What should I blog about?
What I am about to say may surprise you, especially if you are a regular visitor to our blog. I am not writer. Creating content 500 words at a time does not come naturally to me. I have to work at it.
So what do I do when I find myself staring at a blank sheet of paper or more likely, a blank text box on a computer screen? I have a few simple tricks to generate ideas for my next post. One of my favorites is something even the occasional writer can use. I simply write answers to questions customers and prospects have asked recently.
Sometimes I replay the conversation in my head or simply picture the specific client who asked the question. I then write the answer as if I was talking directly to that person. The result is usually a much more casual and easy to read blog post.
How to get started?
Think about the questions you answer time and time again. If you can write the answer one time it will feed your blog and save you time in the long run.
When we first started designing websites,one of the questions we were often asked was why clients had to pay for design, hosting and domain registration. Our web designer wrote a blog post explaining the relationships by comparing a website to a mobile home. The result was a blog post which continues to show up in searches almost five years later.
Use your email
The next time you find yourself answering a question in an email, stop and ask yourself if this is something others will find valuable? If so, you have the makings of a blog post.
Once the blog is written you can share the link over and over again. So, start combing through your email for that next blog post
FAQs for People and Search Engines
People will appreciate having access to the answers to their questions, but so will search engines. When you use FAQs as a source of blog content you will naturally use relevant key words throughout the post. The result is a narrowly focused, single page of content which is now optimized for a very specific topic.
As you write these posts, pay attention to your web traffic. If you see a topic which is getting more than an average amount of traffic, consider answering a series of related questions. Then connect the posts with internal links and maybe even a roundup post like with did with Randall Beans, which includes links to each question.
The bottom line? If you are stuck for a content idea instead of asking what you should write about, think about what your customers are asking you.
Recommended Reading:
Want to learn more about providing the best educational information on your website for potential clients? Check out our other articles on this topic:
Looking for more idea generation suggestions? Check out our short whitepaper on Blogging for Beginners