Blog Smart
[by Judy Herrmann]
In the past few months, I’ve worked with a number of photographers who are struggling with their blogs. Their technology is fine – they’ve been successfully managing their blogs for several years and have worked out the kinks. They post regularly and have a rhythm down. Their site analytics reveal lots of unique visitors who leave lots of nice comments. Their blogs are perfect in every way except one.
The community they’ve spent all this time cultivating will probably never spend a dime supporting their families. Why? Because instead of posting information of interest to the client side, they’ve focused on what interests them. As a result, they’ve built a strong, vibrant community ofŠcompetitors.
Now, I’m not saying that everything you do has to be rooted in a profit motive. If the compensation you’re getting takes another form (like giving you a platform to push yourself creatively) that still counts. These photographers would tell you, though, that after awhile the novelty wears thin and as much as they’ve enjoyed the ego strokes, the effort they’ve put into building this community has used up a lot of time, energy and elbow grease that could have been tapped more profitably.
In times like these, few of us can afford the luxury of investing time or money in places where the return on investment is low to none. These photographers now have a tough choice to make. They can come up with a way to generate income from the community they’ve built or start over and focus on building a new community of people who’ll pay cash money for what they already sell. Either way, they’ve got a lot more time to invest before they’ll see much return.
If you’re gonna blog, blog smart. Make your blog interesting and useful to the people who need what you sell. Show them your value. Show them how you can help them. If doing this consistently seems overwhelming, consider guest blogging as a way of reaching the right audience. As these photographers have learned, blogs can be a powerful marketing tool but that marketing doesn’t help you much unless it’s reaching the right people.Blgo
6 Responses to 'Blog Smart'
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Interesting, Judy.
I started a blog in 2005, a knitting blog (go ahead & snicker). It was a way to connect with knitters so I’d stop boring my loved ones and to learn blog skills: a little html, conversational writing, netiquette. All good. I never intended cross over into my professional work, I felt a little nerdy & embarrassed by it.
Almost 5 years later, I realize it was my best marketing effort ever. The blog positioned me as recognizable in the crafting world when I had a book proposal in to a publisher in that industry. When clients inevitably find the blog, they like it and even pass it on. I still feel a little cringey about that, but if it brings in work..then OK!
So moral of the story- blogging good, special interest blogging very good, photo blogging–not so much. Go look if you must http://ezisus.blogspot.com/
Excellent points. It’s important to think about your target market if you wish to blog for profit.
I think many of the same photographers might be surprised at the influence their blog has had indirectly.
Kinda like getting your name in the newspaper. You may not have receive jobs directly from it. But, it is part of the whole of a photographers branding, name recognition and marketing plan.
Rosh
I am just starting to build my business and struggle with blogging a lot. While an ego boost is always nice, I would rather provide potential clients with a means of seeing my work and a reason to return. Do you have any examples of well marketed blogs?
Okay, nice way to warm up. Now how about some specifics?
Blog smart? Show me.
Ways to generate income? Show me.
Show your value? Show how you can help? Show me.
Hi there -
Can’t figure out what’s going on with the system but it hasn’t let me post comments for the past 2 days. It also rejects a post that’s identical to one that I’ve already tried to post so I’m having to rewrite each time. I’m going to break my recommended links into two posts in the hopes that it won’t decide this is a repost. Here goes…
The following people are using blogs in innovative and intelligent ways to support their career goals. I hope you’ll be inspired to look at what they’re doing and figure out something equally smart and creative that will make you blog just as sticky and effective. Here are the first 4 (in random order):
http://tv.winelibrary.com/
http://www.20×200.com/blog/
http://www.davidairey.com/
http://fearlessstories.com/blog/
-Judy
OMG it worked. Ok here are another 4 blogs worth looking at:
http://www.aphotoeditor.com/
http://accidentalcreative.com/blog
http://www.briansolis.com/
http://www.brandflakesforbreakfast.com/
Note: none of these blogs are about photography as I think it’s too tempting to view what another photographer’s doing as some kind of formula. Instead, you have to think about what you can do that no one else is doing and that will achieve your goals. To do that, you also have to know what your goals are.
For ways to generate income from blogs, check out:
http://www.problogger.net/blog/
You’ll find the posts from today and yesterday (10/15/2009 and 10/14/2009) relevant. You might also find this older post informative:
http://www.problogger.net/archives/2008/09/22/10-innovative-blog-business-models/
Hope this helps!
-Judy