Most of the new websites we build these days include blogs. We love blogs because search engines love blogs. Adding a blog to their website is the single easiest way for a business to get more visitors. Plus, it gives the business owner a real-time way to communicate with their customers. Hit publish and your message is out there! Very cool.
Except, I see a lot of new blog owners experience the dreaded “blogger’s block.” We’ve all experienced it. It’s also known as I’ve-got-this-new-blog-now-what-the-hell-do-I do-now syndrome.
Here’s my list of 8 Ways to Defeat The Evil Blogger’s Block
1. Feel the fear of the blank post page. Embrace the fear. Then, write anyway. (What? You thought I had some magic way to overcome this? Silly you.) Seriously, you have to practice doing it even when you’re not feeling especially motivated. Kind of like flossing your teeth.
2. Keep a file of stuff to steal, er, borrow from. You don’t think Shakespeare made up all of his plots, did you? (He didn’t.) Neither should you. If a topic is trending online that relates to your field, do your take on it. But strive for a bit of originality.
3. Keep up with what is trending in your field. Create a Google reader account and subscribe to blogs and news feeds about your field.
4. Answer customers’ questions in your blog. Tired of answering that same question over and over? Create a category in your blog to answer them.
5. Review books written about your field. For bonus points, post that review on Amazon.com.
6. Got a meaty topic that you can stretch over several posts? Write a series over a week or two.
7. Repurpose your old content. Have you already written white papers, presentations, even a book? Chop ’em up into blog posts. (And don’t worry they’ll detract from your book sales. If people like your blog, they’ll still buy your book.)
8. Post photos and video of sales, events, presentations, and seminars you’re giving. Where is it written that your posts have to be, well, written?