Written by Andrew Holliday | March 30, 2016
So you made it through the three key questions to ask yourself when starting a blog and you’re still ready to roll forward?
Great!
Time to get into some details. Let’s start with a look at common issues people hit when they start a blog.
The Two Most Common Pitfalls Of A Blog:
- Poor planning and preparation leading to uninspiring content.
- Poor execution leading to huge gaps in content production.
Both of these issues will cause your blog to become more of a negative than a positive for your business. When someone comes on your blog in June and the last post was January it’s not going to inspire them to dig in and pay attention to your content. Your blog won’t be seen as relevant even if some of your content is valuable.
Similarly, if all you do is repurpose content from some free mass content mill for your industry (I’m looking at you financial services, legal and fitness industries) then you’re providing absolutely no unique value. There is nothing on your blog to set you apart and show your unique voice and personality. You’re looking for shortcuts and the millionaire in a minute path to success.
Two Ways To Avoid The Most Common Blog Pitfalls:
- Create a content plan and schedule. Having a plan will make content development easier, quicker and keep it on target. Going into a blog without a plan is like driving without a map.
- Build a routine for developing your content. What works for everyone is different. I fit a little time in each day to write. My preference is to try and do my writing first thing in the morning before other distractions hit. By fitting in time each day I can have posts ready to go far in advance which keeps me from feeling pressure to get something written for that day. However, if something pops up that is time sensitive I can always adjust the content schedule and add in a timely post.
You’ve Pulled The Trigger So How Often Should You Post?
One of the biggest questions we get is how often you need to post to have a successful blog. There isn’t one correct answer to this question. However, the absolute bare minimum is one post per week to remain relevant. This is on the very low end and success increases with the number of posts per week. People want content sources that put out quality content on a regular and consistent basis. If you can churn out badass daily content you stand a much higher chance of seeing growth in your audience.
Bottom Line
For those who are willing to put the assets in place, create a valid plan and do the work to execute, a blog can be a fantastic vehicle. I would argue it can be the highest return on investment of all marketing vehicles. However, blogs require a significant amount of work and there are no shortcuts. You have to consistently deliver value to your readers to reap the rewards. Go into it knowing that there will be a lot of competition, and it will take time to build an audience.
Actions Steps:
- Build a content plan.
- Start writing!
