Creating a successful gardening blog

Following on from my earlier post 'Blogging for Business' . Here are 10 guidelines worth considering if you intend to keep a gardening or landscaping Blog

1. Write what you know about, you can waste valuable time and effort spending hours on a topic that appears lightweight and inaccurate.

2. Keep your posts short and concise, use as few words as possible to put your points across and insert 'breather points' that allow readers to pause, but still remain interested. Also, insert a photo which can help to illustrate what you are writing about.

3. Try not to patronise, you want to share your knowledge and views but don't ram it down your viewers throat. Stimulate a debate. You are really winning if someone feels comfortable in responding in the comments section at the bottom of your post.

4. If you get something wrong don't hide it, correct it quickly and if it is pointed out by a commenter, thank them. You want your audience to know you are only human.

5. If you are writing about a project that is in progress, make sure you update the blog regularly. If you add 10 'before' photos on day one of the project but fail to add or even take any further images until you are over half way or when the project is complete, your audience (or potential customer) will lose interest. They want to see how you are doing, how efficient you are and how you combat problems along the way.

6. Organise your site to look balanced and appealing. If you are hoping to add to your income by inserting Google Adsense code then put it in a prominent position. Blend the colours of the ads so that they appear part of your site. Google ensures that the viewer is always aware that it is advertising but you are giving them the option to research further by looking for related adverts.

7. If writing about a current project then Blogs and Google are very clever at indexing the pages and words on your site. Try to ensure that you you utilise the right keywords so that search engines have enough 'juice' to send iinterested searchers to your site.

For example: "Today is the very first day of our project and promptly at 8.30 our Kubota mini digger was delivered. The access to the site is excellent so the Nissan Cabstar delivery vehicle was able to turn and unload with ease. It is not always the case and we have been known to block busy roads for up to an hour during the school run."

After the Cabstar left the Travis Perkins builders merchants lorry arrived with the first of our loads. We are using Stonemarkets random york paving. It is a change from the norm as I am a favourite of Bradstone products."

OK, I could go on and on but I hope you get the picture. Google is indexing those key product words (Cabstar, Travis Perkins, Stonemarkets, Bradstone) and when someone searches for related topics using a search engine the advertising comes onto the relevant page when it is loaded.

8. What ever you do, update regularly. There is nothing worse than leaving a hot blog dormant for weeks as your viewer and potential customer will get bored. If you have a digital camera like a Sony Cybershot or Nikon to name but two then use them.

Editing is easy with MS Paint, an on line editing site like Picnik or something more powerful like Adobe Photoshop and you can edit them to fit nicely with the text wrapped around.

9. Add local issues into the blog that might relate to what you are doing. If you are using African Hardwood for a decking make the point that the wood has been purchased through a reputable source that only uses sustainable products. Your client, in today's delicate world, likes nothing more than knowing the deck they are sitting on, has been planted and harvested by the same hardwood farm and your supplier has a copy of the certificates.

10. Enjoy your blogging as much as your day to day work. If you view your on line diary as a chore after a busy day then it will show up in your writing.

Sentences like: "It rained today so we finished early" does not inspire, so pack it out. Think how you can make the most mundane and uninspiring things keep the reader hooked. Add a photo for fun of the rain dripping into a bucket full of water for example.

Consider something along the lines of this 'This task has been made all the more challenging by today's rain. Not to be put off my team and I decided that a clean up of the work area would be beneficial and a chat over a cup of tea, concerning the planning for tomorrow, will make the day easier. We all left early so that all of us will be refreshed and ready for tomorrows challenge'

OK I have exaggerated a bit but hopefully the point is there.

Always bear in mind as I have said before, your blogging diary is an extension of your work ethic, creativity, professionalism and personality.

Edited 8th December 2007