Day 3 – Why Blogs Will Build Your Customer Base
I just wanted to THANK YOU for all of the comments in the last two days. Because of them, I’ve changed the material for Day 5. I can’t spoil the surprise… but I’m certain that you’ll love it. It might be the best I’ve created content all week. I think that just goes to show how powerful commenting can be… So if you like this content (or even if you hate it), I want to know. Even if there are 200 comments ahead of yours, I promise I’ll be reading each one. Thanks for your support.
Today we’re talking about blogs. A lot of people seem to have a misconception about blogs. They think it’s simply an ‘online journal.’ Well, that is entirely NOT the case. A blog is a marketing tool that you can use to build a relationship with your customers (or to connect with potential customers.)
Let’s talk about why you should be blogging… If you look at the benefits of blogging, it’s really three fold. One, it allows you to build deeper relationships with existing customers. Two, it allows you to meet new people who might be interested in your products. Three, blogs give some soft benefits that can indirectly affect your bottom line (which I’ll explain later.)
So how do blogs help you build relationships with customers? First of all, blogs humanize you. They make you seem like a real person. And people like to interact with humans…. not companies. This is why you want your blog to dive a little bit into your personal life. Nothing too deep, but just enough that it allows people to connect with you on a personal level.
Blogging also allows you to meet new prospects. This is because a lot of people who read blogs have their own blog. If you go around to other blogs and leave comments on them, they’ll be curious about who you are… They’ll click your link and check out your blog.
This is VERY IMPORTANT. Notice that I said, “They’ll check out your BLOG.” I didn’t say, “They’ll check out your Etsy shop.”
When you leave a link from a comment to your Etsy shop, it’s like you’re trying to sell someone something. People instantly become turned off. If you leave a link to your blog, they might become intrigued. There’s nothing to buy… it’s simply the content you’ve been writing about.
In the last scenario, someone clicked on your Etsy shop and automatically left. But when you direct them to your blog, you might get people who subscribe to it via RSS. And if they do that… then you have the foundation for a relationship which can grow over time.
There are also some soft benefits with blogging… Such as, the more often you blog, the more “Google juice” you’ll get. So if someone searches for your name or your products, you might rise to the top. It also allows you to establish a brand around your products. What you write about can fit in with the brand you want your products and Etsy shop to convey.
The benefits of blogging are numerous… The question I ALWAYS get is, “Well what am I supposed to blog about?”
That question always reminds me of something my friend told me that I’ll never forget… He told me that, “People buy things from people they learn from.” The example he mentioned was that he wanted to learn how to cook. So he went to Barnes and Noble to buy a cookbook. When he got there, he was overwhelmed with options… He ended up picking out a book that was written by a guy he had watched on the Food Network. The only reason he bought that book was because he had learned from him in the past.
So what does this mean for you?
Well… let’s say you create t-shirts. Some of the things you blog about should be about the process you go through of designing your t-shirts. Things like: why you chose blue and black instead of two other colors you were deciding on. Or why you chose one type of material over another. When you blog in detail about things like this, people look to you as the expert on the topic. (And what did we learn yesterday about Authority?) The point is… when you blog about the process of creating whatever it is that you create, people will begin to see how passionate you are about your work and how much attention you pay to detail. That gives them confidence when buying from you.
Another tip is to blog about something that you are passionate about. It’s really hard to consistently come up with content to publish. And if you’re not passionate about the topic, there’s no way it’ll happen.
Also, you need to understand that building a following on your blog takes time. I have been blogging for over 2 years in the handmade scene. I recently just hit the 500,000+ page view and 300,000+ visitor mark for all my combined blogs. That is a lot of hours that I’ve spent reading, writing, and commenting on other blogs.
Before you get started with the next part of today’s lesson, check out these three blogs:
Grace Designs Photography (my wife’s blog)
Although these three blogs look very different, they are all built on the Blogger platform. Notice the differences and the how each one fits a specific need.
Let’s talk a little bit about three tips for getting started blogging.
1. Be Consistent:
We can talk about all the ways to gain more traffic to your blog , but if you are not consistently writing 3-5 times per week, your readers are going to lose interest. You can not publish a post 2 days in a row and skip a week…your readers are looking for your posts and are interested in what you have to say and offer. Think about the blogs you read. If they stop writing for a week, how fast would you drop them from your list? At the end of the day, your blog will only reach mediocre success if you aren’t committed to keeping it updated.
