Secrets to creating great blog content
At Stratton Craig, blogging is a crucial part of our clients‘ communications strategies, but when you’re posting three times a week – or even trying to muster up something original once a week – it can be hard to consistently create compelling content for your blog posts.
Sometimes finding different, interesting and useful content to share on a blog proves tricky. But keeping your conversations regular and insightful is crucial to engaging the right people.
With that in mind, here are 11 ways to consistently create great blog content:
1. Re-visit your blogging legacy
Have a look through your previous posts – are there any blogs you can add a second part to, an update, additional content?
2. Read through the last 24 hours home feed on your Twitter account
Reviewing the last day on your Twitter newsfeed usually delivers a few good blog ideas or content themes to explore.
3. What are you doing at the moment? Share the love
Discuss things you’re working on at the moment: projects, new client work, challenges, success, lessons learnt. Add value.
4. Check the blogosphere
Look at what bloggers are posting and expand their debates – this is a great way to further link into the blog community.
5. Become a source of exclusive information
Are you a thought-leader in your commercial space? No? Become one. Add exclusive content in your area of expertise.
6. Ask for help
Speak to your clients, colleagues and trusted network associates about what interests them. Ask for their help in creating content.
7. Do market research
Get online and see what your competitors are talking about. Then write something better on the same subject. Add insight.
8. Get passionate
If you have strong beliefs or proven methods around a commercial subject, share them. Share your passion. Readers love this.
9. Remain teachable
Ask your readers what they want to see. Start a survey, ask your audience what they value. Create statistical value.
10. Start with the end in mind
Remember why you’re blogging – think back to your earliest blog posts and recall what sparked you to start blogging.
11. Think ‘giving’ not selling
A sign that a blogger is usually finding it hard to create great blog content is when they start selling on posts, rather than giving. Remember to give, give, give.
We’ve just been commissioned to provide social media and blogging support to celebrity personal trainer, Mark Anthony. With his new 6 Week London Body Plan podcast, Mark is a great representation of the future for fitness in the digital era. If you’d like to speak to us about your social media strategy please call Harriette Hobbs on 0117 9371 383 or email [email protected].
The Storyteller – June 2010
