An article (a blog post, no less) came across my news feed the other day: “Your Blog Isn’t a Nuisance, It’s a Valuable Asset.” True that. The author points out that blogs are great for increasing your website’s search engine ranking. And, industry related posts can help establish you as an authority in your field. One point I’ll add is that blogs provide a fantastic way to generate your own social media content. So, with all these wonderful reasons to have a blog, the number one reason I hear from people who haven’t jumped on that bandwagon are: “I don’t know what I’d say.” “It scares me!” And, to that I say, you just aren’t in the right mindset. It’s all in your head. I maintain a handful of blogs for my clients. They are in varying industries where I am by no means an expert, so while I can help them craft the blog, and occasionally suggest a topic, most of the ideas and “meat” of the posts need to come from them. Not surprisingly, all of them had the same reaction when we started: “What would I say?” “I can’t write!” “That’s scary!” Guess what? Today, we’re posting regularly. Wanna know the secret? As an expert in your field, you are creating blog content every day. When a client asks you a question about your product or service and you respond, that is a potential blog post. If a new law gets passed related to your industry, or your industry (or company) is featured in a news story and someone asks your opinion, it’s a post. A simple email response to solve a problem can be a blog post. I tell my clients to create an email folder where they store emails they send responding to any-and-all of the above. I encourage them to keep a simple spreadsheet where they can quickly input a topic or question and a couple of bullet points for an answer. All of these can quickly be turned into a post. Here are some other tips that might push you to consider a blog:
And, finally, for those of you who think you can’t write, just start typing. Type it like you would talk it. Don’t worry about usage and grammar and spelling – even complete sentences or structure - in the first draft (that does need to come later). I think you’ll find that if you get out of your own way, you’ll be surprised how easy it is to put your knowledge down on the proverbial paper. Of course, you will ask me how to set up a blog and how to get people to subscribe to it. That is a topic for another day. For now, start by gathering your ideas and just start writing. You might find it isn’t scary, it’s fun. Wendy Peloquin is Chief Creative Officer of Pixie Fish Marketing. She has 25+ years experience weaving creativity with common sense to craft memorable messages and successful marketing strategies.
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About WendyFor my clients, I'm a storyteller, cheerleader, push-you-out-of-your-comfort-zone type of marketing consultant. Hopefully I can inspire you too. Archives
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