Day 13 Assignment, Bootcamp #4 - Blogging Part 1

[iCraft Admin]

Blogging is a great way to acquire quality links to your store and your product pages.

You all have Blogs, external or here on iCraft. So start using them for promoting not only your own stores, but of your fellow crafters. They in turn, can write up about your creations and link to your product pages. That's a win-win for both.

So here is your Assignment for today.

1. Read Tips on Blogging, as well as our Blogging Guidelines below

Here are the general Tips on Blogging:

• Blog about things people would want to read about.
• Do your Keyword rereplacement on different topic ideas and see if anyone is replacementing for those things. So if you want to write about Halloween Decorations, see what Phrases come up in the replacement and if they have any replacement volumes. Pick topics that have even small replacement volumes associated with them.
• Choose niche topics that you are an expert on. It will be easier for you to write a good post, if you know a lot about the topic you are writing about.
• Publish valuable content that teaches, informs, persuades, provokes or entertains your audience. This is the kind of content that people would comment on or share on social media sites.
• Optimize the Title of your blog post and make sure you incorporate the descriptive keywords, related to the main theme of your post, into the body of your post. (same optimization techniques apply to Blog posts)
• Make sure your post is focused on one topic. So if you decided to write about Halloween Decorations, don't add thinks in the post about cooking for Christmas or charity events in your neighborhood.
• Include diverse anchor text to pages you want to link to.
• Read our Blogging Guidelines, including resources listed at the bottom.

2. Write a Blog Post about your fellow Bootcamper

• I am going to pair you up for this task. You will have to write a post about each other using your own external blogs or the blog on iCraft.
  So here is who will work together:
  - Fairy Cardmaker & JaJeJems
  - Silver Workshop & Jewelry by Kat
  - Red Rock Designs & Delightful Suds
  
• Interview each other and decide on the main topic of your blog post.
• Write down primary Keywords and 3 optimized product pages from the person you are interviewing.
• Incorporate primary keywords (or use full product Titles) in the anchor text, linking to stores and product pages you are talking about in your post. Those are the Backlinks that we discussed yesterday!
  Check Assignment # 10 to get those primary Keywords for each other.
• Try to mention store name and all 3 products, if possible. At least mention 1 or 2 products, including photos.
• Ask each other for additional photos, like jewelry making or soap making shots etc., if needed.
• Help each other with your blog posts or ask anyone on the Bootcamp forum for opinions and suggestions. We are all here to help!

You may not finish your post today. Don't worry! We'll continue with the same task tomorrow.
Just focus on creating a great post with good Backlinks.

[Silver Workshop]

Ok Kat! I sent you a personal message with questions. I won't be back until later tonight so there's no big rush in answering.

[Jewelry by Kat]

 ::)Silver work shop, I too sent you questions. Since you are back late tonight my blog will definitely not be done today-I am very slow and my typing is slower.............Kat     

[Fairy Cardmaker]

Sneaking on a lunch just to say I have an office event tonight and an after hrs appt tomorrow, Jaje.  I do have an idea for an interview for you.  I will email you late tonight.

[JaJeJems]

Hi Fairy C, I am getting my thoughts together now but will also be out for part of the afternoon and evening so I will be looking for your info late tonight.  Will try to have my stuff ready for you then!

[iCraft Admin]

This assignment will definitely take you guys more than 1 day. So just do your best and don't stress! We'll wait for you.
Make sure you read suggested materials too and help review each others work.

You are both interested parties - you, as a writer, want your post to be good, but you also want the post written about you to be good. 

[Silver Workshop]

Thanks admin! (btw, do you have a name or should I call you admin?). We might be a little slow on this assignment but we'll try to do a good job .

[Jewelry by Kat]

admin,  I saw the place where we enter our blog.  I was wondering which button to hit to enter store name and products.  Is it the link button or anchor button?  Not doing a blog before I feel dumb...bear with me..........Kat

[iCraft Admin]

Hi Silver Workshop,
Admin is good or you can call me Marina

[iCraft Admin]

Hi Kat, I see you've setup 2 blogs... It's better to stick just to one. We'll connect your blog to both of your stores.

Not exactly sure what you are asking though... There are tools at the top of the page where you write your blog post that allow you to add photos to your post and to add links to words. Not explaining this well, either... I'll see if I can add screen shots to Help post on how to do that.

[Delightful Suds]

Hi, I gave it my best shot and finished my blog. Do I just "publish" it and then you'll review it?

[iCraft Admin]

Yes, click publish and I'll review it.

[Fairy Cardmaker]

JaJe, I just sent a "contact me" message to you.  The wheels are turning!

[Red Rock Designs]

Hi Admin, do you want us to submit our blog to the iCraft blog, for your review?

[iCraft Admin]

Hi Red Rock Designs,

No, it doesn't have to be on iCraft Blog. You can use your own external blog.
You should work together reviewing each other's work.
I'll provide my feedback to everyone at some point, but don't let that hold you back.

[JaJeJems]

Fairy C I got your message and have sent you a message for consideration.  Wlll be in touch in the morning!

[iCraft Admin]

Hi Delightful Suds,

I reviewed your post. It's a good story. Good work!
You just need to add a few images. Ask Bibi for her photos to make story about her more personable. Also include a couple photos of her jewelry, maybe those items that you are specifically mentioning in the story?    

And the most important thing - you need to add links to Bibi's store and to those select product pages that she optimized before.
That's the whole point of this assignment - to create blog posts with links that have good anchor text to select (optimized) pages.

I see you mention "chainmaille jewelry" in your article. Just add a link to this phrase to Bibi's store.
You also need to mention a couple of her products with anchor text "Agate bracelet" or "chain maille bracelet".   
I've copied Bibi's primary keywords for you below.


Here is what Bibi specified as her primary Keywords for her optimized pages:

1. Product URL: https://icraftgifts.com/handmade/34466/chainmaille-bracelet-in-silver-european-4-in-1.php
Primary – chain maille bracelet 1,600 
Secondary  - European 4 in 1 – 3,600 ; chainmaille jewelry – 5,400

** Changed the main photo to show item is a bracelet.

2. Product URL:  https://icraftgifts.com/handmade/32258/floating-bead-necklace-in-blue-and-black.php
Primary: Floating bead necklace – 140
Secondary: Floating necklace – 4,400 ; chunky bead necklace – 1,000

3. Product URL: https://icraftgifts.com/handmade/29165/agate-bracelet-w-blue-gemstones-and-crystals.php
Primary:  Agate bracelet – 2,400
Secondary: gem stone jewelry - 6,600 ; chunky bracelet – 5,400

Store URL: https://icraftgifts.com/red-rock-designs
Primary: chainmaille jewelry – 5,400
Secondary: beaded keychains - 3,600; beaded lanyards – 6,600