If you do the same thing all the time, you're going to get bored. Blogging is no exception. Keep yourself (and your readers) interested with a healthy variety of blog types and formats.
Whether blogging is new to you or you’ve been doing it for years, burnout loves to rear its ugly head. Don’t let blogger burnout surprise you and, by all means, don’t let it get you down. Instead, try thinking one step ahead.
1) Keep a running list of topic ideas.
One of the most stress-inducing blogging tasks can be coming up with topics, especially the closer you are to your deadline. That’s why it helps to keep a master list of topic ideas you can add to as they come — while you’re reading the news, talking with colleagues and clients or customers, or just staring off into space over your morning cup of coffee.
The key, of course, is keeping the list visible and handy.
If you prefer good-old fashioned pen and paper, you might need more than one list — one for your workstation, one in your bag, and one at home. But chances are your smartphone is never more than an arm’s length away, so you might try your list of blogging ideas in your Notes app.
What you’ll probably find, if you haven’t already, is that when one topic just pops into your head, it’s often followed by a steady flow of others.
2) Spend different days doing different things.
As with anything else, breaking blogging down into more manageable parts makes it a far less daunting task. You can come up with your own formula that works, but may want to try breaking it down over three days time.
- Day 1: Research.
- Day 2: Outline.
- Day 3: Write.
Of course, this need not be limit your production to just one blog post in three days. You can double-up on tasks. For instance, the same day you’re researching one blog, you can outline another. The same day you’re outlining one blog, you can write another.
Or, you may research two or three blog posts on Day 1. The same goes for outlining on Day 2, and writing on Day 3. If writing three blogs in one day sounds like too much, keep in mind that research and outlining is half the battle, if not more. Plus, if you’re getting into the writing mode for one blog post, you may as well take advantage of the focus and flow to knock out one or two more.
3) Vary your type of blogs.
If you do the same thing all the time, you’re going to get bored. Blogging is no exception. Keep yourself (and your readers) interested with a healthy variety of blog types and formats.
- Current Events. Cover topics in the news relative to your industry. Just be mindful of sticking to news that is in keeping with the nature, tone, and mission of your business.
- How-To’s. Teach lessons relative to your industry. For instance, an interior designer may blog about how to feng shui a living room. Or a doctor's office may blog about how to make a low-cholesterol, low-sodium meal.
- Interviews. Ask staff members to weigh in on topics relative to their expertise. You may even interview experts outside of your business provided they are not associated with any of your competitors.
- Special Events. Cover any special events attended by your staff or hosted by your company. This is a great type of blog post to supplement with video and pics.
- Q&A’s. Format coverage of hot topics into reader- and SEO-friendly Q&A format.
4) Start early.
The sooner you start working on a blog, the less pressure you’ll feel to get it done. And low-and-behold, that’s when you not only tend to do your best work, but also when you most enjoy it.
5) Be flexible with your blogging schedule.
It’s important to have deadlines, but unless it’s some super time-sensitive topic, it’s probably not the end of your blogging world if you miss your deadline by a day or two. What’s more important is posting quality content and keeping your sanity in the process.
6) Read other blogs.
If you haven’t already, follow other blogs that are easy to read, informational, and inspiring. They need not be relative to your business or blogging focus at all; only that they represent the kind of quality, conversational blogging that you can (and should) aspire to. This can be especially helpful right before a writing session.
7) Remember, it’s just blogging!
As important as your blog is to your business — for branding, SEO, and social media — it’s not fine literature. Don’t over-think it. First, decide what you’re writing about and why. Second, make sure you know what your readers need to know. Third, say it plainly and simply as though you are having a conversation because, well, you are.
Do you need help with your blog? CyberMark International specializes in blog marketing. Contact us for information.
