Whether or not you believe that content is king in the blogging world, the fact is that if you have no content, you have no blog. So, when starting a blog, in addition to getting WordPress set up, doing keyword research, creating a nice design, and all those other important “behind the scenes” activities, you need to develop some content! While your intention for starting a blog (e.g. to draw attention to your website, to position yourself as an expert, to create an income stream using affiliate links) will determine posting frequency, topics, and post length, there are some content development strategies that should apply to any new blogging venture. Here are a few to get you started:
Establish a Theme
Determine a main idea that can be expressed in one sentence or phrase, and make sure every post reflects this idea, or theme. While some blogs have been successful with multiple themes (World’s Strongest Librarian, for example), it is easier for readers to determine if you blog is for them when they can quickly determine what you have to offer. Good examples of this are a couple of my favorite well-known blogs: Copyblogger, which is about writing copy for online media, and ProBlogger, which provides blogging tips. The theme of the Final Draft Communications blog is writing tips for small business, nonprofit, and marketing professionals.
Determine Your Audience
If you are starting a blog, chances are you already know something about your audience. If you don’t, now is the time to ask yourself some questions:
- Who is your audience? What are their primary characteristics? What do they have in common?
- What are their main concerns?
- What do they already know? What do they want to know?
- What problems can you help them to solve?
- How do they like to receive information?
There are many ways to determine the answers, including asking your current clients or customers, putting out an online or e-mail survey, using a service like Ask Your Target Market, or using online research tools such as Google Trends and Quantcast.
Create Categories
Think about the various subtopics within your topic. For example, let’s say you wanted to start a blog about cooking. Some subtopics that might come to mind include recipes, ingredients, techniques, equipment, and resources. But, you should adjust your subtopics based on the needs of your audience. So, let’s say you want to write for busy moms who are interested in cooking, and your research reveals they are most concerned with quick, inexpensive dinners for picky kids. Your topics now might include dinners in under half an hour, meals under $15, or foods kids will actually eat.
Write Initial Posts
Try to create at least one post for each subtopic, and shoot for at least 5-10 posts. Remember, each post should incorporate your theme, address your audience, and fall within an appropriate category. In addition to writing posts, create a list of additional post ideas, so you won’t get stuck when it’s time to develop more posts.
Develop a Format
Settle on a length and format that you will use consistently, so readers will know what to expect. This includes spacing, subheadings, typeface, “about the author” comments, links, and final touches, such as images, titles, and tags. Like your content, your format will depend on your theme, audience, and categories. If you know your audience is pressed for time, for example, make your posts brief, under 500 words. But, if they prefer more in-depth information, make them longer, over 1,000 words. As another example, if your posts are covering complex topics, you may want to use more links to direct readers to additional information.
Do you have other ideas for how to write content for a new blog? Please share in the comments.
About the Author: Karen Marcus, M.A. is a Northern Colorado copywriter and grant writer who has been helping clients in a wide range of industries to put their best word forward for 13 years.
Need assistance writing content for you new blog? Karen can help! Click here to schedule a free consultation.
