Feed The Blog Beast: Generating Content Over Time

Many businesses put off creating a blog. It seems too complicated.

The biggest concern is blog content: who’s got the time to create content for a blog week after endless week? Most business bloggers can see themselves writing ten posts, or even 20. But several hundred posts or a thousand posts stretching over years?

This seems so intimidating that businesses which could and should blog keep putting it off.

There’s an answer to this blogging malaise - a blog content plan.

Create A Blog Content Plan - Plan Your Posts Six Months In Advance

Developing a blog content plan outlines your blog’s content over six months or longer. Once you know what topics you’ll be covering on your blog, you can parcel out blogging assignments to staff, or to professional bloggers you’ve hired.

There’s just one thing to remember when you’re creating your plan. It’s focus. Remember to stay focused on the blog topic and on your readers’ needs.

But what will you blog about?

Here are some ideas for blog content:

1. Make a list of keywords so posts keep generating traffic

A well-chosen list of keywords for your blog content means that your blog will send you search engine traffic daily, as soon as each post is indexed by the search engines.

Your keyword list will also give you ideas for blog posts.

2. Blog product information and customer reviews

Your customers and potential customers want information about your products. Give it to them. Your blog posts shouldn’t be sales-focused; focus on information, useful tips, and if you can get them, post customer reviews of your products.

Customer reviews are gold. It’s worth making special efforts to develop a flow of customer reviews. Consider creating a reviews section on your Web site, with prizes for customers who send in a review, with a photo.

3. Weekly or monthly industry news

Your blog can become a source of news in your industry. Blog what’s happening - blog about competitors too.

If you just blog about your business, your blog can become sales-focused. So blog about other companies, and your industry, so that your blog will be seen as an authority.

4. Staff interviews as podcasts or videos

You can create audio or video staff interviews. It’s a chance to let your staff shine, and for your customers to get to know them.

5. Frequently Asked Questions - answer them on the blog

Every business is asked the same questions repeatedly. Yes, you need a FAQ page on your Web site, but study the answers you’ve posted on that page.

Each answer can make a complete blog post. There’s a reason customers ask the same questions: think about what the implications of the questions are, and blog about those implications.

6. Tutorial videos - your products in action

How-tos and tutorials are always popular. Show your products being used. Give expert advice and tips in tutorial videos. In addition to posting the videos on your blog, post them on YouTube.

7. Plan for crisis management - aim for an immediate response, and take charge of the conversation

Think of your blog as a frontline crisis management tool. Use Google Alerts to stay abreast of what’s being said about your business online.

When there’s a problem with a product - blog about it. Resolve customer complaints publicly, on your blog. Your blog gives you a platform: use it.

Use the seven ideas for blog content to create your own Blog Content Plan as soon as possible. Then assign blog posts to staff or others. As your blog develops and you post more content, your blog will show its worth to your business in many ways. Blogging gives you unique opportunities to build online presence and customer relationships: don’t waste them.