How to Grow Your Web Design Business Through Blogging
Your ability to create stunning, functional websites is invaluable to your clients and their businesses. But to grow your own web design business, you’ll need more than just great design skills.
Blogging is a powerful way to attract new clients, demonstrate your expertise, showcase your body of work, position yourself as a subject matter expert, and serve your current clients—all in one place.
In this guide, discover the hidden benefits of blogging, learn how to craft value-rich content that resonates with your audience, and explore the content creation process that can help you attract and retain clients. Plus, you'll gain access to pro tips that can enhance your blogging strategy.
The myth about blogging
Before we dive deeper, let's tackle a common misconception head-on. You might have come across statements like “blogging is dead” or “SEO is outdated,” or maybe you’ve read that social media is more important than maintaining your own blog.
A quick search reveals the sheer number of blogs out there and the continuous growth in blog content each year. Like email, blogging is far from obsolete. In fact, the demand for content writers is increasing across nearly every industry. While the rules of search engine optimization (SEO) are constantly evolving, you can stay current with these changes and implement timeless SEO practices to ensure your blog remains effective.
The bottom line? Blogging is alive and well. It’s a long-term strategy that can significantly contribute to the growth and success of your web design business.
The benefits of blogging for your business
Blogging offers numerous advantages for your web design business. Here are some key benefits:
Attract your ideal clients
Blog content helps you rank in search results, making it easier for your ideal clients to find you. By addressing the questions your potential clients are asking, you can draw them to your website and showcase how you can meet their needs.
Your 24/7 marketing team
Unlike webinars, social media posts, or ads that have limited timeframes, blogs are more evergreen. Your content is available around the clock, year-round, continuously attracting clients long after it’s published. In essence, your blog acts as a 24/7 marketing team promoting your expertise and services.
Own your content
Unlike social media platforms where you risk losing your account or having your content buried by algorithms, your blog content belongs to you. You control it, ensuring your hard work isn’t at the mercy of a third party.
Build trust and credibility
A well-maintained blog showcases your expertise, building the know, like and trust factor with potential clients. By demonstrating your knowledge and experience, you increase the likelihood of being noticed—and hired.
Open doors to new opportunities
Blogging positions you as an expert in your field, opening doors you might not have considered. You could be invited to write for other platforms, collaborate with brands, be interviewed on podcasts, speak at events, or even receive a book deal. Blogging increases your visibility and can lead to exciting opportunities.
Crafting value-rich blog content
Creating valuable blog content is key to attracting clients who are genuinely interested in what you offer. Here’s how to craft content that resonates:
Know your audience
Understand who you want to serve. You don’t need to narrow it down to a specific niche like fitness trainers or mental health counselors, but you should know your focus. For example, you might specialize in building websites for solopreneurs using Squarespace. Knowing your audience will guide you in creating content that attracts the right clients.
Address common questions
Write blogs that answer the questions your potential clients are asking before they hire a web designer. Research what’s being asked online and address these topics in your blog to provide value and build trust.
Showcase your expertise
Create content that highlights your skills, such as articles on design principles, custom code, or online marketing strategies. This demonstrates your expertise, helping clients trust you before they even reach out. Learn more about crafting a content marketing plan.
Share your process
Write about your recent projects, explaining the process from start to finish. Discuss how you identified your client’s goals, the challenges you faced, and the solutions you implemented. This gives potential clients insight into your approach and shows that you care about solving their problems. Plus, they get a deeper context when they see visuals of the websites you’ve created.
Add your unique spin
Even if a topic has been covered extensively, you can still bring your unique perspective to it. Your voice, style, and take make your content stand out. If a topic is popular, it’s evidence that it’s relevant, so don’t hesitate to add your thoughts.
