8 Tips to Get You Blogging More
By Andrew Patricio
October 15, 2014
Small Business & Entrepreneurship
Share Facebook Tweet on Twitter Share with Email Share with LinkedIn Share with Pinterest
By Susan Payton, Small Business Content Developer at BizLaunch.com
Maybe you started a blog for your small business a year or two ago. And maybe it's gathered dust, since you ran out of topic ideas and gave up.
I know it's a challenge to continually come up with blog topics that are not only relevant to your audience but also interesting. But trust me: I write on average 25 blog posts a month for my brand and my clients, so it is absolutely possible. Here are my tips for getting you back to blogging.
1. Take it One Post at a Time
It's overwhelming if you look at your blog as something that will require your attention forever and ever, constantly requiring you to come up with topics every week. Just focus on the day, week, or month of posts, nothing more.
2. Write a Few Posts at a Time
Sometimes it's more stressful to write one post at a time for me. Once I'm in the zone, I'd rather write several posts at once. To that end, block off an hour or two in your schedule and focus on the blog. You'll write better content and stay in the groove.
3. Keep a Topic Ideas List
Whenever I think of a topic for one of the blogs I write for, I jot it down, lest I forget it. Then when I need ideas, they're right there waiting for me.
4. Turn to Social for Ideas
Getting blogger's block? Hop on Twitter or LinkedIn and see what others are writing about. It's a fantastic way to generate ideas and see what people are interested in.
5. Read More Blogs
Reading other blogs can teach you a lot about writing. You can see what appeals to you in terms of topic and formatting (bullets and smaller paragraphs make for easy skimming), and you'll get smarter about the topics you want to write about.
6. Turn to Your Customers
You may not have considered it, but your customers are a veritable fount of blog topic ideas. Consider the questions they ask you the most or the things you discuss with them often. Great blog fodder.
7. Check Your Analytics
Your analytics can tell you which of your posts people really liked. Use this information to write more. For example, if your "10 Tips for Staying Healthy" post got a lot of visits, consider breaking down that post into 10 more detailed posts.
8. Enlist Help
You as the business owner don't have to be the only contributor to your blog, especially if you're busy. If you have a staff, talk to marketing or a manager about contributing a few posts a month. You can also invite guest bloggers from other companies to contribute. The diverse content will attract more readers.
Blogging doesn't have to be a chore, if you're in the right mindset. Figure out a schedule and system that works best for you.
Maybe you started a blog for your small business a year or two ago. And maybe it's gathered dust, since you ran out of topic ideas and gave up.
I know it's a challenge to continually come up with blog topics that are not only relevant to your audience but also interesting. But trust me: I write on average 25 blog posts a month for my brand and my clients, so it is absolutely possible. Here are my tips for getting you back to blogging.
1. Take it One Post at a Time
It's overwhelming if you look at your blog as something that will require your attention forever and ever, constantly requiring you to come up with topics every week. Just focus on the day, week, or month of posts, nothing more.
2. Write a Few Posts at a Time
Sometimes it's more stressful to write one post at a time for me. Once I'm in the zone, I'd rather write several posts at once. To that end, block off an hour or two in your schedule and focus on the blog. You'll write better content and stay in the groove.
3. Keep a Topic Ideas List
Whenever I think of a topic for one of the blogs I write for, I jot it down, lest I forget it. Then when I need ideas, they're right there waiting for me.
4. Turn to Social for Ideas
Getting blogger's block? Hop on Twitter or LinkedIn and see what others are writing about. It's a fantastic way to generate ideas and see what people are interested in.
5. Read More Blogs
Reading other blogs can teach you a lot about writing. You can see what appeals to you in terms of topic and formatting (bullets and smaller paragraphs make for easy skimming), and you'll get smarter about the topics you want to write about.
6. Turn to Your Customers
You may not have considered it, but your customers are a veritable fount of blog topic ideas. Consider the questions they ask you the most or the things you discuss with them often. Great blog fodder.
7. Check Your Analytics
Your analytics can tell you which of your posts people really liked. Use this information to write more. For example, if your "10 Tips for Staying Healthy" post got a lot of visits, consider breaking down that post into 10 more detailed posts.
8. Enlist Help
You as the business owner don't have to be the only contributor to your blog, especially if you're busy. If you have a staff, talk to marketing or a manager about contributing a few posts a month. You can also invite guest bloggers from other companies to contribute. The diverse content will attract more readers.
Blogging doesn't have to be a chore, if you're in the right mindset. Figure out a schedule and system that works best for you.