the HiP blog challenge – episode 1
Welcome to the HiP blog challenge! This is the first part in a four part series – with a new post every Saturday in April. I want to thank ETSYmarketing.org for cross-posting this series – and give a special welcome to any of you joining the challenge from there!
While this blog may be geared towards Pennsylvania crafters and handmade lovers, this challenge is open to anyone interested in improving the effectiveness of their blog!
blogging your brand
and branding your blog
Knowing your brand is central to the way others perceive your work. Strong branding can make good work look great – and make a potential customer much more likely to return to your shop to make a purchase.
Too often, I see blogs that are quite disconnected from the shops they are designed to promote. On the most basic level, your blog should share the same color scheme, banner, & general feel (modern, traditional, deco, abstract, etc…) as your shop. But on a more organic level, your blog should allow you to express your brand through what you write & choose to share with readers.
A mission statement can help you strengthen your brand.
an example
For instance, take a look at Lion Brand Yarn – its main page and its blog.
Lion Brand has created excellent…well…branding between sites. The colors are soft & neutral so that they don’t clash with the vibrant projects that they highlight. The blog header includes both the logo & an image of yarn to remind you what site you’re on.
When you dig deeper, Lion Brand describes their mission, “With this blog, the Lion Brand Notebook, we’re hoping to connect with you in another way, bringing you regular updates on what’s happening inside Lion Brand, taking you with us when we travel, and sharing our discoveries about what’s happening in the yarn world with you.”
If you read through the content of the Lion Brand blog, you’ll see that, of course, many of the entries are about their products, other facets of their online media, and events that they have participated in. But their blog also highlights things of interest to fiber lovers in general. This builds their brand by promoting fiber arts as a craft, not just Lion Brand Yarn. While blogging, Lion Brand is fulfilling it’s mission as a company.
what’s your mission?
Identifying your brand and its mission is key to formulating a blog that is both worth reading & great marketing for your business. In this case, your mission statement is a public statement of what fuels your passion for craft and what you hope others will gain by consuming your brand.
HiP’s mission is this, “Handmade in PA seeks to be the premiere site for bringing Pennsylvania artisans & shoppers together. We feature interviews, host giveaways, publish tutorials, and offer business & shopping advice – all in the name of supporting the handmade movement in Pennsylvania.” Does HiP fulfill it’s mission?
homework
Your homework for this part of the HiP blog challenge is to write or revise a mission statement in order to strengthen your brand. Remember that a good mission statement describes your motivation for your craft & what you hope others will gain by consuming your product – specifically. Don’t settle for “beautiful hand-crafted goods” or “great customer service.” Identify the work you do, the style you work in, the benefits of owning your work, etc…
Then, going forward, each post you make on your blog should go towards furthering this mission. That’s not to say that you can’t post on a variety of topics but they should all, somehow, point back to your mission.
So where do you put this mission statement? On your “about” page! You don’t have an “about” page? Then you have two pieces of homework. Your “about” page should include your mission statement, some biographical information, your shop links, your contact information, and any other background information that you’d like to include.
In Wordpress, this is very easy – just add a page. In Blogger, it’s a bit tricky – but not hard. This post will show you how it’s done.
So…this week, you’ll write or revise a mission statement for your blog and post it on your “about” page – also, if you don’t mind sharing, post your mission statement as a comment on this post. You’ll also carefully consider your posts this week to make sure that they are furthering your mission and strengthening your brand. Good luck!
26 comments
This is going to be a great series, Tara! I will be revamping my mission statement over the weekend and then I will post it. I also am trying to keep the word “cohesive” in my mind as I change my blog from personal chatty to “business” directed chatty :-)
THANKS!
Rosie’s Whimsy’s last blog post..Wonderful Reunion
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Great post Tara. I will be thinking about my mission statement, also. Rosie, that’s why I started the second blog – I was getting too business chatty on my personal blog :).
Waters Girls’s last blog post..Tools (Inspiration from @weeklyblogpost)
Well here are the changes so far.
http://rosieswhimsy.com/about-rosies-whimsy/
This will do until I get my special artist son to make mu logo :-)
Rosie’s Whimsy’s last blog post..Wonderful Reunion
Fantastic article – I’m excited to start revamping the appearance of my blog to be more in line with my Etsy shop and artist website, and I appreciate the “about” page advice for Blogger users!
