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By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.
– Benjamin Franklin
This is some sage advice from one of America’s most beloved patriots. Blog writing can be demanding while brain-numbing at the same time. Constantly trying to develop writings that are interesting yet easy-to-read is a skill that takes time and energy to master. As a typical Type-A personality, I find a good strategy to be the best medicine for a blogging headache. Contributing to several blogs weekly, I find a clear plan is the best way to set the course for my weekly writings while at the same time taming the chaos.
If you are a beginner in the blogging world, follow this guide to blog planning for business blog success:
Find Your Inspiration
Discover inspiration in your daily life. I often get ideas from personal blogs I read, magazines I peruse through, and even pop culture. When I have a good idea, I write it down in a notebook to reference later. You can also frequent industry-focused websites for current trends and news to keep your content relevant.
Set a Date Choosing a specific day of the week to blog plan is critical to my success (I also have a time of day to write – 1 to 3 pm). If you write less frequently you could choose a time of the month such as the first Sunday. Once your creative juices are flowing, it is easy to keep on track finishing the plan for each posting quickly.
Use a Planner
There are a ton of printables and apps to help you plan your blog postings. While many are geared to weekly blog planning there are some that are based on monthly and even yearly schedules. For those techy bloggers, many find Evernote as a helpful tool in planning. What do I use? I still find a notebook and pen to be the best way to jot down my ideas. I often break my posts into paragraphs and fill in what I want to say and where.
Vary Your Style
This may be a personal preference but I try to vary my style of writing for the individual customers I write for. For example, one week I may do a 5 Tips post and then the next week a How To or FAQ piece. I find this keeps my content interesting and helps to stop myself from regurgitating the same information over and over again.
Need help with your company’s blog? At GMS, we have team members dedicated to developing quality content to reach your customers week after week. With experience in blog management, we can help keep your message fresh and relevant.