Mastering the content creation process
Creating blog content can seem overwhelming, but with a system in place, it becomes manageable and even enjoyable. Here’s a step-by-step guide to streamlining your content creation process:
1. Brainstorm ideas
Start by identifying topics that will resonate with your ideal clients. Build on your list of value-rich content ideas, drawing from your experiences and recent projects. Only once you’ve done that, research what your audience is searching for and choose topics that align with your expertise. Have a document to store your short list of blog topics.
2. Research
Once you’ve chosen a topic, make notes on what you want to convey about it first. Then, conduct research to see what has already been said and what perspective you can add to the topic. Adding quotes or stats is also helpful wherever relevant.
Pro tip: Make a list of articles on your own website that you can interlink throughout this article. That way, you are creating more useful content links for your reader, bringing them to topics you have already written about elsewhere on your blog.
3. Create an outline
Some writers jump right into the topic and start writing; others create a structured outline first. Still others jot down all relevant ideas in a bulleted list. Regardless of whether or not outlining fits your writing style, do a session where you create a list of ideas for the main content of your article.
4. Write freely
When it’s time to write, let your ideas flow. Don’t worry about grammar or structure initially—just get your thoughts on the page. You can always edit it later.
5. Edit and refine
After writing, take a break before editing. Ensure your main points are clear, and the article flows well. Add headings, subheadings, lists, and check for grammar and punctuation. You’ll also want to check that your content aligns with your brand voice. Finally, check all the links. Do another round of edits to confirm everything looks good.
6. Optimize for SEO
Go through your SEO checklist to give your blog the best chance of ranking well in search results. This includes using keywords, optimizing images, and linking to other relevant content on your site.
7. Publish and Share
Once your blog is polished, publish or schedule it. Then, share it in your newsletter and across social media to reach a wider audience.
Tips for crafting compelling blog posts
To make your blog posts stand out and resonate with your audience, keep these eight tips in mind:
Set a publishing schedule
Consistency is key to building a successful blog. Choose a schedule that works for you—whether it’s weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly—and stick to it. Set aside dedicated time each week for writing.
Focus on one question or problem
Unless you’re writing a comprehensive in-depth guide, keep your blog post centered on one main question or problem. This keeps your content focused and makes it easier for readers to digest.
Highlight your work
Blog about your recent projects, explaining your thought process and design workflow. Including screenshots, GIFs, or video walkthroughs can enhance your content and help build trust with potential clients.
Show your personality
Inject a bit of your personality into your blog posts. Share personal anecdotes or stories to engage your readers while showcasing your expertise. Clients want to work with real people, so let your personality shine in your writing.
Use headers and subheaders
Organize your content with clear headers and subheaders. This not only makes your blog easier to read but also enhances your standings with SEO. Learn more about balancing beautiful design and SEO best practices.
Include a call to action
Every blog post should have a call to action (CTA). Whether you want readers to sign up for your newsletter, book a free consultation, or download a guide, your CTA should be clear and aligned with your business goals.
Pro tip: Your CTA doesn’t have to be at the end of the article. You can sprinkle one in the middle of your post as well to optimize for conversion.
Add images
Each blog post should include at least one image. Images make your content more engaging and help with SEO. Remember to use keywords in your alt text and file names. Learn more about best practices for adding images to Squarespace websites.
Create your SEO checklist
To gain organic traffic, SEO can help. Look into SEO best practices and create a checklist that you follow before publishing each post. Take advantage of all the native Squarespace features for SEO.
Respond to comments
Encourage readers to comment on your blog and take the time to respond. Answering their questions and acknowledging their comments can do wonders for building a connection and creating a sense of community around your brand.
Attract clients with content
Creating a body of work with blogging can be a rewarding experience—both as a way to express your expertise and grow your business. Embrace the power of blogging for your web design business and know that this long-term approach can help establish you as an authority in your field, connect you with raving clients and expand your business.
Want more?
Check out Squarespace Circle, Squarespace’s program for professional web designers, developers, digital entrepreneurs, and creatives. Along with exclusive content, discounts, and other perks, Circle brings professionals together from across the globe to exchange advice while connecting with new clients and collaborators.
