Welcome to the first Lemon and Raspberry week-long online workshop! Totally free. Totally on your own time schedule. Totally save-able for later examination and study.
(see some housekeeping business and behind the scenes tips before continuing)
Next week (with today as a bonus) is going to be all about what you can do to create better content for your small creative business blog.
But first, why are you here? Why is talking about blog content worthy of a week-long workshop?
In other words: Who cares!?
Here’s what I think, based on almost 5 years of blogging and even more years of reading blogs…
#2 If you write a blog, your content is the MOST IMPORTANT thing that you offer your readers.
Not your blog design.
Not your blog sponsors.
Not your rockstar status in your industry.
There isn’t any factor more influential than the content that you post on your blog every day.
This really cannot be overstated.
For the purposes of next week’s discussion on creating better blog content, let’s assume ‘content’ includes:
- Images – within blog posts, header, sidebar, avatar, etc
- Pages – About, press, contact, tutorials, etc
- Blog text – Your daily posts; from the headline to the sign-off; also includes any comments you make on your own site in response to others.
Every.Single.Thing. you type or post online counts as content.
Which is exactly why we need to think about how to create better blog content.
The best content for our readers.
I would LOVE for this next week going through Better Blog Content to be a spark for you all (WE as a group) to really START SOMETHING.
To actually TAKE the step we’ve been talking about. To set a goal and move toward it instead of just adding it to a ‘Goals’ List.
Comment with your COMMITMENT to create Better Blog Content.
If you would like emails from more of us to help keep you accountable and inspired, this is the place to ask for it.
If you want to verbalize a goal (‘I want my blog posts to be tweeted/retweeted by # people’ or ‘I want to include an image in every post’), this is the place to proclaim it.
And finally, if you have specific questions you’d like me to address, please leave them in the comments. I want you to get as much out of this mini online workshop as possible.
If you want to read more about the value and importance of great blog content, consider pre-ordering the L&R BBC Workbook.
This workbook is FULL of all the things we are going to talk about over the next week, PLUS some extra chapters, PLUS more resources, PLUS worksheets and homework for each topic. 50+ pages.
PLUS there is 40% discount if you pre-order the workbook in the next week!
The workbook will be released Monday October 11 at the close of the mini online workshop, but you can pre-order anytime before that – Visit this page for details.
An update already! Gabrielle got an email recently asking to feature her in a blog – likely based on reading her blog!
http://twitter.com/thegreengal/status/26081509627
I strive for great content, but I know I could always use some improvement. I’m looking forward to the discussion that stems from the #LRBBC posts.
[...] a site with tons of info and resources for creative small businesses. Starting today and continuing on Monday through Friday, Amy is holding a free online workshop on creating Better [...]
I want to find my voice and blog consistently.
“blogs that cover lots of different topics and then – stop the presses! – actually write a bit about said topics” is what sarah von of http://www.yesandyes.org/ writes about http://checksandspots.blogspot.com/
that’s something i strive for.
yes! Blogging consistently is SUCH a challenge – regardless of whatever you are blogging about or any other work you put into it.
What does ‘consistently’ mean to you?
Can you set a definite commitment? Every Monday? Every Mon-Wed-Friday? Something you can absolutely do (and then maybe build upon)?
tuesday/wednesday/friday?
(how do i add my picture to this so i’m not just a white blob?)
I’m not sure whether to buy this and I’ll tell you why. While I am a huge fan of yours
I do not have my blog to promote a business- small or otherwise. I use it to purge ideas and share thoughts. That being said, I’d love to have more followers. I get jealous of other bloggers who have hundreds of followers. My goal would be to get 100 followers.
I am going to go forward and pre-order but now you know where I’m coming from… I’m not promoting a business just wanting more followers.
Thanks Mim!
I think there are still a lot of principles that overlap between running a successful business blog and running a popular personal blog.
I think you’ll find a lot of takeaways from the workbook!
As we move along next week, be sure to ask any specific questions you have.
I’ll answer them here in the comments AND I’ll be putting them in the workbook when it’s available for download.
!!
-A
i started my blog at the beginning of this year and consider it an ongoing work of personal art. it was something i wanted to create for a long time, so i finally threw myself into it and decided to learn as i go.
‘the dew drop inn’ is not a small business blog at this time but a simply a personal one. however, i have dreams for it to grow and evolve.
the reason i am joining you for #LRBBC: because i want to work on my clarity of focus (big picture ideas) and my regular posting commitment (consistency).
plus i want to learn any other bloggy wisdom that you are generously sharing, amy!