What should I blog about?

“What should I blog about?” It’s probably the most common question I hear from clients.

You know that blogging can be an important way to improve the value of your website. You’ve know that Google will look at your website more favourably if you continually add unique, high-quality content to it. And yet ... when it comes time to write that content and to figure out what to say ... you freeze! Writing can be tough!

You may be experiencing a fleeting moment of writer’s block. Or maybe you don’t feel you have the time or the material. Or maybe you just can’t think of something that’s worth writing about. 

Sitting down and putting pen to paper (so to speak) can be tough! I get it.

But guess what! You do have something to say. You actually have a lot to say. We all do. The challenging part is transferring the voice in your head onto your screen.

I already have a blog. What should I write about?

There are two types of bloggers: those who know what to write about, and those who don't. And at some point, you're going to find yourself wearing the "I don't know what to write about" hat. So if you don't know where to begin, this blog post is for you :-)

Think about your audience

The first thing you really want to do is think about your audience. Who visits your blog? What kind of information are they looking for?

Write about the things you know

Do clients and prospects come to you with questions that only you can answer? If so, that’s a great starting point. You have a wealth of knowledge, so use your blog as a way of sharing that knowledge.

Write about things that are unique

Maybe you’re a financial advisor who specialises in philanthropy and charitable giving. It’s a unique speciality; one that you could write about. Has a client ever asked a question that’s made you scratch your head and think, “Wow; I’m surprised they didn’t already know this!” Those are the questions that are worth writing about. Things that aren’t common knowledge – questions that you can answer – those are the things that are worth blogging about.

Cheat a little if you have to

Think back to the emails you’ve received in the last week or month from clients and prospects. What kinds of questions were you asked? How did you answer? If you’ve emailed some useful information to a client recently, there’s a good chance someone else might find that information useful too. Take that email, slap it into a word processor, and even though you may not have a full-fledged blog post, you’ll certainly have the start of one.

Figure out what you're passionate about?

It is really hard to keep the momentum going if you’re writing about something “boring”. Don’t do it! Find a topic you care about, then write about it. Find some way to share your passion with others. There’s a reason certain blogs are successful.
Some people are passionate about entertainers, so they gravitate towards Entertainment blogs. Others love to save money, so they gravitate to bloggers like Mr Money Mustache.  If you can tap into your own passions and share them well, you may find your way to an equally passionate audience.

Look to other bloggers for ideas

Check out your competitors. Do you know of someone with a blog worth envying? That’s OK and perfectly normal. Looking at the content others are producing can be helpful. Are they talking about their products and services? Are they sharing personal stories? Can you think of a better way to share that information? Does something they’ve said inspire you?
Have you read an interesting article recently? Can you comment on it? Can you give your opinion on why the article is good or bad, what you agree with or don’t agree with?

Write about your problems

Think of a problem you’ve had in the past, and tell your readers how you solved that problem. What worked? What didn’t work? How would you do things differently if you had the opportunity for a “do-over”?

Break your idea down into bite sized bits

The idea of writing what may become a 5-page essay can be pretty daunting. Think back to when you were in school, and break your topic down into a few bite-sized paragraphs.

Imagine you have an idea for a blog about Weight Lifting Techniques. Then think about what you might include in that article: how to stand properly, how to breathe properly, how to choose the correct weight for your body. Now think about just the breathing topic: what happens if you hold your breath? When should you inhale? When should you exhale? The more you can break down your topic, the more you can write about, the more headings you can include in your blog post (and yes...Google spiders look at your headings to figure out what your blog post is about) and the easier you’ll find the whole process.

Ask your clients for their ideas

Ask your clients if they find your blog useful. If the answer they give is anything less than an overwhelming “It’s awesome”, then you have room to improve. Ask what they’d like to see. Ask if they have any questions. Then share the answers to their questions in your next blog post.

Don't post just for the sake of posting

It’s tempting to adding a new article just for the sake of driving a little traffic to your site. Don’t do it. Wait until you have something worthwhile to say and the time to say it properly. When you look back at your blog posts, you’ll be glad you waited.

Mix things up a bit

When you don’t feel like writing, or you can’t think of anything to write, don’t throw in the towel. It’s very easy to dig yourself into a hole and to catch yourself writing the same type of blog posts. If you typically comment on current events, why not try writing about an event from your own childhood? If you normally answer questions, why not try announcing a new product or service? Or maybe try video blogging to mix things up!

Jump right in!

What’s that old saying... “It’s much better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?” The same can be said about blogging. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is jump right in and give this blogging thing a try.

Last but not least ... try to help someone.

Sometimes, it’s easy to forget that the hits to your website come from real people with real questions and concerns. They’ve likely landed on your blog post because they’ve turned to google to look for a solution to a problem.

If you really try to help someone solve a problem, not only will it come across in your writing, but your readers will become more interested in hearing what you have to say.

And, at the end of the day, even if blogging isn’t really your thing, you can still feel happy knowing that by sharing your knowledge, you may have helped a few people out.