned in my first post on blogging? This is another part of it. You list me, I’ll list you, we both benefit.

Chances are you’ll also wind up making some friends this way. I have — hi Ruthie, Mary, Jill! From a hard-headed business perspective these are all great potential customers, and from a personal perspective it’s great to have friends who understand what you’re doing because they do something similar.

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Even more personal are comments. Once people are reading your blog, they’re going to start commenting. This is great! The first comment someone leaves on your blog will feel almost as good as the first sale you make. People are reading, and they’re finding something they care enough about to take the time to comment.

Take a moment to savour the feeling. Then, reply.

Every comment left in your blog should get some sort of reply. The people who comment want to know you’ve read what they say just as much as you want to know they’re reading you. If a post gets a lot of comments it’s perfectly okay to reply to several of them in a group — but do reply.

If someone comments in your blog for the first time, thank them for reading. If they leave a link to their blog, follow it back, and if you see something there you want to comment on, do it! It’s entirely possible you’ll find a friend.

Encourage discussion between your commenters. If people start to disagree and it looks to get ugly, ask them politely to agree to disagree, or take it elsewhere. You don’t need controversy in your shop blog any more than you need a couple of people in a shouting match in your booth.

Speaking of commenting and blogrolls, check the blogs in your blogroll every once in a while. I try to do this once a week and usually fail — many people manage to do it daily. Comment anywhere you find something interesting. Check out their blogrolls to find other blogs of interest, and comment there too.

That said, don’t just comment with ‘Great post!’ and your blog address. Write something with some substance. If you’re blatantly commenting just to get people to look, it’ll backfire.

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Looks like this is about long enough for the day — in my next post I’ll continue to talk about promoting your blog, using features, interviews, and reviews.

Promoting Tips & Tricks Part V: Blogging

Last time I covered newsletters and talked about how they differ from blogs. This time, I’ll go over starting and designing a blog.

Unlike your newsletter, which should be short and focussed, your blog gives you a lot more leeway to play. Post often, around once a day if you can, to keep people interested. Pictures and HTML formatting are fair game and in fact pretty important — a good picture will catch the eye and get people looking. I try not to post without using at least one picture (though I don’t always manage it).

Your first decision is where to host your blog. There are a lot of free blogging sites available. I have blogs on both Blogger and WordPress, and I find them both easy to use. I’ve also read blogs hosted on TypePad and SquareSpace, and there are a number of other such free hosts.

If you have your own web site, you can also host a blog there. I haven’t tried this so I don’t know a lot about how it’s done.

Pick a host you like and are comfortable with using. Get to know its ins and outs — yes, I’m talking about reading the directions again. Play with layout and such until you have at least some idea of what you’re doing.

Write up your profile with the same care you used in your shop profile — consciously or not people will judge you by it. Upload an avatar — use a good clear photo of yourself, or a picture of some of your products, or perhaps your shop logo. Make sure it’s a good high quality image.

Choose a name for your blog that reflects what you’re going to be saying there. A lot of people just use the name of their business as the name of their blog; others choose something else that echoes the feel of their shop.

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Speaking of feel, think about the sort of blog you want to have. Is it going to be folksy and friendly? Will you write frequent but very short articles on very focused topics? How about long, rambling ones that go from one topic to the next? Formal, informal, colloquial, erudite?

Do you post strictly about your shop, or do you talk about other indie sellers as well? News about the indie craft movement in general? Do you post personal things as well as those strictly business-related articles? Will you post in celebration of a big sale or about the snowstorm that’s had you snowed in the last few days?

Whatever you decide on, your blog should be consistent enough that your readers feel comfortable being there. Like a visit to an old friend’s home they want to know what to expect. It’s your blog — but you’ve opened it to welcome in your readers and you do want to help them feel welcome. Therefore it’s best to create a feel for your blog and stick with it.

Which isn’t to say that you have to decide all of this before you’ve posted a thing. Take some time to find out what feels comfortable to you — you spend more time there than anyone else and you have to feel at home. It may take several posts, a few weeks, even a couple of months before you start finding your voice. And it will always evolve over time.

Don’t worry if you don’t feel that your writing skills are up to much, either. The best thing you can do to improve your writing is keep writing. I could go on on this topic — perhaps I already have — but others have covered it far better than I could.

