The Pros and Cons of Patterns and Tutorials

Summer of the Blog
Patterns and tutorials can be a lot of work, but the traffic they bring in can make up for that. Are they worth your time? If they bring in so much traffic is there any reason why you should write other content? Here’s a break down of the pros and cons of patterns and tutorial posts.

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They take a lot of time and effort to write.

+ They’re heavy traffic post because more people are likely to link to or feature this style of post.

– A lot of the traffic will be people who just want free patterns or tutorials. It’s unlikely those people will ever become regular readers, but you’ll still have to deal with their comments and requests for help.

+ Because they’re frequently linked to and tend to feature SEO titles, a potential reader is more likely to find them in a search engine.

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They’re boring posts to read if the reader isn’t interested in making the project.

+ They’re a nice way to give back to your readers if they are interested in making the project.

Patterns and tutorials tend to be impersonal so they don’t make a reader feel connected to you, the writer. You need other types of content to do that.

+ Most patterns and tutorial posts can stand alone so they’re approachable for new readers. A pattern can draw them in and your other content will keep them around.

In my opinion, patterns and tutorials are great once in awhile, but they don’t make for the best regular content. What do you think? Do you like reading patterns and tutorial posts? If you’ve published ones on your blog before, do you find that they were worth the work?


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Comments

13 responses to “The Pros and Cons of Patterns and Tutorials”

  1. It’s just recent that I’ve started blogging again, and no doubt about the fact that the pattern posts are the ones that generate the most traffic. If they bring in so much traffic is there any reason why I should write other content? Well, yeah, I think so. Hopefully, with time, some of the people who found my blog through one of my patterns will come back to read the regular posts as well. Or that would be the dream. 🙂

  2. It depends on the type of tutorial. If it’s well done and original I can appreciate it. If it’s something that is unoriginal, too simple, or just not that great I question the blogger’s opinion of the readers.

    1. oh my sentiments exactly! If it’s been done a hundred times before why the hell are you posting it again!!

    2. There’s a really popular blog that’s targeted at women in their 20s and 30s, and they post craft tutorials that look like something MAYBE tweens MIGHT make. It’s embarrassing to see.

  3. It is a tough question, especially because the traffic is not the long term readers you want.

    I translated a pattern into English, and it took many months to get to the point where the reader traffic was greater than the pattern traffic.

    I am working on making the PDF version, with the critiques people have given to me.

    I do want to design more, but it seems like I am more preoccupied with knitting for the moment.

  4. I hear where you’re coming from! I actually STOPPED posting crochet tutorials because they were so tedious but didn’t get ENOUGH traffic for me to bother. Oddly enough, my COOKING posts get more traffic!

  5. I think that as a blogger, it is more rewarding to write a tutorial for something you already doing. I find it too tedious to write something specifically for the blog and too disappointing if it doesn’t generate traffic. That being said, I do enjoy the occasional tutorial on other people’s blogs. Even if it isn’t a topic I’m particularly interested in, I do enjoy seeing how people explain different concepts.
    Thanks for this thought provoking post Andi.

  6. I’ve posted a couple of patterns, and was gobsmacked by the amount of traffic they brought. I only put them up becuase for example, I made up a hat to match a baby cardi, and then thought, ‘hey, if this pattern had been available it would have made my life easier’.

    I’m not too fussed about traffic, it amazes me I get as much as I do. I don’t even know why I blog really. It’s more of a craft diary for me, so I can look back at my progress.

  7. I’ve never posted a real tutorial – because they are so much work, and because so much has been done before me! I might be inclined to do it if I thought the project or technique was unique enough to warrant it, but other wise I’m happy to leave it to others and share a link to their blog!
    Some of my most popular posts have been about my experience learning a new technique – I don’t tell people how to do it but share lots of pics (and text) of how it went for me. They’re fun to do (I enjoy taking the pics) and I include links and the resources I used.
    I’m a fan of the well done tutorial and often bookmark them for future reference.

  8. I’ve only shared a couple of tutorials/patterns, but I do think they are worth the time. I agree that it’s important for the project to be something you’d actually want to make; I think it’s pretty transparent when you’re not enjoying it! I definitely wouldn’t want to fill my blog with only patterns and tutorials, though. It’s so much easier to just MAKE. 😉

  9. I completely agree! They should be like “special treats”

    1. Hahaha! I like that; it reminds me of the special treats that I have for my dog.

  10. well i found your blog via one of your patterns and stayed for your great writing, great photos and WIP posts 🙂

    the question of work is hard.. is it worth it? may some bloggers go onto sell booklets or books of patterns in the future? It really does add alot to your reputation or credibility perhaps?

    great post!

    Barnicles

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