The number of handmade blogs is growing at an insane pace, so you have to stand out!
The top 3 topics I write about that bring in the most traffic are…. Tips and how tos, Scheduled events, my day to day life.
1. Tips and How Tos:
If you can create rich media how tos then go for it… By rich media I mean videos, screen shots, podcasts, anything that will help your readers under stand what you are trying to convey better.
You are all familiar with screen shot how tos. Screen shots are so helpful!
Here is an example of how I blogged about a Tile Pendant Tutorial. It basically showed people the step by step process I used to create these pendants.
2. Scheduled Events:Another way to keep your readers reading your blog is to hold scheduled events. I have been holding the Etsy Top 10 Monday on my blog since September 08. Not only do my readers expect this to happen every week, but now they look forward to it.
You can see that I am asking my readers to engage in commenting on my blog and on the Etsy forums. This helps build your Social Proof on your blog. When a reader sees loads of comments they wonder why everyone is talking about and they will be more likely to chime in. Another benefit of this is when I have readers post on the Etsy forums, it keeps the thread near the top of the forum section (which sends more visitors to my blog.)
3. My everyday Life:
I know I always talk about promoting your Etsy shop on your blog… but I do like to through in a bit of my everyday life. It makes you seem human and gives your readers a chance to connect with you on a deeper level.
Believe it or not, one of the most commented posts on my blog was a picture of my dog!
(Who can blame them though? She’s adorable. 
)
2. Blog design
After you decide what your first post will be, you will need to focus on your blog design. The design of your blog is very important… not only do you have to like it… your readers have to like it too.
Since we have been talking about Blogger here are a few shots of some great Etsy Blogger blogs:
Here you will see one of my blogs set up on a the Blogger platform….
Notice the etsy mini , the newsletter, and blogger follow widget.
3. Give your readers a place to subscribe…
There are three ways to accomplish this: RSS feed, Blogger Follow, and a newsletter.
RSS Feed
Your readers can subscribe to your RSS feed and have it emailed directly to them every time you post an update.
RSS (abbreviation for Really Simple Syndication) is a family of Web feed formats used to publish frequently
updated works-such as blog entries, news headlines, audio, and video-in a standardized format.[2] An
RSS document (which is called a “feed”, “web feed”,[3] or “channel”) includes full or summarized text, plus
metadata such as publishing dates and authorship. Web feeds benefit publishers by letting them syndicate
content automatically. They benefit readers who want to subscribe to timely updates from favored websites
or to aggregate feeds from many sites into one place.
I like to use FeedBurner for my rss feed. It has loads of great stats and features.. and it is free!
DID You Know?Did you know that your Etsy shop has a RSS feed? You can promote this to your buyers, so they can get notified when you update your shop.
Blogger Follow widget….
Blogger has a built in follow widget that you can add to the side of your blog so your readers can follow your blog and get updates on their dashboard.
Newsletter:
With a newsletter you can keep your subscribers in the loop and direct them where ever you want… to your blog, etsy shop, or Facebook Fan Page (now that you have one 
)
My newsletter for my blog has incresed my traffic 1000%… maybe not that much, but you get the idea. More traffic to my blog has increased my sales on Etsy directly. With the use of the Etsy mini and direct links to my items, my blog is only my number one traffic reffer to my Etsy shop.
Here is a screen shot of my blog showing you where my following tools are… easy to find for any reader.
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I really hope you see the power of a blog. Mine has been the number one source for me to connect with my customers and readers.
Just understand that it is a very slow (and sometimes frustrating) process. You won’t get readers overnight. But if you commit to putting in the work… I promise you that it’ll be worth every hour spent.
Blogs are tricky because there is so much to learn about them. They aren’t like regular social networking sites… Blogs are a whole new ballgame because they require you to continually produce content, which is really hard to do. If you’re ready to commit to building your blog, connecting with your customers and driving a whole bunch of traffic to your Etsy shop, check out the Handmadeology University Guide to Blogging. It might be just what you’re looking for to take your blog to the next level.
