5 Tips for Generating Awesome Blog Content
Setting up a blog for your small business can be a great addition to your online presence. Consistently creating great content is valuable to your prospects, customers and overall health of your small business. However, coming up with great content on a consistent basis can get a bit tricky. If you get stuck with writer’s block or just don’t know where to start, try these ideas to generate fantastic content for your blog:
1) Imagine your ideal customer
Your customers are the target of your blog, so why not start with them? Take note of questions your customers ask throughout the week and address them in a blog post where you answer their questions and offer advice. If your customers aren’t very forthcoming, imagine sitting down with them. What questions would you ask them and what would they ask you? Taking inspiration from your customers will not only make your blog more engaging, but also offer insight on how you run your business.
2) Write about your products and services
Think about the services your business provides and the products you sell or recommend. Writing a blog post about the benefits of a particular service or how to use a product is great fuel for your blog. It helps the customer understand more about what your company does or shows them how you can help. This also links directly to helping grow your business by encouraging readers to become customers if they are not already.
3) Forums
Joining or reading online industry-related forums takes you straight to your target audience. Forums are where people gather to discuss the latest trends or concerns within your industry. Keep an eye on what people are talking about or asking other business owners about and use this to create a blog post. You could even post a link to the relevant blog page on the forum, so the users will recognize you as a source of information and you may gain new readers.
4) Read industry websites
You can easily find major industry websites by searching online. Their content will keep you up-to-date with the latest news, trends, and events, making sure you won’t miss anything. You can even use their ‘how to’ tutorials as inspiration to create your own. Do not copy their content; instead make yours unique by injecting personality, first-hand experience, and your brand.
5) Social media
Social media is a goldmine of potential blog topics. You can use your own social media channels and other leading profiles to generate incredibly fresh and relevant content. Use hashtags or Google Trends to find out which topics are trending in your business area. When writing blog posts based on trends make sure your turnaround is fast to stay relevant.
And remember…
Blogs are a great free tool you can use to market your business so make sure you get the most out of your activity by following these tips:
- Think about SEO – any key phrases you want to rank for in the search engines should be put into your blog regularly. For example, a dog walker would want to include the phrase ‘dog walking services’ in their blog.
- Promote on social media – allow others to find your blog who may not necessarily be on your website. Sharing them on social media and using relevant hashtags means more readers who could potentially turn into customers!
- Distribute to other websites – many websites accept related guest posts and therefore contributing to these guest sites can increase your reach and viewership by providing strong content. They will soon recognize you as a source of information.
These are all helpful in generating content, but it’s also essential that you put all of your content ideas in a central place. This could be a notebook where you jot down blog titles or a spreadsheet to keep track of post ideas and scheduling content. By planning out what content you’re publishing and when, you can ensure your blog is constantly being refreshed and staying relevant to your readers.
