Blogging is all the rage nowadays. Moms have blogs. Huge corporations have blogs. Dancers have blogs. All the blogging that’s going on may lead you to think, “Should I start a dance studio blog?”
There are definitely benefits of creating and maintaining a blog for your studio, but there are certain notable downsides as well. Here are a few things to consider if you’re thinking about expanding your dance studio’s online presence to the blog-o-sphere.
Benefits of Blogging
Ask any marketing guru or SEO wizard and they’ll tell you that a good blog can only help your small business. It’s true that blogging can give you a leg up against the competition while boosting your marketing efforts – when done correctly, that is.
“A well-maintained blog can only help your studio.”
Improve Your Online Presence
SEO is often a challenge for small businesses, especially when you’re in the middle of a saturated market. In many communities, there are a number of dance studios competing against one another. This competition doesn’t just involve snatching up students though – you’re also vying for the top spots on Google when a prospective dancer types in “dance classes near me.”
Here’s where a blog can come in handy. HubSpot explained that thanks to Google’s new algorithms, websites that have fresh content often rank higher in searches. The more frequently you’re putting new content up on your website, the more your site will get crawled and indexed. This is a good way to gain a competitive edge over non-blogging studios in your area.
Solidify Your Brand Image
A well-maintained dance studio blog can also help to improve your brand. Dance Advantage noted that studios with blogs often come across as more personal and welcoming to prospective students. Blogging is a way to show website viewers your studio’s environment and atmosphere, and this often comes across as more appealing than a cut-and-dry informative site.
Connect with Students and Potential Customers
Finally, blogging can serve as a great means of communicating with your current students and parents, as well as with prospective dancers. If you often find yourself sending out a barrage of emails, notices, social media posts and more, you can condense your studio’s communications by posting all this information on your blog. Not only will this drive traffic to your website, but it will also reduce the number of calls your studio gets from parents wondering about recital tickets, class schedules, audition attire and more.
Consistency is key in dance and in blogging!Common Blogging Pitfalls
As mentioned above, your studio’s blog will only be as useful and effective as you make it. If you’re going to commit to blogging, be sure to avoid these common pitfalls.
Inconsistent Posting
Many small business owners claim that they simply don’t have the time to post regularly on a blog, and this can be a problem. There’s no denying that studio owners are notoriously busy, but if you can’t commit to posting at least once or twice a week on your blog, it may not be worth your while. Consistency is key when it comes to blogging, and you need to post new content for your readers. Otherwise, the endeavor may not pay off.
“Don’t limit your topics to studio-related posts.”
Running Out of Topics
Another common woe when you’re trying to get your dance studio blog off the ground is running out of topics. After all, there’s probably only so much studio news that you can write about. Don’t let this deter you though! You can come up with fresh content ideas by browsing the Internet, talking with your students or simply reflecting on your own interests. Write about anything and everything dance-related, and you’ll find that your audience quickly grows.
Lack of Promotion
As with any new endeavor, you’re going to need to promote your dance studio blog to get it off the ground. Chances are that your students won’t find your new blog on their own, so promote it within the studio, on social media and through newsletters. With a little bit of strategic marketing, you’ll soon get the traction you’re looking for.
Take these points into account when you’re launching your dance studio’s blog. Be sure to check back next week for Part 2 of our Blogging Basics series! We’ll be talking about general tips for an effective and readable blog.