84 Responses to “Day 3 – Why Blogs Will Build Your Customer Base”
Leave a Reply
Angie
01. Dec, 2009
Thought today’s lesson was really helpful, I’ve had a blog and got to about 25 subscribed readers and already had feedburner set up to check stats and whatnot, but I struggled with content. Well, moreso I struggled with content I liked posting about. I tried to do what other successful bloggers I liked did, but I don’t have the energy with my full time job and Etsy shop and twitter and facebook being so easy to update, blogging always seemed like a chore. So a few months ago, I gave up, put a post up on my blog saying I was taking a break because I was in the middle of a move to a new apt and a move to a new full time job, and I needed the time to do other things…I’m not sure what happened, but I started to realize how nice it was not to worry about getting a blog post up. My interest in it just fizzled out, and I am still having trouble getting that bug back to get writing. I think now that I just need to work on my content, and this post helped me think about it in a different way, so I want to thank you for that. ^_^
but I just wanted to let you know that I never received the 2nd lesson in my email, I just got the first one the first day and this one 2 days later. Wondering if there’s a way I can still get to that one? I don’t want to miss anything! All of your stuff has been so helpful!
Thanks in advance.
-Angie
Elle
22. Nov, 2009
I think today’s information was much more detailed and helpful than yesterday’s information – at least for me since I’ve been using Facebook since it was first developed. The only things I find lacking in the information provided here are:
1. Detail about the newsletter: You say that it brings you a lot of followers but don’t really let us know how to set that up on our blogs or what we should put in it.
2. Information on how to get the best blog design: I already understand the importance of great blog design. However, I have had significant problems and have had to revert back to a blogger.com template twice because of free templates. I do not have the HTML knowledge to create my own nor do I have the funds right now to pay someone to do it for me since I am broke trying to run this business. Where can we find templates that work well for those of us doing handmade business?
Patty
18. Nov, 2009
Great info, Tim. I would like to understand better how people like your wife are able to get such a website-style look using blogger. I’m just using the standard blogger templates and it looks like it.
Anne Marie
18. Nov, 2009
Hey Tim: Wonderful! I have a small question. Do you feel that Blogger has an advantage over self-hosted wordpress blogs?
Thanks so much,
Anne Marie
Michelle Rose
10. Nov, 2009
Tim-
Another day of totally useful information! KUDOS! The first 2 days for me were things I already had in place, however creating a blog, that was second to last on my “To Do List”. After the information you provided today I am Fired up and Ready to get my blog up and running!!
Thank You!!
Mike Smarr
03. Nov, 2009
Again, another day packed full of info. Great breakdown! Can’t wait to learn more…
Dori
29. Oct, 2009
Thanks Tim, more fantastic stuff. I must admit I have been wondering what to blog on and this makes it so much clearer. Your wife is gorgeous and really talented, I love her photos (had to take a look).
Definitely considering a subscription to Handmadeology Uni now
Cassie
16. Oct, 2009
Tim, thanks so much! My biggest problem with blogging is def. consistency, but I am working on that and trying to keep my followers happy!
Here’s my blog!
http://www.sochicandvintage.blogspot.com
Yetunde Rodriguez
06. Aug, 2009
I must say, when I fell into your promotional page I was skeptical. I thought, ‘great, here’s another person trying to sell me something by giving me useless information’. Boy was I wrong! This information is timely, relevant and useful, and I thank you for all your work in putting this together. Ya got me, I will now gladly buy whatever other information you have.
Leslie
26. Jun, 2009
Tim, It’s amazing the amount of material you have presented in a single lesson. I must admit that I felt overwhelmed for a bit but by the end, it all fits together and makes sense. And your final advise will sit on a 3×5 card by my desktop. Thank you. L Campbell
Ensutstinty
12. Jun, 2009
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Sarah Rose Dircksen
20. May, 2009
Thank you Tim!
Once again, your information is leaving me inspired and motivated!
Cheers!
Sarah Rose Dircksen
http://www.sirenedelmare.etsy.com
Sunny
17. May, 2009
You sir are an inspiration. Thank you so much for helping me learn!
deanna
14. May, 2009
i am very impressed with your content – very time consuming though – i do etsy, blogger, facebook and twitter and i tried doing a newsletter – need a better, faster, cheaper way for a newsletter
gem here for me = rss feed on etsy – always saw it there but never realized just anyone could use it – thought i was out of the loop
great stuff here – on to day four now!!
thank you!
jenn
13. May, 2009
ok… day three’s task done. i started a blog a few days ago but didnt really understand why i needed it. now i get it… thanks duder!
