I started my blog 18 months ago. I had no idea I could maintain a blog but I do love to waffle on. So surprise surprise it’s been really easy. My sage counsel: do not start a blog unless you can maintain it. So I started writing odd things here and there and won some awards in Australia and did some talks and December 2010 my stats were:
Dec 2010 4,938 visits 48965 hits and bandwidth 836MB
Wow 4,938 visits in ONE month.
I was elated, blogging was hard work but I enjoyed it. Then I went to a seminar and saw these statistics, and I based my blog on these rules.
Blog Etiquette
40% Knowledge
40% Positive Opinion
10% Personality
10% Self Promotion
Blog Twice a week
Following this etiquette and watching this substantial growth in marketing this side of my business has been fantastic. I held to the 2 per week rule which was hard.
Now let’s state the obvious. Knowledge is so people come back. If you don’t give stuff away for free don’t blog. No one is interested if you talk about yourself and don’t share anything. That includes showing 20 -100 images of a shoot. What are you doing, showing off? looking for validation? or educating other photographers for free?
40% Positive Opinion – no one wants to read whinging! I do throw in the odd RANT but that’s because Im passionate! ha and that’s my 10% personality. Actually my Passionate is like 98% of my Personality so I restrain myself for your reading pleasure. 10% Self Promotion. Aren’t you sick of the sell? LIKE my page LIKE my business be my friend on FB then buy this. Instead of sharing a discount, share what your doing with this product to make money. Stop trying to sell something and instead tell people WHY YOU LOVE IT AND CAN’T LIVE WITH OUT IT, show them instead how it can benefit them. Here is the clincher, blog 2 times per week. When you open someone’s blog and it hasn’t been updated for 8 months you don’t go back!
Dec 2011 77,565 visits 1,943511 hits and bandwidth 61GB
77,565 visits in Dec (no I didn’t publish nude photos of myself . . . Ahem. Cough. Would that help? He he) it has been constant growth and like anyone who gets excited about watching business grow it has been so great to track. Now take this recipe and apply it to ‘your’ client base. What do want to share? Who do you want to connect with? How can you bring business to your studio? And THE BIG QUESTION what is your R.O.I (return on investment) that would Be measurable by the product you sell and the bookings you take.
Ok so for one year I dedicated my Self to this blog etiquette. A term that all business people love to hear is EXPONENTIAL GROWTH that term, really makes me all goosey. I believe this is a great model that anyone can apply to any business. On that note I’m writing this blog for two amazing Woman Fiona who saw me on Pintrest, flew to Sydney to be shot by me and has a blog on Crafts that has nothing to do with Photography but is an a follower of my blog and is building hers on the same rules. And Janet who is starting a Blog and online Magazine for Women 50 plus. My only negative, I have been constantly criticized for my lack of punctuation and rolling sentences HA you know what . . . I apologise, but that is just another little quirk about me. I either do not talk or I talk to much. I love feedback/comments and I think of you all when I write my blog. I feel like I have thousands of new friends even though most of you stay anonymous, I love the community I have built around the blog. And when you read my blog inbedwithsue it’s because that’s where I usually write it. You really are in bed with me. I personally wouldn’t have it any other way. I welcome you all with love and friendship.
My 10% sell. If you want to buy a whole year of my blog 2011 with contents pages and titles so you can access it anytime. Here it is for only $25 Info, Marketing ideas, posing tips and silliness at your finger tips. You can of course sit on the computer and troll backwards thru the blog or you can have it on your iPad etc as a digital download PDF.
http://www.inbedwithsue.com/product-to-buy/#ecwid:category=0&mode=product&product=8969647
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That was a good read, I think this might be my first time reading your blog, and guess what, I will return! I think I can handle twice a week also!!
Hey Sue!!
Big Fan! How do we sign up for the year long course. When I click on the link it says it’s not up yet. I just won a workshop with creativeLIVE…would it be selfish to send in a video for you too!!?? What are the odds that two of my favorite photogs would be on creativeLIVE within weeks of each other. I love your work and your business model. Your retouching is flawless and I love how you bring a light essence to your images. All the best!
Not quite ready yet but very soon
Amen!
Encouragement and support from us all to get it done – I know you’ve said it’s hard sometimes, perfectionism kicks in and who knows what else (including work)…don’t sweat it, push past the obstacles, (especially mental) put a marker in the place to come back to if you’re really not happy with a topic of subject and your subconscious will work on it too as you sleep.
You absolutely have it in you, and it’s your vision matched with all that superb common sense of you and your team that carries the day. No one can take that away and rolling sentences make no difference to that at all. They just say: It’s Sue!
Great rules for blog etiquette! I love your blog – and your run on sentences make me feel like you’re talking to me
I haven’t been on in a while and just read a few of your last posts. Gems. Thank you for sharing so much of what you know so we can share in your passion and continue to be inspired!
You are a constant inspiration and I will be photographing newborns and pregnant women! I love reading what you blog. It’s real. Just like you!
Who cares about the punctuation and run on sentences! I love reading your blog (remember I got hauled over the coals for reading it at work?!) xx
Great recipe Sue. Thank you!
THANK YOU! I have been struggling with my photo-blog. I am going to try to follow those guidelines in 2012! I have THOROUGHLY enjoyed reading all of your blog posts…and the grammar oversights/mistakes don’t even bother me. I imagine it reads the way you speak…and I try to hear it with an aussie accent.
xoxo from Huntington Beach, CA
Great post Sue!!! Do u think these rules hold true for “blog-sites”? I do not have an official web site so I use my blog as such- for me it’s my only advertising tool to clients. Thanks as always!
would you consider adding a mobile plugin to your blog so I can read your blog in my bed on my phone? then I can really be in bed with sue!
I love how you always keep it real for us all! You are an inspiration! Thank you Sue!
Sue your posts always seem to come at the right time! I recently took my (stagnant) blog down ,but after getting in a great discussion on FB with fellow photogs I have decided I need to give it another try.I’ll try your formula and see how I go
Ooooh, so good and so hard to hear. I need to step up my blogging etiquette for sure! Thank you for the inspiration. AND…thank you for being so responsive to your readers questions/concerns/ideas/succcesses. You make us all feel like family.
What a wonderful resource for me to plunder at my leisure! I must admit I check your ‘creative boutique’ page at least weekly to see if it’s up and running yet;-) And, I’ve told my husband that ‘flying to Australia (from GB) to be shot by Sue is one of my ’50 before 50′; I have 3 years to fulfil this particular dream! Keep up the amazing work Sue
maz xx
Hey! I know that Fiona chick that came to Sydney! She is SOOO glad she did!
Hi, I just found your blog – great pictures! You’re working on quite other topics than me (I am a german writer, journalist and photographer), but I’ve no doubt, that your pictures are extraordinary. Best wishes, Frank
Hi Sue
Just found your site after seeing your promo vid on Creative Live….I knew I recognized the accent, so had to seek out your site.
Great to see a fellow kiwi doing so well in this field…I am going to be following you with interest, thanks for the amazing images
So pretty it almost hurts!! I come to see the beautiful photos and your quirky honest twist, I also love the tips you share. Seems like you do everything so well…its inspiring ♥ I enjoy every post, thank you.