You’re good at taking steps to raise your advisor profile — schmoozing at networking events and putting your own personal stamp on your website. But when it comes to your blog, coming up with new topics and fresh posts on a regular basis can be a challenge. You may even think you’ve written all you can, and you’re running of ideas.
How do you get past this writer’s block — or “blogger’s block” — and come up with new, compelling posts on a regular basis?
Susan Ward, a Toronto-based web designer and developer, suggests you keep your eye on why you started a blog in the first place.
“Blogging is part of a larger marketing campaign,” says Ward, whose company, Boost, helps professionals build and maximize their web presence. “It’s about knowing your objectives — to get leads and increase your business.”
It’s true, Ward says, that blogging can be time-consuming. But, like everything involving your business, a successful blogging strategy is not something you can just whip together in a minute or two. It takes planning and commitment, and don’t expect it to pay dividends overnight.
“The consistent, habitual investment of putting relevant, fresh content out there may not pay off tomorrow and it may not pay off next month,” Ward says. “It’s incrementally establishing a community, becoming part of an existing community and being part of a conversation. It’s establishing a presence that is catching people’s notice and driving them back to your website.”
But if you’re having some trouble coming up with ideas for your existing blog — or if you’re starting a new blog — keep these pointers in mind:
> Review your objectives
Think back to what you want to accomplish and list the top six subjects you want to write about. What topics should you be raising your voice about? These topics should lead to some ideas for blog posts.
> Write to your audience
You have a niche. Remember to include the keywords relevant to that niche in every blog.
> Snoop
Check out the competition and see what they’re writing about.
> Stay engaged
Always write about what you are interested in.
> Stay current
Ensure you are up to date on what’s going on in your industry. Timely items, such as news about a new tax credit, can be fodder for a blog during tax time. Hold off on a “timeless” piece — on budgeting, for example — for later.
> Re-use
Blog posts can be repurposed. For example, flesh out a blog post into an article for publication in a community newspaper or your newsletter. Or take an article you’ve published and re-write it as a blog post.
> Delegate
If you have a larger staff, perhaps there is a trained person in your office, such as a marketing assistant, who can ghost-write blog posts for you and look after social media.
“It’s key to remember that any fresh and relevant content you can put out is going to bring eyeballs to your website,” Ward says. With a link on your blog, clients or potential clients can get more information about your practice on your website.
And remember that the more you blog, the more searchable content you’re putting on the web, which further raises your online profile.