“I am having a hard time figuring out what to write about in a blog post versus a newsletter. Can you help?”
Truthfully, I get asked this question all the time. Photographers will sit down to brainstorm content ideas and find themselves easily confused about what makes a good blog post and what is better for a newsletter.
As visual artists, writing doesn’t always come easily to photographers. And honestly, many of my students tell me that coming up with the topic is the hardest part of content creation. Entrepreneurs know that content is important. And having valuable, relevant content is the most ideal.
Here are 3 tips for photographers creating content for a blog and newsletter.
-
Treat your blog like a magazine article and your newsletter like a letter to a friend.
This means that your blog is going to be a deeper dive than a newsletter. A solid blog post should be a minimum of 300 words, include specific keywords, and ideally have at least 1 link within the post.
On the flip side, your newsletter is a more casual, off the cuff letter to your clients. You don’t need to hit certain metrics about links and word count, and it should be written in a casual tone, just as you would a letter to a friend.
2. Repurpose your content.
Don’t constantly try and reinvent the wheel. If you do a well-thought-out blog post, you can (and 100% should) repurpose some of that content in your newsletter.
This might mean that the theme of your January newsletter is the same as a recent blog post. Instead of just linking to the post in your newsletter and encouraging readers to click through, maybe you include your favorite paragraph from the post directly into your newsletter. Entice them to want to click through to read the entire post.
3. When in doubt, write about your business on the blog and your heart in the newsletter.
This is not a hard-fast rule but more of a suggestion. I have definitely written about my heart on my blog many times before. But as a general rule of thumb, I keep the heart stuff for my newsletter.
Your blog is the perfect place to give tips, share educational content, write about recent sessions or changes happening within your business. Your newsletter is where you reach out to your followers and write them a letter. You might highlight some of the same things that are on the blog but overall, it is a great place to show your humanity.
Your newsletter is a great place to share personal wins and struggles. It is a great place to share about the WHY behind your offerings or what is happening in your home these days. Your newsletter is about creating connections.
And because you should know by now that I love a bonus…
4. Bonus: Make sure that your content has more to it than just selling all the time.
This bonus goes for both your blog and your newsletter but this is SO important to learn. Yes, your main goal as an entrepreneur is to make money. I get it. But please oh please, do NOT constantly sell to your people.
No one wants to sound like a used car salesman. But if you are constantly pitching products or services all the time, that is what you will sound like.
Instead, focus more time on building connection and community. Spend more time telling stories. Spend more time being human. When you do those things, the selling will happen. But at the end of the day, people crave connection and will be way more loyal to someone that they truly connect with. So focus on that in your content.
*** If you are looking for more guidance and direction that will set your photography business up for long-term success, then this Photography Blueprint was made for you!
In this Free Photography Blueprint, I walk you through 9 steps to making sure your business is set up legitimately and for long-term success.
If you are tired of dreaming and ready to take action. Or you are looking for guidance to make sure this dream takes off, then the Photography Blueprint is for you. You can grab it here and get started today! ***
