Our newsletter was released yesterday and, in it, we described how to start a blog, create content, and drive traffic once you got going. If you don’t subscribe, do so here.
It got me thinking. Trust me when I say it’s hard to write compelling content every day. So hard, in fact, this very blog used to have multiple authors, just because the thought of my writing it every day was too overwhelming. But then I realized I had something to say that might be useful to many different audiences, including business owners, executives, entrepreneurs, new college graduates, clients, prospective clients, and even communication experts. And I realized that even though our blog is titled the Fight Against Destructive Spin, I didn’t have to find examples of “spin” every day. I figured out that I can write about what it’s like to build a bootstrapped and growing business from scratch and what I’m learning about social media, as well as what’s happening in the PR industry.
So I thought I’d share some of my secrets here on creating compelling content consistently (wow – nice alliteration without even trying!) in order to make you a thought leader in your industry.
* I use Fridays to participate in #FollowFriday on Twitter, but I do it here instead of listing a whole bunch of Twitter handles in my stream. It does two things: It gives people a real reason to follow the people I’m recommending and it drives traffic to our blog. I know that I don’t have to think of a topic every Friday and, instead, can have fun with the 20 people I recommend each week.
* I read like a madwoman. I read everything I can get my hands on. I read most everything online and I do it quickly, looking for thoughts or ideas that spark some creativity. It doesn’t take as much time as one would think. I subscribe to SmartBrief newsletters and I pour through my Twitter feed looking for great content. Most days I have 20 or more tabs open in Firefox until I can read them all. Sometimes they stay open for days. I read. And then I think. I use my cycling time every morning to create the blog posts in my head.
* Sometimes I read something that gets me all fired up and I get on my soapbox. If this happens, I don’t wait until it’s time to write another blog post. I just write it.
* I’ve learned A TON about starting, running, and growing a business. Some of what I’ve learned, people have told me I’d figure out on my own. Some of what I’ve learned no one tells you and I think it’s important for other entrepreneurs to know. I’m VERY transparent about what I’ve learned, what works, and where I’ve fallen. These posts are easy to write because they’re things I live every, single day.
* I do quite a bit of speaking. I also spend time with our clients on strategic and innovative opportunities and challenges. When I do this, I listen more than I advise. I ask a ton of questions. I get them thinking. Then I use the questions they ask me (I get a lot of the same questions) and answer them in blog posts.
* We host Webinars and it’s impossible to get to every question during the hour time period. So I answer a lot of the questions in blog posts. I don’t have to think of a new topic, but it allows me to connect and engage with every person that partipcates in our Webinars, even if it’s not during the session.
So there you have it. My tricks for writing blog posts nearly daily. What are some of your secrets?