Blogging can be a difficult and arduous task, especially if you’re a business owner who doesn’t have the time to constantly update people with the latest industry information and news. But the work reaps the rewards. Businesses with a blog are more likely to attract new customers and interest to their website. Here are our top six tips for first time bloggers to get you started:
1) Research mode: A successful writer always does their homework. It’s important to lay some solid groundwork before starting a project. Blogging is no exception.
In order to keep your mind ticking over with great content ideas, you need to stay in research mode at all times. Research shouldn’t be reserved for sitting at your computer or planning your next post. The quality of your writing will improve if you write down your ideas as they come to you.
Whether it’s last thing at night or first thing on your commute to work, you never know when a great content idea will make an appearance.
2) Developing ideas: You could wait until the next time you sit down to write to develop your content. But it’s often a good idea to start developing your ideas when they are fresh in your mind.
In order to do that, be prepared to question ways to develop your content. Often a post will start with a simple idea that just needs putting into some sort of structure. Consider the right angle for your story. Incorporating your own ideas and a different slant on a story will guarantee originality.
Unearthing something new, exciting and attention-grabbing will boost your online presence as people continue to share your blog with others.
How do you find these ideas in the first place?
- Read the news and industry papers
- Google Alerts
- Survey your customers
- Question forums
Don’t forget, if you need any help with the above, our digital marketing team are on hand to offer advice and create an editorial plan for your website.
3) Test your ideas: Getting to know what interests your readers is a great way to start when blogging. You’ll have an idea of what content will resonate with them and be better equipped to meet their needs.
A great way to test your ideas is to post them on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn with an engaging quote. This tests your ideas against the interests of those you’re writing for. If they respond well to your test, then it’s probably worth blogging about.
4) Write a catchy headline: No matter how great your content is, no one is going to read it without a catchy headline to lure them in. People have just seconds to decide if they want to click on your post, so your headline is the ultimate decider.
Keep it simple, short and packed with hooks. Take the headline of this article for instance; who doesn't want insider knowledge on a subject?
5) Write in your own voice: Don’t attempt to write in the voice of another. You have your own unique style and creative flair. Once you develop a voice it doesn’t stop there, as bloggers are forever looking for new ways to keep their content fresh. That’s the exciting thing about creating your first ever blog. It’s yours to design and write as you please.
6) Get a life: Curiosity and a love of learning makes for a good writer. Whether you’re an author, journalist or a blogger the odds are that a desire to learn new things has an effect on your life today. It pushes you forward to generate creative ideas that reflect your personality and connect with others who share similar interests.
If you need our help with setting up your blog or developing a content strategy to create larger pieces of content for your website, then contact a member of our team today to see how we can improve and cultivate your brand and personality.