Brian Burt
As a smart and savvy business owner, you know by now that blogging isn’t a fluffy extra, but rather a serious necessity.
Content marketing has officially overtaken traditional marketing methods of yore. The old ways are rapidly becoming obsolete as it becomes increasingly important for brands to engage with customers online in authentic ways.
But just how does one do that?
When you do find time to sit down in front of a computer and write something for the blog, you may find yourself staring at a blank screen with your fingers hovering over the keyboard and your mind wandering.
That’s OK, everyone gets writer’s block, even people who aren’t technically writers. So you need a little inspiration to get you going. Read on to find it.
1. Give Away Your Expert Knowledge
It may seem counter-intuitive to give away your expertise and insider tips, but it’s a brilliant move that will win you new customers and loyalty. If you’re willing to just give this stuff away for free, imagine what paying clients get!
There are a couple reasons this works. First, it establishes you as an industry leader and a great source of information. Second, it’s because some of the people who read your informative blog will think, “Thanks for explaining but I don’t have time for all that – can I just pay you to do it for me?” It’s a win-win.
2. Solve Problems
If there’s one thing you know well, it’s your customers. Think about the most common challenges they face and write blogs that address those challenges. People are always attracted to articles that speak directly to them about a real problem they’re dealing with – if you doubt me, just look at the headlines of articles in the lifestyle section of the Huffington Post.
3. The Thing You’re Sick of Saying
What is the one thing that you have to explain to customers over and over and over again ad nauseam? Write it out in a blog and then the next time it comes up, you can just direct them to the blog instead of running through the script again.
4. Get Personal
People who are in business with you or thinking about getting in business with you actually want to know a little about the humans behind the business. So, occasionally pull back the curtain and reveal something about you and your team.
What did everyone do over the summer? How did you get involved in the industry? What are your passions and what’s your vision for the future? These are all compelling and engaging topics that are ripe for the writing.
5. Industry Lingo
Chances are there’s another language that’s unique to your field and you throw industry terms around without even thinking. It would be helpful to have an article that simply provides a straight-forward breakdown of the most commonly used lingo.
6. Case Studies
Instead of straight-up bragging about how great your services are, show your results. Write about a specific client or customer you worked with and describe their challenges, the strategies you used and what the positive outcomes were.
7. Trends
It’s always a good idea to explore what’s currently happening in your industry. Write about a few new trends and how customers can incorporate them into whatever they’re doing. For your field, that may mean talking about new technologies, innovations or styles.
8. The Curated Post
A curated list is the perfect fail-safe when you’re feeling a little uninspired, because it just involves gathering cool stuff you like. Here are a few lists you can create for a blog:
- Your favorite industry blogs
- Interesting statistics
- Powerful quotations
- Infographics
- Videos
- Recommended books
- Examples of success
- A playlist of songs related to what you do
9. Q & A
Talk to someone in your industry or even in your company and ask them some questions that your customers or clients might ask. Then just publish it in a Q & A format – simple, interesting and requires very little work on your part.
10. Editorial
It’s nice to sometimes share your own perspective with your customers, even if it’s a little controversial. Take on a current hot issue in your industry or do some light ranting about something that gets under your skin. An editorial-style opinion piece can be very compelling and show your customers a little more about who you are as a person. Here’s one that we did recently – it was a little edgy to write a blog about why our services might not work for someone, but that’s what made it interesting.
Bookmark this page and give this a read whenever you think you have nothing at all to write about for your company’s blog.
At any given moment at least one of these topics should stir up your ideas and inspiration. And when it does, you’ll be well on your way to offering real value and forming relationships through genuine engagement.
This article was originally published here on the WebRev Marketing & Design blog.
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