Cyens
12. May, 2009
I was wondering, can you blog about other stuff you do? Like your hobbies as well and make tutorials about them? Because if I had to talk about one subject only I would have to kill my self holding a blog!!!
The problem my hobbies don’t match each other: home brewing ( beer, wine and mead ), lotion making, shampoo making, painting, drawing, knitting, gardening… and my job is making jewelry…
I hope you can answer my question…
Starlet
11. May, 2009
Really great post. I know that blog is a powerful tool, but you elaborated and articulated the concept very well. Thank you!
I’m wondering how much time you spend between keeping your blog alive and visiting as well as interacting with other bloggers.
Debbie Sweren
09. May, 2009
More really great info. Loved your wife’s blog and beautiful photographs too. Keep up the great work.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.
Denise McCoy
09. May, 2009
Of course, I am always inspired by the information you provide. Wow, I just wish I could stay at home and blog all day now. I am going to work hard to start blogging everyday.
Great Job Tim!
Kandio
07. May, 2009
Thanks Tim ,
Always excellent information to strive for more. Kandio
Liz
07. May, 2009
Like one of the others… I still have to figure out yesterdays info with the fan page on facebook – and have to work on that consistency issue with http://bittersweetdesignstudio.blogspot.com however, your tips are great Tim, thanks again! Liz
Dawn Uttke
06. May, 2009
thanks so much for taking the time to teach. I am learning tons
Victoria
06. May, 2009
Hello! Thanks so much! I feel like I am taking a course on “New Age Communicating”. Victoria
DiBA
06. May, 2009
Tim ..
Thanks, I have been a bit stuck on what the heck to do with my blog and now feel I have a bit of a direction. I’m still feeling over whelmed with the thought of facebook, twitter and a blog ..
First off – your wife’s work is FAB!!! I really enjoyed looking at it .. I love the wedding photo of the bridal party jumping and captured in mid air.
Ok now to your lesson
Laura Baillie
05. May, 2009
Great class today! I love the idea about adding substance to my blog. I have 15 followers today so I’m going to set my self some goals for next month following your tips and I’ll let you know how I get on. Thanks again
Carol Gomer
05. May, 2009
Thank you so much. I can’t wait to get started! Carol
Marisa Cappetta
05. May, 2009
Your tips on content are perfect. As a bead weaving teacher, I can impart knowledge as well as promote my work. Thank you.
Carla Trent
04. May, 2009
Tim,
I really enjoyed today’s lesson it was awesome! I’m really learning a lot.
dulce vandyken
04. May, 2009
Tim thank you for all the great info.
Blogging is my weakest, But I will work on that.
Thank you.
Dulce
http://www.themonkeyshop.etsy.com
http://www.dulcescreations.etsy.com
Laurie LeBlanc-Rickaby
03. May, 2009
Tim, I am learning so much from you…and with every new piece of information is the realization that there is a lot more to learn then I would ever have been able to guess regarding selling online! Thanks for mentoring all of us!
Laurie
jacqueline
03. May, 2009
Tim, Words are not enough to express my appreciation for your knowledge, time, energy and care. I appreciate you taking me by the hand and answering so many questions.
Thank you
Jacqueline
Patricia Bucko
03. May, 2009
Once again, thank you Tim!
I need to read over all the lessons again +
print them out. WONDERFUL stuff!
Patricia
Linda Roberts
02. May, 2009
A few months ago I never would have ever thought about blogging – it was a foreign word. But once I started I saw the power of it and now I enjoy it a lot! Thanks for all your tips. I’m still trying to figure out how to utilize the whole screen on my blog. Right now I’m just using one of the templates. Maybe you can tackle that in a new lesson!?
Rosie Rowe
01. May, 2009
Tim… all you say makes a lot of sense and I’m doing a lot of that already! However, do you have any special tips for Wordpress users? They’re getting better at integrating social networking, etc. but the neatest tools always seem to be available on Blogger! Ah well… keep up the great work – your screenshots are awesome! =)