Blogging. I’m assuming you know what this method of communication entails…especially since you are on my blog at the moment…so I won’t go into the nitty-gritty of the basic who, what, where, and whens yet. That’s best reserved for a much lengthier post. I am, however, going to share a few thoughts on the how of blogging. More specifically? The ‘how to evolve that blog’.
Blogging is that very popular content marketing medium [that should be widely adopted by several companies…SEO..ahem..]. But it takes time, preparation, editing, maybe a glass of wine, perhaps an episode of Girl Code to break up the brainstorm process. Whatever works for you. But at the end of the process, however it is defined by you, a blog post is born. Literally. But it’s not produced without a strategy. The evolution of a blog occurs with a solid content strategy. Or in my case, a friendly little content equation:
Woah! Just went ‘equation’ on you. No need to fret. It’s just the blog post-road I take and will break down with you.
First, take time to brainstorm or research a topic of interest. Need help? Well, what is the goal of your blog? Is it lifestyle focused where you are positioned as the expert? Or is an industry related blog where you report on outside happenings? Knowing and choosing to define this viewpoint will greatly help in future posts…and it will help you save time during the brainstorming process.
There isn’t a defined length of time that works for everyone for the brainstorming segment of the equation. But I will tell you this – when you start out, don’t worry if this part of the process takes longer. An editorial calendar can help with this adjustment. (And if you look closely at mine [well, maybe not that close], you can see my very rough editorial calendar).
Next, draft that girl! The fun part, at least for me! Just start writing. I subscribe to the thought that you should start drafting a post and don’t turn back. You have the idea. Go. And don’t stop. If you deviate, that’s okay. You’ll come back…and that’s what the editing process is for anyway. Who knows – during this time of mindful drafting (yes, mindful), you might develop additional posts or more insightful topics that you didn’t realize were there.
Once the draft is, well, drafted, take a moment away from the screen/pen/marker/chalk/whatever you use and do/think/say something different for a moment. I’m not talking about walking away and forgetting about the post for days – this is a blog, afterall. Just let your mind wander, and then bring it back to your draft. Take time to edit for grammar and content, and you’re ready to go.
Publish it! Be confident in what you produced, remember there is a reason why you blog what you blog, and keep at it. That might be the hardest part – maintaining a posting schedule that works for you. But just think – there might come a time, soon, when your followers and readers will start to demand new content, ask for new posts and resources, and check in on daily basis to see what’s new and exciting. Whatever the goal, remember to enjoy it. Although this is the first way to institute a content marketing strategy (friendly reminder!), it’s also important to institute a blog routine that works for you, your desired viewpoint, and keeps your goals in mind!
What is the process you take for your blog posts?
