To Blog or Not To Blog

02/17/2023

If you’re reading this then you read blogs, but do you post? And if you are going to post, what do you write about? Blogging is just marketing your library, similar to the signage you put in the window or the flyers you leave on the desk. But how do you do it successfully?

Youth Services librarians in Wisconsin shared 268 posts last year. Their posts received 12,051 views.  Here are some of the things they blogged about: Summer Reading, Board meetings, children’s programming, a shout out to teens about new books by genre, and seasonal holiday books.  

We know there is more going on in your library than children’s books and board meetings. Blogging can be a great way for the community to be aware of services in your library. Just a few ideas we have seen at public libraries: Genealogy 101 class, Job Seeker’s resume help and networking opportunities, senior services and book clubs, free meeting spaces, author visits, computer classes, how to write a business plan, grab and go activities, and homework help. The list goes on and on. And the best part is – it’s all free.

In the twelve years the Wisconsin Youth Services librarians have been blogging they have had 777,000 views. Now that’s marketing and blogging.

So how do you get started? Choose your topic and do some research, create an outline to help yourself stay on track and make sure you don’t forget anything important. Check your facts and your dates, no one wants to promote programming with the wrong date. Write an attention-grabbing headline. One headline from Chicago Public Library: Have the world at your fingertips!  One from Milwaukee Public Library: Put that library card to work! Don’t those grab your attention?

Include a photo or visual, this will break up your text and add to the interest. A blog should be at least 300 words but no more than 2,400 words. Make sure you run spell check and grammar check. Typos happen.

Lastly, add all social media icons to your website. Promote your blog. Those flyers you hand out to patrons informing them of book club and events, add the social media icons to the bottom. Talk to your patrons about your blog. When new patrons sign up for library cards, let them know they can keep up to date on all happenings via social media. Use social media to market your library, increase community engagement and support. A public library is that one place where everyone is welcome and where learning and reading is free, let’s tell everyone about it!