It’s easy to agonize over your blog trying to achieve perfection, but the truth is that’s a huge hindrance toward growing an audience. As humans, it’s easy to over complicate things—allow too many ideas, methods, or opinions to take hold. For a blog, that can slow production, posts, waste time, and create jumbled content that doesn’t hold any appeal. While you may want your message and what you’d like to read play a central role in what you create, it isn’t about you—it’s about your consumers, potential consumers, and your audience. While brand will be an important part of each post, it’s only one facet.
If you’re ready to grow your audience, it’s time to implement a simple blog content creation strategy. Here are the 5 ways to achieve a simple blog content strategy:
#1: Start by clearly defining your goals
What do you hope your blog will do? Do you want it to help readers and get them to recommend you as a resource, or is it a tool to drive sales further down the funnel? Obviously, your blog is a lead generator, but look at how you want it to function. Blogs have far more capability than people imagine—it’s a way to connect with consumers, find out and address pain points, and become an expert in your field. Schedule a time with your team to define your goals. However, don’t get out of control. One or two to begin with are more than sufficient. You can always adapt and renew goals as you reach each measurable step. Maybe your first two goals look like this: 1) post consistently, and 2) build 200 followers.
#2: Have a brainstorm session for topics and titles
Because of your job, you probably have more information than the average person about your industry. This may mean you believe content should be technical and advanced—but that is what you want as a professional. Instead, start researching and brainstorming what your audience wants to know. They are whose opinion matters. For example, while you may be interested in reading the new laws surrounding real estate transactions, your audience probably wants to know what a contract involves. There will be industries that do demand a higher academic level, but in general, audiences want palatable, readable information presented in an engaging way. Some ways to generate topics include:
- Address pain points
- Give ideas on how your product can be used
- Answer common questions
- Solve problems
Try and come up with six months of content. You aren’t locked into titles—if you have a current event in your industry you can always add it—but you have a good start, so you aren’t always scrambling to get content created.
Related: How to Use Creative Blog Titles to Boost Your Visibility
#3: Make a blog content creation calendar
Most businesses have calendars for something, whether it's employee work schedules, product development and release, or important finance and accounting dates. Having a content calendar is essential as well; it’s a great way to stay on task. Try and build out your editorial calendar as far as you can: three months, six months, a year. Decide how frequent you want to post and on what days you will post. Add the titles to each month and remember you always have the option to change if absolutely necessary, but you can build in seasonal events ahead of time.
Related: What is a Digital Content Strategy? And Why You Need One!
#4: Give up on perfection
One of the most common frustrations in the content industry is the varying opinions of perfection. Think of it this way: give an article to five different editors, and you’ll get five different articles back. All you really need is a solid concept, well-written content, good grammar (not perfect), and a piece that’s the right length for your industry, and done the right format for your audience.
#5: Be consistent
One of the biggest keys to successful blogs is consistency. This includes:
- Posting on a regular schedule
- Supporting with social media and emails/newsletters
- Choosing the same day/time when possible to post
Try not to fall behind. Designate who will post and do the supporting campaign. This means that you’ll need to make sure the content is produced in advance as well. This is doable, especially if you’re assigning and creating well ahead of schedule.
Having a simple blog content creation strategy can go a long way in growing your audience. In a busy world, giving up the idea of perfection and simplifying can save time, money, headaches, and an inactive or messy blog process. To learn more about successful SEO strategy, check out our white paper, "How the Right Blog Content Creation Strategy Can Power and Simplify All Your Online Marketing."
