What's your opinion?

[firecat]

I started a blog in order to try to drive more traffic to my business website. After posting a few "how to" articles related to the handcrafted items I make, I found that I didn't have much of interest to offer in future posts. I've put in some favorite recipes, some articles that might be of interest to people who like to garden, but that's it. I'm lucky to find enough to write about to do one post per month.

Lately I've been toying with the idea of just spouting off, but am afraid that if I get into the "hot spot" topics like politics, etc., I will just end up driving potential customers away.

What do you think? Is it best to stay with the bland and safe or would you take the risk?

[admonharr]

I wouldn't call it a risk actually. I think you should try it and see the results for 2 months atleast.

[KristysKnots]

Start a new blog for hot spot topics. You can link your business site and blog from there as well.

Keep your "business" blog about business.
Just

[KristysKnots]

Also to help you think of topics to post on your business blog, ask your visitors questions on what they would like to see on your blog.
Feed off of their ideas, questions, opinions etc.

[pugs]

I believe your best bet is the same as Kristy mentioned. Start another blog and link to back to it. When I am shopping for something I don't want to get fired up about what some crooked politician is doing. I like your website by the way, I am originally from Ma. myself

[firecat]

Thanks for your replies, folks, and thanks for the compliment, Pugs! I don't think that a second blog would help an awful lot as then I'd have to manage to write for two when I'm already having trouble taking care of one.

Kristy, you did give me an idea though. My current blog isn't really about "business" per se. It's more of a hodge-podge of recipes, gardening ideas, candle-making techniques, and advice on how to care for silver jewelry. I never thought about including articles on small business itself. Since I've been running a "Mom and Pop" retail store for over 23 years, I ought to be able to offer some thoughts that would be helpful for other self-employed people.

Part of what has been making it hard to come up with posts is that I didn't want to just ramble on about anything at all, but instead to offer something of potential use to readers. Am I being too picky?

[KristysKnots]

No, I do not think you are being too picky!

I say 'business' blog because you started that blog to drive traffic to your main website.

You want that blog to pertain to your business...Your right not to ramble on about something visitors are not wanting to read about.

Coming up with ideas to blog about is tough. But then I started to work smarter not harder. I let my readers tell me what they want to know..instead of me guessing. (if that makes sense?) I ran some polls, got tons of ideas and invited my readers to participate in my blog.

The result? I drove traffic to my blog and also to my website. Got sales in the process.

[xceedbd]

not bad !

[webcosmo]

You gotta do what you like. In the long run, thats what really matters. Plus your blog is just a new one without much regulars, should be really a problem changing the niche now.