Writing awesome blog content has been what has helped me secure writing clients, company sponsorships, coaching clients and build an online following.
Writing blog content is a major part of marketing and building your own brand online, and it’s something people really stress themselves out about. This is especially true for those who say things like “I’m not a good writer.”
And so, I’ve decided to write up a quick guide to dispel your fears and give some practical guidelines. Once you get the hang of it you can become a content machine.
Know your audience.
The easiest way to create awesome blog content is to stay in constant communication with your audience. They are the ones who will tell you what they need you to write about.
This is much easier than trying to come up with brilliant ideas on your own. It’s also smart marketing. By crafting content you know your audience wants you’re already well on your way to understanding sales and marketing.
Give yourself room to grow.
People tend to freak out about finding their groove and perfecting their voice. They think you can figure these things out before they actually start writing, but the truth is these things figure themselves out as a result of beginning to write.
For example, I did a blog audit at the end of last year. This basically means I went through all my content, deleted posts that no longer made sense and consolidated similar blog posts.
It was a trip to see some of the stuff I’d published years ago because it allowed me to see how much I’ve grown as a writer and marketer. Seriously, some of my old stuff was terrible!
The only reason I’ve been able to figure out my brand, my voice and my writing is because I have given myself that room to creatively explore all three things. All this is to say that you figure it out as you go along, so don’t be afraid of not sounding perfect.
Be Consistent
Want to know what’s more important than writing a blog post? Doing it consistently. This not only allows you to practice, it also lets your audience know that they can count on you.
Writing is really about building a muscle and creating a habit. It’s a skill that can be learned, and one that can be crafted with consistency.
Start Learning Marketing Principles
After building the habit of writing blog content consistently, it’s time to start layering in some marketing principles. After all, at the end of the day blog content is just that – marketing.
I’m going to be totally transparent and share that I was extremely resistant to learning sales and marketing. I thought it somehow devalued my writing as an artist. I thought it made me a sell-out. In reality, it just made me broke.
When I quit my job to run a freelance business full-time I found myself getting off my high horse and learning some marketing principles. Principles that involved psychology, calls to action, setting up a sale, etc.
Final Thoughts
Writing awesome blog content is a recipe with three ingredients: getting over your fear of writing by actually doing it, building the skill and the habit of writing, and learning how to incorporate marketing principles. Do those three things and you’ll be well on your way to success.
