“Do I have to start a blog?” Someone recently asked me this on Instagram, and I imagined them saying it with a hint of pleading as if asking, “Please, tell me it isn’t true!” Here’s the good news: You don’t have to start a blog. It’s your business after all! You can do whatever you want.
But, if you asked me if I think a blog would help you grow your TPT business, my answer is a definitive yes. Blogs are the easiest, low-budget way to create long-form content. There’s also a reason blogs have survived the test of time.
What is Long-form Content?
Long-form content is a form of content that sticks around for a long time, is searchable, and offers in-depth, valuable information to your audience. Long-form content can be a blog, podcast, or YouTube video.
It’s recommended that you have at least one form of long-form content. When first starting your TPT business, blogging is the most accessible. Podcasting and YouTube involve a lot more equipment, time, and advanced knowledge.
Why do you Need Long-Form Content?
As I mentioned, long-form content is searchable. Unlike social media or other forms of short-form content, your content can be found days, months, and even years down the road. So, what does that mean for your blog posts? Your blogs should be packed full of valuable content, and it should help promote your products.
For instance, I might write a blog about four activities to use when teaching theme. I can talk about what theme is, why it’s important for students, and then list the activities. Within those activities, I want to link to products I have created, and that I am selling on TPT.
The idea is that when someone stumbles across my blog, they can walk away with free, valuable information. But, they are also introduced to my product in the process. If you want to see it in action, search any TPT seller you admire and take a look at their blogs! You’ll see what I mean.
Essentially, long-form content is a way to continuously promote your products and resources. And because blogs don’t disappear or expire, the information is accessible for years to come.
What Do I Write About?
The most intimidating thing about blogging is writing. It can feel overwhelming to sit down and churn out hundreds of words. Plus, what are you even supposed to talk about?
When coming up with blog post ideas, think about the current products you sell and what your buyers are struggling with. Every blog post should sell at least one product (whether that be a soft sell or hard sell). Struggling to come up with ideas? Grab this freebie with fourteen blog post ideas and titles.
What Platform Should I Write my Blogs on?
I highly recommend WordPress for blogging. There are a few reasons for this. First, WordPress is very versatile, and it can grow with you. In the beginning, you may just want a simple homepage and blog. Over time, you can add more pages to your website and even host your own shop.
Second, WordPress has great plug-ins for SEO. SEO or search engine optimization is what helps your blogs get found through search engines. For example, someone might search, “division math worksheets” which could lead them to a blog on “5 Division Activities for 5th grade”.
I recommend the Yoast plug-in for WordPress. It’s great for beginners! Yoast also has several posts on their website about SEO, so you can slowly learn more about the writing process.
I Hate Writing. Do I Still Need a Blog?
Rarely do I meet a TPT seller who loves writing blog posts! However, it doesn’t have to feel completely overwhelming or horrible. Here are a few tips to make blog writing bearable –
- Set a timer. Personally, I like to use a Pomodoro timer (25 minutes on, 5 minute break). Determine how much time you want to spend writing, and stop once you’ve hit that point.
- Don’t worry about the word count. It’s better to have something written than to stress about meeting an arbitrary word count.
- Leave the grammar alone. The first time you sit down to write, simply write. Don’t worry about spelling, grammar, or even how you sound. Then take a break (or wait until another day) to read back over your blog and make corrections. You can also use websites like Grammarly to help you edit.
Need some blog ideas to get started? Grab the Free Blog Post Ideas checklist! It includes fourteen fill-in-the-blank blog post titles to help you brainstorm.
Curious about putting your resources on TPT? Check out this blog post for my honest thoughts on selling on TPT.
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