Weddingbee PRO

I’ve been meeting a lot of wedding vendors lately, and they often tell me that they want to blog but don’t know how or what to blog about, or are having trouble finding their “voice”.  I’m working sick from the sofa today so this may not be the best post, but here are some of my tips on finding your voice and becoming a better business blogger! 

1) Blog, blog, and then blog some more.  If you’re understandably uncomfortable launching a public blog having never blogged before, start a private business blog or even a personal blog, and write in it regularly.  This is a great way to practice blogging and hone your voice.  Getting good at blogging is all about practice.  I’ve maintained a regular personal blog for over 6 years and if I go back and read some of my initial posts, I cringe because they’re so bad (they’ve long since been privatized ).  But I blogged every day, I read other blogs every day, I commented on blogs every day and eventually I became a lot better.  I’m not the best writer in the world, but when it comes to blogging you don’t need to be! 

Once you’ve been writing for awhile, ask a couple of trusted friends or family members, or better yet a fellow blogger, to give you honest feedback on your blog — what do they like or dislike, what would they like to see more or less of.

The more you blog, the more you blog because you’ll start to see the world through the eyes of a blogger.  Anything can inspire you as a potential blog post, and you’ll find yourself constantly thinking to yourself, “That would make a great post!” 

2) Read other popular blogs.  What makes them popular?  What are their readers responding to? For example, Weddingbee focuses on real brides planning their weddings, Style Me Pretty focuses on editorial features of real weddings, and Snippet and Ink focuses on Inspiration Boards.  We’re all wedding blogs, but we all have a different focus, voice, and aesthetic.

When it comes to your blog, try to have a perspective that people are interested in hearing about.  Try different things to see if they work.  Oh and a nice design goes a very long way.

3) Be careful of tone.  Blogs utilize a more personal tone, even when it comes to business blogs, and I think they’re very different from the editorial expert tone that magazines typically use.  Because vendors are considered “experts”, I often see them unintentionally talking down to their audience or being overly advice-y.  Take this totally fake sentence for instance, “Candy buffets are so last year; incorporate a popcorn buffet into your reception instead.” 

I think being super conscious of tone has helped Weddingbee maintain a very friendly community over the years. What I always do when I’m editing a post is ask myself, “Is this annoying in any way?”  Sometimes I even get a second opinion from Mr. Bee or Mrs. Penguin.  It’s usually not the content that’s objectionable, but rather the tone and the way something is said.  Blog readers are very savvy — they pick up on tone nuances, and how you word something has a huge impact on the response your post will get.

Another trick when it comes to tone is to avoid using caps, because it feels like you’re shouting at the reader.

4) Blog about things other than your business.  I often see vendors only write posts that feature their products.  I don’t think many readers are going to regularly visit your blog to read about the latest necklace or favor you’ve added to your store – they’re looking for inspiration and interesting perspectives.  It’s certainly fine to blog about your products from time to time, but when that’s the sole focus of your blog, it’s going to be very difficult to attract new and regular readers. 

Now most photography blogs tend to stick to the formula of providing a short description and then posting lots of pictures.  This certainly works, especially if you’re a popular or talented photographer.  But I think most blogs can be taken to the next level, and who doesn’t want a better blog?

5) Share behind the scenes information.  Things that may seem mundane to you can be fascinating to readers!   Talk about the process of creating an invitation. Show the before and after of editing a photograph.  Document the beginning, middle and end product of a centerpiece.  These kind of things may be second nature to you, but it’s an interesting glimpse into your world for the average person.

6) Share a personal story.  I’ve been receiving a lot of guest posts from vendors that are basically tips laid out as a blog post.  There is nothing in the post that lets me know that a particular person wrote that post.  For instance, if you’re a wedding planner and have seen bathroom baskets save many a day, share a story instead of just telling people that a bathroom basket is a must.  A personal story is something that is completely unique to you, and it gives your posts that little extra something.

I’ll share more as I think of them.  If you have any great blogging tips, please share them below!