Michelle Ciarlo-Hayes’s last blog post..Story Behind the Picture – "Dancing Shoes"
I never got to this part (about me/mission statement) on my blog or my business website for that matter. Looks like I’m going to have some work to do this evening. TY
I just started my blog about a week ago and I didn’t realize it at the time, but I had already done a “mission statement”. I guess I just didn’t think of it in those words! I would love some feedback/constructive criticism on whether or not it works. Mine’s under the about section. chezshea.wordpress.com
Shea’s last blog post..Soft Bath Scrubbie – Purple Camo
hi shea! great to have you along on the challenge! i think your mission statement looks great. one thing i would add would be to include what someone who purchases your work will gain from the purchase (not just pretty thing!) – style, attitude, support small business, etc…
keep up the great work!
i need to read into mine carefully now with this new directive in mind!!!
Thanks!
stephanie’s last blog post..Definition of ME?
Great topic! I revamped my blogs look to be more in the colors of my logo but I am working on my mission statement. I have blogger which is so limiting. I wish I could change but I have the blog address in so many places!
Barb’s last blog post..tidbits
Ok I added my banner to my blog, and completed my mission statement which I added as a gadget on the side so it always stays there. What do you think?
Barb’s last blog post..New Look for a New Season
hey barb! i think your changes are amazing!
you’ve really summed up your brand well in your about section. congratulations on the great work!
I’ve had my blog for a year now, but it’s time to update my about page. It’s less like my artist’s statement now, and more specific to my blog. Here’s the link – http://hammermarks.wordpress.com/about-2/
Wendy Edsall-Kerwin’s last blog post..Local Linky Love
I’m a bit behind and have been thinking about my mission statement. Even though I have this posted on my main webpage, I am using my blog more and need to include a revamped mission statement, bio info and connect everything. More thoughts and will begin to update!
Thanks for the motivation!
tremundo’s last blog post..80 years of inspiration
I had problems with changing my blog layout as instructed with the instructions in the article. Instead I changed my “welcome” gadget to an “about” gadget. I tied my mission in with what I’ve used on my website and etsy shops. I’ve been quoted in the past with the “collective world of a creative mind” and would like to keep using it. I like to direct people to my website for more info because there is a lot of info, especially exhibition dates. Also even though I’m not a photographer, I tend to use the tree image as it’s something I’ve been using for a long time and find it neutral with the varied work. So now I am curious to feedback!
tremundo’s last blog post..80 years of inspiration
I am a tad late on getting started, but I think this is a wonderful thing you’re doing! I also had some trouble getting my blog layout changed, but I did do my mission statement in my About Us section. I would love to know your thoughts and also if that should remain where it is (above my posts) or if I should change it back to the sidebar. Thanks!
Michelle Harvey’s last blog post..How About a Giveaway?!
i am also late at getting started on this…that’s what a 4.5 month old baby will do to you I guess! but I am working on updating/changing my about me page to be more specific, right now it is just sort of a summary of me and very vague. I want to change it to be more about what I am making/selling at shows & in my etsy.
ladies, better late than never! i’m going to visit your blogs now and leave you some comment lurve since that’s part 2 of the challenge!
Thank you so much for your help Tara. I added a sentence to my welcome/about gadget and hope this works without giving too strong of a sales pitch :))
tremundo’s last blog post..sun kissed
my about page is FINALLY updated!! let me know what you think!:)
Thank you for a most thought-provoking article. It prompted me to blog about my personal mission statement that I made about 20 years ago and how that has developed into my professional mission statement. My blogging is very new, and I have not yet found my niche. However, I am most happy writing my weekly Art from the Heart articles where I feature artists and artisans who share their creativity, energy and passions with other for the betterment of humanity. I also very much enjoy sharing what I deem to be “better than sliced bread!” I see that Best Thing Since Slice Bread is the post below rather than Art from the Heart, but I do have everything categorized! Again, thanks for your wonderful information and the clear and concise way in which you deliver it.
Lois’s last blog post..Best Thing Since Sliced Bread…
Lois –
Your about page looks great. You’ve got all the elements! Also, I think including the information on your “magnificent obsession” makes you stand apart from the hundreds of other knitters you find on the interwebs. Keep up the great work!
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Thanks so much! I’ve added a mission statement to my blog. I have a short bio on there so I just added to it.
Delana’s last blog post..Spring Green Bookmark
Sweet blog. I never know what I am going to come across next. I think you should do more posting as you have some pretty intelligent stuff to say.
I’ll be watching you . :)
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