Coming up with ideas for blogging content can be tricky. You want to provide value to your reader, but it can feel impossible to put your knowledge down on paper in a way that’s helpful and interesting.
Consistent blogging can be really hard for some business owners. After all, most of you probably didn’t go into business to be writers.
Unfortunately, regular blogging is so important for SEO (Search Engine Optimization). It tells the search engine gods that your website is a living breathing thing that deserves attention and ranking.
Good thing for you, I threw together 10 ideas for blogging that you can steal and write about right now! They’re topics that almost any small business owner can use.
Highlight Another Business
Write an entire blog post about another business you admire. If your audience is local, make it another local business (it’s doesn’t even have to be in the same industry as you!). If you have the time, set up a 10-minute phone interview with the owner and include the transcription in your blog. Ask the owner to send over a few photos for you to use if you don’t have any. Everyone loves free promotion, so make sure you let them know when the post is live so they can share it with their followers.
Write a Review
You’re an expert in your field, and your readers want to know your opinions. Write a detailed review of your favorite app, office supply, membership, course, etc. Next time you sign up for an industry-related website, take notes on your first impressions and write a blog about it.
Free Resources
Create a list of free resources for your followers. This is a great opportunity to shout out other businesses and link to other websites (Google loves outbound links!). If you’re a finance coach, maybe you’re linking to a stock market tracking app, a free spreadsheet for budgeting, and your favorite no-spend Instagram account. Throw your own freebie in at the end to get some easy newsletter sign-ups!
Debunk Common Myths
If you’ve been in your industry long enough, I’m sure you’ve heard all the crazy myths, rumors, and hesitations that come with your business. Let’s say you run an Etsy shop. You might tackle how long your products take to create and how affordable your products are compared to mass-produced items.
How You Got Started
Everyone loves a good origin story, and I bet you have a fantastic one! Write about how you started your business and what inspires you daily. Use this as an opportunity for your readers to get to know you on a more personal level, all while inspiring them to follow their own big dreams.
Common Industry Mistakes
No business is immune from making mistakes, but some problems are common for specific types of businesses. Don’t hide your shame – put it out in the open and address head-on how you strive to avoid these common mistakes. If you’re a professional organizer, for example, you might talk about what you do when clients aren’t happy with their end result (or they struggle to keep it organized). You could also discuss how you avoid throwing out things that are important to your client.
Profile a Customer or Client
This could be interview-style (let them do all the writing for you in the form of sweet sweet words of affirmation!), or it could be you writing about your client and how amazing they are. Share a before and after of their success, show the product you produced for them based on what they asked for, or talk about how you were able to improve their life or business with your services.
A Day in the Life
There’s nothing better than snooping in on someone’s day-to-day experience (“you eat the same thing for lunch every day?!”). Give them an hour-by-hour breakdown of what you’re doing, what your workload looks like, and how you practice balance and self-care while still running a successful business. Include lots of selfies and fun photos!
Frequently Asked Questions
Find a forum or Facebook group where people are asking questions related to your industry and answer them, FAQ-style. If you see the same question more than once, it’s likely someone out there reading your blog has the same exact question. Answer it for them before they have the chance to let it become a reason not to hire you.
Upcoming Events
If you’re a local business, make a list of events coming up that month that people might not know about. Share about your favorite festivals, new businesses opening their doors, special beer releases at the local brewery, or any other “insider” tips. This will be a great post for clients who are new to the area (and it’ll include lots of SEO-friendly outbound links!).
What Now?
So there you go! 10 almost-done-for-you ideas for blogging. Go get ’em!
Still struggling with the I-don’t-wanna’s? Contact me to find out just how within reach it is to hire a virtual assistant to write blogs for your business. Taking just 1 blog per month off your plate could save you hours of time, improve your website’s SEO, and get you back to doing what you love (which by now, I’m guessing is not coming up with ideas for blogging).