To blog or not to blog, that is the question — only it’s not a question. As wedding pros and small business owners, it’s highly recommended that you have a way to share content with your potential customers. We’re going to show you why it’s important to have a blog and 10 blog topics every wedding pro can use to their business — even if they hate to write.
WHAT IS A BLOG?
There’s a lot of confusion about what a blog is, isn’t, and what it should be. Let’s keep this simple. All a blog has to be is a regularly updated web page with individual articles/content your site visitors would find helpful or interesting.
It doesn’t have to be updated daily or even weekly. Some blogs are filled with evergreen content that is only updated as new products are released or the topics need updating. Some people prefer to call this a Resource Library, but it’s a similar concept.
So if you’re a solopreneur with little-to-no time, don’t add content just to keep things moving. Create a thoughtful schedule that works for you. Maybe that’s once a week, once a month, or just once a quarter. It’s about finding an authentic and sustainable content model. Otherwise, you risk creative burnout which can hurt your business. (Read more on tips for avoiding creative burnout here.)
WHY WEDDING PROS SHOULD BLOG
Before you write blogs off (pun intended) as an outdated fad that doesn’t add to your bottom line, let’s cover a few basics about why wedding pros should blog.
Reason #1 — Your target audience isn’t necessarily looking for you. Some people may, but mostly they are looking for the service you provide. Having a blog helps you create content that will connect you with organic search results from your target audience.
Reason #2 — Having good content related to your industry, that helps your potential clients builds trust and authority. It gives people a reason to return to your site — and eventually become a client.
Reason #3 — Blogs help you earn backlinks. Backlinks are valuable in helping get your site (especially if it’s new) established as a trustworthy site in Google’s eyes as well as gives you the organic opportunity to reach new audiences. (Not sure what backlinks are? Read this.)
Reason #4 — Finally, a blog helps reduce redundant work by answering common questions that your clients may have. It also adds value to your current clients.
Let’s recap here. A blog helps you —
- Connect with potential clients.
- Answer F.A.Q.s, reducing redundant communication.
- Build trust and authority for your company.
- Add value for your current clients.
10 BLOG TOPICS WEDDING PROS CAN USE TO GROW THEIR BUSINESS
As we jump into the 10 blog topics wedding pros can use to grow their business, it’s important to remember who you’re trying to reach with this content.
There are two types of people to create blogs for. One is your potential client (your target demographic) and the other is your current client. The first you are trying to attract and the second you are trying to serve and add value to. Use that as your guide to create the specific titles you cover in your blog.
1. Etiquette Questions
One of the most popular wedding-related search topics has to do with etiquette. No matter what type of wedding vendor you are, couples are wanting to know about related etiquette. Blog topics that address these have a huge opportunity to get organic traffic to their website.
When to send out invitations? Who is responsible for the rehearsal dinner? Should a wedding have assigned seating? These are all real questions from couples and there’s a simple way to find out what people are asking related to your section of the wedding industry. Google.
Google wedding invitation or wedding venue, etc. and scroll down to see Google’s People also ask feature.
2. General Wedding Information
You’re an expert, but every engaged couple is a novice. The vast majority of them have never planned a wedding and it’s surprising how much they don’t know. You take it for granted, but even blog topics that cover simple details like what hand or finger the wedding ring goes on has an audience of 12K a month. (That’s right. That means twelve thousand people are asking that question a month.)
Popular questions include —
- What to wear to a wedding? (22k searches)
- What hand does a wedding ring go on? (12K searches)
- How much should I spend on my wedding ring? (9K searches)
3. Client F.A.Q.s
Posts that deal with your frequently asked questions is a great blog topic to draw organic traffic to your website. Chances are if your clients are asking these questions so are other couples.
One pro-tip here is to tackle each topic in a single post so you get the most impact from the keywords versus just creating a post about all the frequently asked questions in one.
4. Seasonal Content
Seasonally-based searches are also popular. Couples who are planning a fall wedding are often searching for fall wedding ideas or beautiful bouquets for fall, etc.
Even guests commonly search topics such as what to wear to a winter wedding. If you love getting into all the seasonal wedding inspiration, search topics like fall wedding, spring wedding, etc., and create blog topics related to those common searches.
5. Insider Tips from an Industry Expert
Everyone loves good insider tips and as a wedding vendor, you likely know a lot that engaged couples are already looking for. From insider tips on planning a stress-free wedding to your city’s best-kept secret photo spots, there’s a wealth of ideas you can pull on.
6. Roundup Listicles
This is not only good for your organic traffic and SEO, this blog topic can save you time because you can recycle content you’ve already created into roundup pieces. In fact, we highly recommend that you do this regularly.
