The biggest secret about blogging isn't really a secret at all. It's that you need good content in order to attract readers and patrons to your blog. Everything else that I wrote about in today's Art Marketing Action newsletter is secondary.
Content rules.
Think about this: Why do you visit certain websites and blogs over and over again? It's usually to be informed or entertained. Are you doing that for your readers? Here are some tips for evaluating other blogs to see what is making them tick.
Blog often enough to keep up the interest. I think you need to post at least 3 times a week.
In addition to the tips I gave in the newsletter, look at what you're blogging about. Is it material you'd like to read? Do you mention other blogs and items of interest to your audience?
7 thoughts on “Content rules on artist blogs”
Great list and probably true but I’m going to take issue with the “make the title interesting” anyways because after over 2 years of blogging (daily for a long time, 2 blogs for a long time) interesting titles without the formulaic number (10 great ways to….7 reasons to…5 things your must) make me a little nuts. I have gone through periods when I thought I’d really make my blog sing – then it gets to be work – then I don’t love it anymore. I want to love my blog – it makes me want to post. I don’t want it to be work. I want it to be a friendly chat with all the great folks I’ve come to know on the web…and maybe that’s the content you’re talking about. yes?
I agree with Tammy, though I read her blog for the content, not necessarily the titles! I find I title my posts after I’ve written them, as a way to sum up, and hopefully add more interest. I’ll have to look into that name in the header idea…I love my ‘Artventuring’ blog title, and calling myself an ‘Artventuress’ is very cool…wouldn’t want to give that up!
p.s. I went back and checked the name suggestion…mine is always in the description by the opening picture but not in the title so I changed it…on the way to figuring that out I managed to delete all my side bar info. On the way to fixing that I somehow got rid of my website reference. 2 hours later I finally managed to get my name in the title and the rest all back together with a bit of cleaning – but not too much lest I do it all over again. Have I mentioned that I don’t have a really good grasp on the technical end of blogging? (thank goodness for Typepad! they make is SO easy!)
Tammy: I’m just suggesting that titles could help some people. But the content below the title is truly what counts. My titles aren’t too nifty. I prefer the “get to the point” titles.
Alyson, I took your advice (which you had given me after appearing on my blog for the “I’d Rather Be in the Studio” blog tour.) I added “Christine DeCamp’s Blog of Art and Life” to my original title “Passion for Painting”. It seems like a bit much, but it does get my name in there. I need to do a lot more work on my blog, but I have too many things going on right now, so it’s baby steps. Christine
i am finding that after almost 2 years of blogging and reading blogs that i have very definite likes and dislikes in the blogs that i read. i don’t read blogs that pontificate on art history or go on and on and on about personal issues of people in the studio, etc. and yet i do read blogs that have pithy things to say about art history and blogs that are funny or thoughtful about personal issues in the studio, etc. i like blog entries to be engaging and/or informative and love to see sketches, ongoing work, etc. i rarely click on links. on my own blog i consistently have over 50 readers a day, which considering i almost never link to anyone is pretty good for me and a few times a week i get over a hundred. my blog has evolved and not done for business purposes at this point though it does bring me business on occasion. Blog content is so variable and the reasons people read blogs is equally variable. i find that i’m bored with what used to be some of my favorite blogs–that they have become too self=promotional and i’m tired of being sold to all the time. it’s a thin and interesting line of balance we walk out there….
Alyson- Thanks for your newsletters and blogs! They are full of good info, good reminders, and best of all, good examples of putting your principles to work. However, there is one aspect that I am most unclear, unsure about, and that is in regards to leaving my “footprint” all over the Internet. I am not sure where to begin! I’ve done Google searches on “best art blogs” and similar, but there is such a load of options, I don’t know where is the best place to read and post a response. And do I just close my post with my name and website? Shifting gears from visiting blogs to my own… Following your book, I’ve started my own blog (http://timothychambers.blogspot.com/), which I’m also trying to ascertain how to “go different directions” in terms of content. I.e. if I’m discussing paintings, what’s my method going to be to shift to the subject of art marketing? I noticed that you have a list of categories on the side of your blog…how is this done? Are these older blogs that your move from your main blog page to their own category pages? Can you offer some specific instruction on these topics? Sincerely, Tim Chambers — Chambers Studio- Fine Art from the Heart http://www.timothychambers.com