“No-one is interested in reading blog posts that are just marketing fodder,” says Terri Dendy, the joint author of the popular blog Ministry of Curiosity.

“I think there are two really good kinds of museum blogs – those that offer a more in-depth, even scholarly view of the subject or a collection, and those that bring an individual perspective.

“The Victoria and Albert Museum’s blog posts are well-researched enough to be referenced by students and academics. On the other side you have places like the Horniman Museum and Gardens, which gives you a more behind-the-scenes insight to the work it does in its blog.”

Matthew Cock, the director of accessibility charity VocalEyes, is a judge in the UK blog Awards, which includes a category for arts and culture.

“You want [a museum blog post] to be like having a really interesting conversation about a variety of things, not toeing the party line,” he says.

So how do you rustle up content that’s engaging and genuine, as well as being roughly in line with your museum’s mission?

Tips for writing a good museum blog

  • Let the post emerge naturally from your interests – if you aren’t interested, no one else will be.


  • Let your uncertainties show. You may be asking questions, not giving answers – and you never know who will reply or even contribute to the museum’s research hoard. A recent post on National Museums Scotland's blog appealed for information about a leopard skin that a curator found in his in-tray, at the same time offering a peep at the haphazard ways objects may be acquired.


  • Break blog posts up with subheadings, different fonts, images, and audio and video (if resources allow). People browsing the web need varied format fare.


  • Save jargon such as “benchmarks” and “stakeholders” for the trustees’ report. Resist filling the first paragraph with thanks to your funders – most readers aren’t interested, and the ones who are will find the information wherever you put it (the funders will find it there too).


  • Give the goodies upfront. Don’t hide the biggest nugget in the last paragraph.


  • Be topical and tie in with current events if you can – linking to an upcoming exhibition or a book launch will increase traffic. But don’t force links with current affairs or you might find yourself in Private Eye’s ‘Desperate Marketing’ column.


  • Consider vlogging (video blogging) and make sure this is also posted on YouTube.


  • Asking stakeholders to write blog posts is a great way to drum up interest in volunteering, membership or supporting the museum in other ways.


  • Check institutional guidelines, or write some. These can be sent to guest bloggers too. Cover things such as tone, length and image format.


  • Ensure your blog posts are as accessible as possible for visually-impaired readers using screen readers by describing images and putting navigation links on the right-hand side.


  • Blog post titles should do the same job as newspaper headlines. Make them snappy and intriguing, and avoid being vague or misleading. A list of keywords can help support staff who are less confident writing titles.


  • Don’t stuff a post with keywords. Including certain words or phrases will be helpful for a post’s Search Engine Optimisation, especially if these are included in the title and URL. But a good Google ranking doesn’t matter if the blog post doesn’t read well – keywords can always be added in after a post has been written.


  • Don’t be discouraged if no-one comments on a post. Many people tend to engage by sharing posts on social media rather than by commenting directly.


  • Let the blog evolve – blogging is about process rather than perfection. Some things won’t happen until the keyboard is tapped.