Often when businesses start a blog they are all business, and then at some point you hit the “freak out” meter and start to wonder how many times can you write about that topic! And if you keep writing about it, will they really need to hire you? Content seems to be a BIG challenge of business bloggers! (Now granted, if you blog as a mom, or as a person on a journey, hopefully it never ends, so my focus is on Business Bloggers here, these ideas could still help). See, when you don’t post regularly, you miss opportunity. Opportunity with potential customers, opportunity with search engines.
Here are three ideas to increase the content you write about, blog more often and increase your audience:
- subscribe to several competitors blogs, read what they write about. I will bet it allows you to form your own opinions and write from your point of view. Pull articles out of magazines you read that inspire you and write your opinion.
- combine your passions and your life with your work. Write down 5 things that you love to do personally and then think about how they relate to what you do in your business and write a blog. (I do this all the time, a couple examples: Persistence and BEcoming MORE Authentic)
- create an editorial calendar. On your calendar for the YEAR write out topics you’d like to blog about EVERY week. This gets your brain processing and thinking about what to write.
Remember, the more you give when you blog, the more fabulous your potential customers know you are. And then they think: “wow imagine what I will get if I pay!” On the Social Networking Coaching Club I teach you unique way ways to stand out, and create powerful blogs that DRIVE business results.
What creative way do you keep the blog ideas flowing?
Ann’s Social Networking Coaching Club, lifetime membership is now just $499 and you pay it off in ten months but get access to her right away! Contact Ann Evanston to learn why it’s a smart business investment for you!
This is a ‘just in time’ post fro me…I’m working on topics now for the year and love the idea of combining things I’m passionate about and relating it to what I do.
Darcie Newton
http://mywealthspa.com
I really need to do an editorial calender for my blog. I have one for twitter and facebook page but my blog one is in my head right now! I find other peoples facebook pages to be a good source of ideas too at times. I use competitors blogs as a source of posts more on my Au Pair website to wriite tips on creating a good Au Pair/host family relationship but have recently begun to do more of this on my blog too. Thanks for excellent tips as always!
Louise Edington
Facing Fears For Freedom
http://louiseedington.com
The Editorial Calendar is a great idea. I’ve been thinking about scheduling all of my topics – you put my thoughts into action!
Thank you!
I love the idea of the editorial calendar. Never thought of blogging topics in that manner. I think it will help me focus on the content as well so that it flows from one month to the next and I am not repeating myself.
Thanks Ann!
Thanks!
I think i got #1. But #2 and #3, and especially #3, are extremely helpful and inspiring.
I’ve started some regular special feature posts on my blog. For example whenever there’s a slow week In the studio I take a picture of something that inspires me and then I make a sketch translating the image into a quilt pattern – I call it Quilt Pattern Sketches. It was started as filler but it’s become one of the topics my readers like to follow the most.
Sherri Lynn Wood
daintytime
Thanks Ann! Once again, great ideas from my Social Media coach! I wouldn’t be where I was today if it wasn’t for you, really.
Happy New Year
The editorial calendar is definitely something I want to try out. Just wrangling with getting a calendar together for FB and Twitter but can see from those who’ve done it that it really makes a difference. Thanks for the continued inspiration Ann!
Fiona Stolze
http://fionastolze.wordpress.com
Glad to see this topic (and I know I’ll learn more when I get to blogging on the Social Networking Coaching Club). Editorial calendar is a great idea, and what a perfect time of year for it. I have a notebook where I write down little events that occur that I sense will lead me to a blog. If I don’t write them down in the moment, they are lost!
Judy Stone-Goldman
The Reflective Writer
This is very timely for me as I have been struggling with how to come up with more frequent blogs for our web site blog; I love the idea of putting together a whole calendar and, as you have been telling me all along, trying to incorporate the personal side, my passions, etc. into the business aspect. I just need to make the time to sit down and pull this all together. I so appreciate your inspiration and reminders and idea-sharing!!
Ann, thanks for three potent ideas! And at exactly the right time, too. Competitors, Passions, and Calendar — brilliant. Let me suggest a fourth: Network much? Carry some means (recorder app or notes app) to jot an idea from each interesting conversation. Then some time later, review all these notes and blog about each one. BTW, it’s the first time I heard the term “freak out” meter. Love it!
Great tips.. i was just thinking yesterday what my next post should be about…you have given me some great ideas
Julie Labes the…Fierce over 50 feels much younger, point and click junkie, loves to travel, does not use a jogging stroller, and before you ask, this is NOT my granddaughter..Woman
I like what you said about combining passions and life with work…I am going to keep doing that! I agree it makes a person look more real. Rachel
This is great information, thanks so much Ann. There are days I can blog almost all day, and then I’ll go several days where I can’t think of a thing to say. So thanks for the tips.
More productive blogging in 2011!
Lisa Vitale
http://lisawifemom.wordpress.com/
Another powerful post Ann. You truly practice what you preach, which in itself is a powerful testament to your business. You have me hooked on Ann’s spoonisms. I dont have any problem finding ideas, my problem is reigning them in. Finally 2011, has given me a focus calendar. I have chosen a word for the year. Focus, and then I have choses 12 words under that are my theme words, one per month that relate to my life and design. That gives me a focus to write about. I have also decided to do one helpful tip or resource blog or vlog per week, fairly quick and simple. One blog or vlog as design show and tell how to. Last, a weekly blog. my design column. Focus on Design where I am interviewing a different design professional (can be any part of the biz) who I have met through Social Media. This creates a formula that simplifies how I blog. and I am loving the ease of it….
Jennifer Duchene
Home Makeover Mixtress
http://home-decorating-makeovers.com/
Seems like most everyone (including me!) loved the calendar idea for blogging thoughts. You would think that was the simplest, yet most people hadn’t thought about it. Thanks once again for the ideas!
Candace Davenport
http://www.ourlittlebooks.com ~ Little Books with a Big Message
Those are great ideas. I have been resisting an editorial calendar, because I thought it would put pressure on me to come up with something. But it makes sense when I see what you wrote about creating one.
Great topic and ideas Ann! When I am stumped about what to write on my blog, I relax away from the computer, get into conversation with others and/or observe something in the field – all of which get the creative juices flowing again.
I think I’m finally getting into blog writing mode ( 2 years later) . It feels like pushing away a big heavy rock. It feels good , though, and your blog is timely- of course!!!
“Combine your passions and your life with your work.” This is such a small thing, yet it is huge! It leads me to pause and reflect upon how I may or may not be doing this. So, you stimulated another part of my brain, my emotions. But then, you s=do that often, Ann. I especially liked your comment about blogging as a person on a journey, and that topics as a growing person never get old. This validates what I am doing on my blog. Thank you, Ann, for sharing your wisdom.
Carolyn CJ Jones
author, photographer, publisher, speaker
http://www.gatelady.com
I record my sessions with clients – more often than not, there’s a nugget of an idea in sessions that either become a blog post or a newsletter article. Of course, I record them, because I don’t want to say – hang on a minute – that would make a great blog post…