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The ‘feel and mood’ thing applies to the look of your blog as well. Your blog should be well laid out and easy to navigate, but in addition you’ll want to find a look that complements your writing style. Dark and dramatic? Bright and cheery? Simple? Cluttered and friendly? Here are a few examples of how the look of your blog can complement the feel:

Timothy Adam Designs uses a simple grey background; the colour is reminiscent of the metal he uses to make his jewelry. He has a lot of things in his sidebars but the way he uses the orange titles makes each element stand out while at the same time pulling the whole design together.

La Chapina Huipil Crafts has a clean, simple style which emphasizes the photos of the Guatemalan huipils she uses.

Miss Knits’ site is cozy and friendly, a calming pair of browns as the background with the delicate tracery of foliage to the left. There’s a lot in her sidebar but she keeps it well-confined to the right side.

Paper Girl Productions, like its proprietress, is bright, cheery and cute. The theme and feel is a nice complement to her unique stuffed animals.

Feel free to experiment for a while before you settle on a feel and a look for your blog. (As you can see I’ve been inspired to rearrange mine…again.) And there’s nothing wrong with the occasional complete overhaul, either.

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But what to write about? That’s part of the ‘mood and feel’ decisions you made above (or not). Things every shop blog should include:

* New products — this is often the fastest way for people to find out you’ve introduced something new. Tell your customers what it is (again, you can crib from your item descriptions). Tell them what inspired you to make it. Link to it, so they don’t have to go looking for your shop. And include pictures!

* Sales and specials — what’s on sale, what the discount is, why you’re having the sale, a coupon code if appropriate. Add a link to your shop, so anyone who’s just stumbled by can find it easily. Include a picture or two of what’s on sale.

* Upcoming shows — where, when, who else will be there, what else there is to do, any entrance fee, hours, directions, a map, a link to the show’s website if any. If the show has a logo, put that in. With a link to the show’s website. If they don’t, put in a picture of your booth. Or a kitten.

* Competitions, challenges, and contests you’ve entered (especially if your readers can vote in it). Include a link to the competition and a picture of what you’ve entered.

* Pointers to any blog or webzine where you’ve been featured, reviewed or interviewed. Include a quote from the interview or feature, but not the whole thing. This is part of an unspoken deal between you and whoever interviewed or featured you — you get the exposure of being featured or interviewed, but in return they should get the exposure of being mentioned in your blog. Include a link, and maybe a screenshot of the feature or a picture of what they talked about.

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You may be seeing a theme here. Include pictures. Blocks of plain text make people’s eyes go unfocused, and then they go away. Pictures catch attention.

I bet you looked at the picture above before you read the couple of paragraphs before it. Am I right?

Hold your mouse over it (or click on it if you like). It’s got a link to my shop. Any time you include a picture of one of your items, make it link to your shop. It’s a little more work, but it’s worth it.

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Some other things you may wish to write about:

* Features, interviews, and reviews of other people’s stuff. Remember that unspoken contract above? They get exposed to your readers, you get exposed to their readers, everyone benefits. Include pictures of their products, and make sure every one of them links to their shop. Include a link to their blog if they have one.

* Informative articles. This series is a good example; so’s the article I posted a while ago about why you don’t want to put arnica in the bathtub. Remember that great piece you put in your newsletter six months ago about how to turn an old t-shirt into a shopping bag? Repost it here. Complete with step-by-step instructions and pictures.

* Personal posts. Anything from ‘I’ll be on vacation for the next week so any orders will be sent out the week afterwards’ to my ongoing posts about my cats. You should be careful not to let these overwhelm your business-related posts (I probably should do fewer kitten posts, but I can’t resist) but a certain amount will help your customers feel a connection to you as opposed to just your business. Also, pictures.

There’s a fine line with personal posts, though. Too many and you’re just another personal blog. Griping about how bad business is — or worse, complaining about the awful customer you just dealt with — is likely to alienate your readers (and what if the awful customer sees it?). More on this below.

* Pointers to contests, sales, or special events someone else is holding — especially if that someone else is a friend or business associate who may wind up returning the favour.

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Some things that you should probably not post about, or if you do, it’s best to be cautious:

* Politics

* Awful customers

* How bad sales have been

* Anything else that’s likely to be controversial

I’ll bet you grumbled when you read that last one. I did, too. I’ll write about what I want, you’re thinking, and be damned to anyone who’s offended!

My advice? Keep it to your personal blog. Remember that your blog — indeed, anything public that’s connected to your business — is your workplace. If you wouldn’t say it to a customer in your booth, don’t say it in your blog.

And believe me, I do let loose in my personal blog.

