DIY Tutorial Tips: Convince Readers to Give your DIY a Try

Photo by: Todd Quackenbush

Everyday millions of us ask good old ‘Auntie Google’ how to do this, that and the other, which is great, right?

Never before has it been easier to look something up and be given the confidence to tackle the job ourselves – whether it’s fixing a leaking tap or making your own Halloween-themed fascinator.

Also, in the spirit of sharing and the ‘have-a-go’ mentality of many of you bloggers out there, creating DIY and tutorial posts has become a hugely popular way of engaging readers, expressing your creativity and driving traffic to your website.

It seems the whole blogosphere is obsessed with DIY posts, but a quick search on Pinterest will reveal that some of these tutorials are better than others.

This post will outline some of our top tips for creating awesome DIY tutorials for your blog.

Make it Original

If you have seen a DIY somewhere you want to try out, you need to make sure that firstly, you make it original. Don’t just copy the exact method you followed from somewhere else, make alterations and take notes on the ways others could adapt the DIY themselves.

Credit your Sources

If you’ve been inspired to write a tutorial of your own, don’t then forget to credit the original source with a link. Talk about how the original recipe/make-up look/autumnal craft inspired you in your post’s intro – support the wider blogging community and make your tutorials a conversation rather than a broadcast.

Practice Makes Perfect

Make sure that you know the method and techniques inside-out before you attempt to write and shoot your own tutorial. There is nothing worse than following a DIY to the letter only to find that the author had no idea what they were talking about in the first place. Plus, practicing your DIY may spark your imagination and inspire a future tutorial ideas.

Listing Supplies

List every item you used in your tutorial, not just the items you bought. This includes the little things like scissors and pencils etc… Your readers have to be able to see exactly what they will need to get and their exact measurements before they attempt your DIY, so make it easy for them. You could include these items as a list at the top of your tutorial, or you could take a photo of everything in one place. It may also be helpful to outline where you bought the items (especially if something was tricky to source) and the price, so that readers can gauge the affordability of your tutorial before they try it.

Writing Instructions

When dividing your methods into step-by-step instructions keep these points fairly short in length as they will read easier and make your tutorial appear more enticing to readers. Don’t worry about how many steps you include, just make sure they are all written in plain English, so that even baking/crafting/make-up/sewing novices will get what you’re saying.

Taking Photos

If you’re a blogger with a Pinterest account, you will already be aware of how important images are for attracting readers to your posts and DIY’s are no exception. DIY instructions with high-quality photographs of each step are exceptionally easy on the eye and really aid understanding for your readers. Check out this post about taking great product review photos for more on taking pin-worthy pics of your tutorials. Tips include, writing captions under each image, using natural light to get the best angle on your handiwork and more.

Use Different Mediums

Photo DIY’s can be very useful, however, if the method is fairly short or includes fiddly bits, why not consider turning your instructions into a video instead?  All you need is a webcam or a smartphone camera, some good lighting and editing software and you’re away. If you’re not confident about your video production skills there are many free tip videos online like Vimeo’s own Video School, which can help you through the basics. Alternatively, you may be able to turn your DIY into a 6 second Vine, like Carly Shay who makes her nail tutorial Vines look effortlessly tempting.

Do you have any more tips for crafting excellent DIY posts? Share your insight below.