What is a roundup listicle? It’s a collection of ideas or images made into a single list. Examples would be 10 of the Most Inspiring Romantic First-Look Photos where as photographer would pull their top first-look shots from all the different weddings they have done.
Don’t have a lot of weddings to pull from yet? Use the inspiration you see online to put together your own list with links to the wedding blogs you’ve found them on.
Curation of content and ideas is as valuable a service as creating them. Even just your eye for beautiful designs pulled from Pinterest boards into a single post is a helpful resource.
7. Reasons to Book Your Service
Did you know that people search questions like — Do I need a wedding planner? They do, so blog posts on 5 Reasons You Need a Wedding Planner or 10 Ways a Wedding Planner Can Save You Money or even 4 Things You Didn’t Know a Wedding Planner Does For You are helpful topics that can address your demographic’s direct questions about booking your service. And this all happens while you are doing something else.
Try thinking like the client and writing out a few reasons people don’t book your specific service or things that you wish potential clients understood about your service and create a blog post about it. This is evergreen and can be there working for you 24/7.
Another iteration of this blog topic is how to use your service. You may think it’s obvious, but there may be perks and services that people don’t even realize you do. Or, they don’t know what to expect when booking a specific vendor. Don’t make them work too hard to find your value. Make it clear and make it a blog post.
8. Tell Your Story
While we’re talking about self-promotion, let’s make sure we’ve covered the basics of telling your story. From who you are and who your team is as well as even why you named your company what you did — these are all interesting topics that can help clients who are deciding between vendors realize if you’re the better fit.
In essence, this can help you connect better with clients that you’ll enjoy working with.
Here’s the big disclaimer on this topic — try to think about this and write your stories with the customer in mind. What would they be interested in and find valuable? And while this is an opportunity to get a little wordy about yourself, be aware of getting too long-winded. It’s not your journal, it’s your business.
While telling your story, also tell about your business on the regular with topics such as —
- New products or services
- Awards or certifications
- New team members
- New projects (non-wedding)
- Sneak Peeks and Behind-the-Scenes
9. Vendor + Couple Spotlights
These are often the most common, but it’s worth adding here just in case you’re overlooking one or the other. Find a way to make gathering information from your couples more succinct in the process so you can tell the story in a simple, easy-to-manage way.
Don’t overlook spotlighting wonderful vendors that you have collaborated with or that you simply enjoy. This is a very connected industry and it’s a joy to celebrate each other. It’s a wonderful way to authentically add value to your audience and your fellow vendors while opening yourself up to crossover business.
10. Checklists, Timelines, and How-To’s (Practical Things)
The last blog topic type we’re talking about is all about practical details. Checklists, timelines, and How-To posts are among the most searches and most popular content.
This is different than general wedding information. This is about teaching readers to do something or equipping them with a resources. It’s a great place to include downloadable PDFs or other lead magnet opportunities.
Wedding Day timelines, wedding planning checklists, or a topical How-To series will be something you can do once and leave it as an evergreen piece. It’s worth investing time and money into because it’s something couples can keep using.
BONUS TOPIC: Trends
You’re seeing what trends are out there so you can help your clients. Why not share those in a fun blog post that catches trend-centric couples looking to see what’s on the horizon as they plan their nuptials.
PRO-TIPS FOR YOUR BLOG CONTENT
Now that you have some topics to get you started, here are a few tips to help you succeed in reaching more people with your content.
- Be sure to use your keywords in the blog. It’s amazing how many people will say — big day and special day, but never use the term wedding day. People are searching wedding day, not a special day, so be sure to use the correct terms for what you’re writing about.
- Use bulleted or numbered lists whenever possible. They are easier to read and much more likely to be a featured snippet.
- Share your blogs on your social media channels.
- Send your blogs out in your email newsletters.
- Create a catchy, but clear title and meta description. Titles with numbers and descriptive adjectives are great for attracting readers. Example: 10 Beautiful Spring Bouquets for Modern Couples, etc.
- Add alt text and descriptions for your photo images. If nothing else, be sure your photo name describes what the photo is and uses a keyword or two. A well-named photo can get your content noticed even quicker because photo results are listed at the top in Google.
The BIGGEST pro-tip for anyone out there who doesn’t like writing is to consider other options like doing a video recording and getting that transcribed through a service like Rev.com. Video recording services like Wistia make it easier than ever to record at your desk with little-to-no expertise. You can also look into digital agency services, like Brandlink Media, whose expert team can help create content for the wedding-industry audience.
If you’re ready to learn more about helping your business grow, be sure to check out The Top 5 Ways to Reach Local Couples Planning Their Wedding. However, if you still feel like you need help with creating a content plan for your blog check out our sister company Brandlink Media and book your free consultation.
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Written by Corrie McGee