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So — look, feel, mood. Make a space where you feel comfortable talking and others will feel welcome to stay a while. Take advantage of your avatar, your profile, and your sidebars to help convey what you want to. Post often, post things that people will enjoy reading. Use pictures to illustrate your point and get people looking. Your blog is an extension of your shop, and it’s just as important to make it look and sound good.

Next up, you’ve got a blog. Now you need people to read it.

Monday Morning Blog Carnival Roundup

Time for a listing of blog carnivals!

A Wonderful Weekend appeared in Carnival of the Cats (hosted this week at Counting Cats in Zanzibar) and in Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos (hosted this week at House of the (mostly) Black Cats).

And another oldie but goodie — Green & Clean appeared in Cirque du Vert and in All Things Eco Blog Carnival.

Always looking for more carnivals to join! And do check out the ones I’ve listed — there’s a lot of good stuff to read.

You like me, you really like me!

I’ve been given a blog award!

Thanks to Ruthie of Rose Works Jewelry for nominating me. :) Funnily enough, I could almost quote her in my acceptance — I haven’t had a lot of time to blog recently, either. I’m hoping to work on that and perhaps this will help me out!

As the rules go:

1) Add the logo of the award to your blog
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs

I would like to nominate:

1) Big Damn Crafters, a blog (and Etsy Street Team) for those who love the sadly-cancelled show Firefly. Among other things, the blog sets out a monthly challenge for crafters, and publishes those who’ve answered the call.

2) Jill at the Creative Cafe. The Creative Cafe itself is a nonprofit supporting people with disabilities — and also provides a place for people like me to sell our wares. Jill herself has been blogging about disability issues and also about moving house.

3) Archeress Arts. Kayleigh’s an old SCA friend of mine and also a crafter — she makes lovely lovely jewelry. I have a few pieces of hers; they’re entirely different from anything I make! She’s also the lady who recommended Etsy to me in the first place, and thus I owe her a lot.

4) La Chapina Huipil Crafts. I found this blog recently and it’s already one of my favourites. A huipil is a handwoven blouse, often brightly coloured and patterned; traditional women’s wear in Guatemala. Erin buys used huipils and remakes them into everything from dolls to wall hangings — beautiful work.

5) Now Entering Momville, one of the best contest blogs out there and also an ongoing tale of what it’s like to be a mom.

6) Balmbastic, reviewing lip balms and all sorts of body products with flair, wit, and devastation honestly. Coincidentally enough they just reviewed the bath salts sample I sent them a while ago (check it out here) and now I know I need to add a little more scent to my Awakening Blend salts. Well, that’s what critique is for, and I got a positive review out of them anyway.

7) You’ve seen her any number of times in this blog — Dani of Sweet Tarragon. I should mention her partner Mer as well; I don’t tend to, having only met her once, but the pair of them do more than any five of me could in a given week.

Thank you, Ruthie, and I’m glad to pass this along!

Blog Carnivals!

A blog carnival is, in someone else’s words,

A Blog Carnival is a particular kind of blog community. There are many kinds of blogs, and they contain articles on many kinds of topics. Blog Carnivals typically collect together links pointing to blog articles on a particular topic. A Blog Carnival is like a magazine. It has a title, a topic, editors, contributors, and an audience. Editions of the carnival typically come out on a regular basis (e.g. every monday, or on the first of the month). Each edition is a special blog article that consists of links to all the contributions that have been submitted, often with the editors opinions or remarks.

I’ve been haunting Blogcarnival.com for a bit now, reading collections of tales on everything from cats to working at home; I figured it was about time to contribute a little, as well as just reading, so I paged through their list of active carnivals to find a few to submit things to. And I found a whole bunch!

Already I’ve been included in a couple of carnivals. My recent post Two Days Later — a collection of photos celebrating my cats, and a bit of healing after losing Taltos — was accepted to two cat-filled carnivals:

Bad Kitty Cats Chaos Festival (hosted this week at Pet’s Garden Blog)

Carnival of the Cats (hosted this week at A Crystals and Jewelry Adventure)

I also dug out an oldie but goodie for Carnival of Embarrassing Stories (hosted at Because Emily Says So who follows the carnival up with a few stories of her own).

I’ve been having a blast reading other blog posts links from each of these carnivals — many, many pictures of adorable cats, plus a few tales of being semi-naked and occasionally soapy in hotels. I highly recommend this as a form of amusement, and if you’re at all literary yourself, I urge you to try it out!