DIY IDEAS for Business
Do you spend untold hours browsing through ideas on Pinterest? Is your idea of a fun Saturday completing that DIY project that has been calling your name? Is your house filled with chalk painted projects and unique items you’ve created yourself?
If this describes you, then a DIY projects blog might be your dream. Fortunately, WHSR has interviewed some successful DIY bloggers for their insider tips. There are some secrets to finding success with any blog.
Number of DIYers Online
Although Pinterest certainly has other articles than just DIY projects, the social media network is made up heavily of home projects, decorating, and similar posts. As of July 2015, Pinterest has 72.8 million users and 85% of them are female.
And that is just the DIYers on Pinterest. Not every DIYer is female and not every person working on projects is on Pinterest. You can see how this is a quickly growing niche online and that there is a specialty area for everyone.
Case Studies of DIY Blogs
In order to get an idea of what it takes to create a successful DIY blog, I spoke to two DIY bloggers.
Pretty Handy Girl
Brittany Bailey over at Pretty Handy Girl took some time to chat with us about what she’s done to make her blog so successful. About ten years ago, Brittany and her husband purchased their first home. It wasn’t long before she was learning to make repairs and do other projects around the house.
It was actually my husband’s idea [to start the blog]. I had wanted to hold workshops in my garage for women. He simply said, “I think you’d reach more people with a blog.” I hate to admit it, but he was right.
By offering information online, Brittany was able to reach a world wide audience and not just people close enough to meet in her garage. No matter what type of small business you are running, one way to grow it is to reach out and begin to seek a global audience.
When asked how she avoids burnout, Brittany shared:
I haven’t wanted to quit. But, there are times when I need to spend less time on the computer and more time building. Other times I may need to be creative and paint more and blog less. I try to take time off to keep from burning out.
Brittany makes an excellent suggestion about taking time off. Building a successful blog takes time and the rewards can be difficult to see at first. Creating balance of work, time with family and just plain downtime can mean the difference between sticking it out for the long haul or quitting before you reach your goals.
Recently, Gina Baladaty offered some tips in her article “4 Key Lessons for Freelance Writers” about how to create a balance. Gina, a successful blogger, shares that one should “set aside time for family, friends and fun.” Gina has firm work hours that she sticks to most of the time and when she is done with work for the day, she sets it aside.
This is good advice for bloggers. It is easy to fall into the trap of checking social media constantly, going over your stats yet again, or working long hours without a break.
Successful DIY bloggers like Brittany seem to instinctively understand how to change to meet the needs of the online community.
