10 Practical Tips for Consistent Blogging For Your Sustainable Business
So, you’ve got voices on social media telling you to blog, an SEO person saying it’s a must, and a web developer pushing you to start that blog already. It seems like every competitor out there is doing it.
But here’s the thing – something always manages to sabotage your blogging attempts and blogging never seems to get done. Maybe you’re swamped with client work or haunted by the fear of the blank page, or can’t find the right blog post ideas. And let’s not forget the nagging thought: “Hasn’t everything already been written before on this topic?” The struggle is real, my friend. Writing a blog for your business can feel like an item on your to-do list that never gets completed.
But let me tell you a secret: You should embrace the challenge of blogging, and here’s why:
- Showcase Your Products or Services: Blogging provides a platform to showcase your products or services in a less sales-driven manner. By creating engaging content around your offerings, you can show clients why they need what you’re selling naturally and informally.
- Define Your Brand Personality: Writing a blog helps you establish and strengthen your brand personality. You become more likeable and memorable by showcasing your unique voice, making your clients more likely to book and rebook your services.
- Learn and Share Your Knowledge: Blogging allows you to delve deeper into your field and share your expertise. By imparting valuable knowledge to your clients and peers in the industry, you’ll gain recognition and become a go-to expert in your niche.
- Boost Your Search Engine Ranking: Consistently updating your blog will directly impact your website’s search engine ranking, bringing in more organic traffic and potential customers. You’ll have an edge over your competitors by utilizing SEO strategies and incorporating high-quality content. Read this blog for some quick SEO tips you can use to get started.
- Make a Great Impression: A regularly updated, clear, and useful blog signals to your customers that you’re hardworking, committed, reliable, and serious about your business. This professionalism and dedication will instil trust in potential clients, leading to more business opportunities.
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How to Make Blogging More Efficient and Enjoyable
1. Set Realistic Intentions
Start by choosing a content schedule that works for you. Be honest about how much time you can realistically dedicate to blogging. If writing every week seems overwhelming, start once a month and gradually increase frequency. This approach will help you develop a flow in your writing, prevent burnout and help you maintain consistency. Using the Pomodoro technique, for example, helps ensure you don’t spend too much time trying to get started.
2. Make Time for Blogging
Block out dedicated time in your schedule for research, writing, editing, and uploading blog posts. Treat this time as non-negotiable, not to be sold to clients or used for other tasks. Giving yourself a few days between writing and editing will improve the quality of your content. Here are some free content calendar templates to try.
3. Strategize Your Content
Avoid the last-minute scramble for topics by strategizing your blog content in advance. Determine your target audience and what they care about. Identify three or four content pillars, topics you want to be known for discussing with authority. It may seem counterintuitive to limit yourself, but a clear focus enhances creativity and ensures valuable content for your readers. Here’s a helpful free guide.
4. Consume Inspiration
To keep the ideas flowing, immerse yourself in the world of relevant content. Subscribe to keywords on Google, join relevant email newsletters, and set aside regular time to read the latest industry-related articles and blog posts. The more you consume, the more your brain will generate fresh thoughts and ideas for your blog. If you have time, taking courses is a great way to expand your knowledge and your network. You can find lots of great free courses on YouTube and Coursera for example.
5. Capture Ideas and Plan Ahead
Whenever an idea strikes, make a note immediately. Keep a note on your phone for blog post ideas on the go. Don’t worry about fully forming these ideas; they will take shape during the research phase. Every three months, sit down and map out your ideas in a content planner. Save any related articles or resources into the planner, creating a bank of resources for future posts.
Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash
6. Streamline Your Writing Process
Develop an efficient process to transform your ideas into well-crafted blog posts. Start by conducting thorough research and taking notes in a Word or Google doc, using a time limit to avoid falling down internet rabbit holes. Once you have organized your notes into a logical structure, drafting the first version of your post should be quick and easy. Take at least a 24-hour break before going back to edit and refine your writing.
7. Pick an Engaging Topic
Start by understanding your audience’s interests and pain points. Conduct research, analyze trends, and listen to feedback from your readers to identify topics that resonate with them. Consider incorporating your unique perspective or personal experiences to add a fresh and relatable touch to the chosen topic, ensuring it captures readers’ attention and keeps them engaged throughout the post. Add interview material if you have access to any experts to give your blog post unique insights. Exploding topics is also a great way to capture data on new trends.
8. Use a structure
While creativity and authenticity are important, having a reliable structure can speed up the writing process and ensure your content is easy to follow. An effective blog post usually begins with an engaging introduction, followed by informative, well-organized body content, and concludes with a compelling closing statement or call to action. This structure aids you in writing and helps your readers absorb and engage with your content. Refer to this comprehensive guide for some free blog post templates. Here are 2 tried and tested blog post structures:
Problem-Solution Structure:
- Introduction: Briefly highlight the reader’s problem.
- Problem Description: Expand on the problem context.
- Solution: Share the solution in easy steps.
- Conclusion: Recap the solution and add a call to action.
Listicle Structure:
- Introduction: Provide topic context.
- The List: Present points with subheadings and brief explanations.
- Conclusion: Summarize the main points and encourage reader interaction.
9. Craft a great headline that people can’t resist
Are you tired of struggling to come up with attention-grabbing headlines for your blog posts? Well, here’s a secret: there’s a wealth of research on copywriting and advertising that can guide you to success.
If you have templates right at your fingertips, this can make the process easier and faster. Start with the easiest ones: “How to” headlines and “list post headlines”. These classic formats have stood the test of time and continue to resonate with readers. Here are some examples:
“How to” Headlines:
- How to Eat Sustainably: Easy, Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners
- How to Save Money Whilst Being Sustainable in 2023
- How to Make Sustainable Fashion Choices (Free Guide for 2023)
List Post Headlines:
- The 5 Best Free Sustainability Websites in 2023 (100% Unbiased)
- Writer’s Block: 10 Ways to Overcome It Forever
- 12 Sustainability Blogging Tips for Beginners (+ Lots of Free Resources)
By following these proven headline formulas like these 2 examples, you’ll be on your way to grabbing readers’ attention and drawing them into your blog posts. Here’s a free headline hack cheat sheet.
10. Get Support
Always use Grammarly or Grammarly Pro to catch any errors. Consider enlisting a proofreader to ensure professionalism and accuracy without spending excessive time on proofreading. Hiring a virtual assistant (VA) to handle the uploading and scheduling of your posts will free up your time to focus on creating valuable content. Additionally, having a VA and proofreader adds external accountability to keep you on track. Platforms like Upwork can provide fast access to available talent.
Photo by Nick Morrison on Unsplash
Conclusion
By following these blogging tips, you’ll successfully maintain a consistent blog that engages your audience, boosts your online presence, and grows your business. So, embrace the power of blogging and watch your brand flourish.
Contact me today if you’d like help with your blog writing.