So you've decided you want to write a blog? Or you've got one already? Either way, you're a bit stuck on what to write about or you're stuck in a rut and just not feeling it anymore...
Don't worry. It happens to all of us! Creating awesome content is bloody hard work and is totally underestimated by those who are not in the blogging world. So what can you do about it? I thought I'd put together a short post with some of my top tips for blog content - just to get those cogs turning...
TOP TIPS FOR BLOG CONTENT
What do you want to write about?
Well, first things first, you've got to know what you want to write about. It's important to establish that and find your voice. It's great if you know this before you start your blog and can start things off on the right foot, but if you don't, don't worry! You can work it out as you go along.
Start writing
If you've not got a million followers yet, you're not gonna lose them are you? So just start writing. Just get something on the page and see where it takes you. Why not? You'll find you quickly get into the swing of things and before you know it, you'll find your voice. I remember worrying so much that if I wrote something imperfect, that everyone would judge me and never read my blog again! That just doesn't happen! And it wasn't like I had that many followers to worry about anyway!
Know your tribe
So you're probably writing your blog because you want people to read it right? So who do you want to read it? It's important to know who you're speaking to. Have that person in mind whilst you're writing, it'll make it a lot easier to focus. Think about: male/female, how old they are, what they do, what they like, where they shop, where they go to eat etc. etc.
For a lot of people, your target audience is probably people like you...so that's easy, but if it's not, it's important to have this 'persona' mapped out a bit, just to give you that focus when writing your content.
Carry a note book
Ideas and inspiration will come at you from all over the place, you never know where and you never know when! So have a note book, or if you're snazzy and techy, then write it in your phone, because chances are, you'll forget all about it! It's these momentary thoughts that could turn into an awesome blog post, so don't lose it!
Get inspired
Look at other awesome blogs. See what they're doing. Does any of it hit a chord? I'm not saying replicate or copy others, but be inspired - take what you see and put your own spin on it. There's plenty of space out there on the internet, so we don't have to be competitive in the blogging world. If your content is good and original, people will like it. That's why we at #WeBlogMCR are so keen on our meet-ups, as they're the perfect place to chat to other bloggers and inspire each other.
And if you're looking for some new blogs to add to your roll, why not start with our featured bloggers?
Collaborate
And if you're really stuck and can't think of a single thing to write (it happens sometimes), then why not approach someone else with an idea for a collaboration? Don't try and get them to do all the hard work for you, but think of a way that you could work together to benefit each other's blogs. It's always fun bouncing ideas back and forth with someone else to get the creative juices flowing and it may bring a whole new dimension to your blog. Lots of our WeBloggers collaborate and it makes for some awesome content.
Don't worry
These are just a few pointers and reminders of how you can come up with some good content. It's not prescriptive because everyone is so different. There's no point in me telling you to brainstorm, to write a "how to" post or do a linky, because you probably know that. For me, writing a blog is far more about how you're feeling and being in the right head space. It's about thinking of ways to inspire yourself into a space where you want to write. The content will then come naturally.
