Knowing what to post on your blog can be tricky, especially when you’re first jumping into the writing process. However, with a global pandemic continuing to keep us inside and attached to our screens, there has never been a better time to start blogging.
So what do I post about?
This varies greatly depending on what your blog is about and more importantly, what your goals are. What do you want to get out of blogging? Regardless, pick a subject niche and stick with it.
Some of the common goals of blogging are:
- Build relationships and gain influence
- Network
- Become an expert on a niche
- Answer common questions
If you want to report news in a particular niche, you don’t have to report everything. You are not a newspaper; write on what strikes your interest. If your goal is to build relationships and gain influence in a particular niche, you might concentrate much of your blog on referencing other people. Monitor what they’re writing and cite them, so that they will see, appreciate, and share the content that you’re sharing.
Become the go-to for relevant information on your niche by becoming a source for other information on it—use a news aggregator, such as Feedly. If your goal is to answer questions, you are placing yourself in a position of authority for those submitting questions and reading what you have to say. The most important thing is to develop your own style by looking at what other bloggers are doing and adopting the aspects that you like.
When do I post?
There is no golden rule for how often you should post. Different methods work for different people and what is important is finding what works best for you. Just remember, especially at the beginning, nobody is waiting for you to post. You don’t necessarily have to post several times a week. Once a twice a month will suffice, as long as you’re providing quality content about your niche.
If you get busy and miss several weeks, that’s okay. Blogging should be fun—it shouldn’t be something that makes you feel guilty. On the other hand, if you feel like you have a lot to write about and realize how much you are enjoying the blogging process, your frequency might increase, which is also great. Just remember not to get burnt out at the beginning. If you’re following good information and doing effective blogging, you will realize that it can be life-changing.
How do I post?
Just open up WordPress and get to work, don’t over-think it. It should be a conversation, think of it as talking like a late-night radio host, just speak directly to your audience. Don’t bother creating a ton of pre-drafts; just go right into it. Lastly, nothing has to be perfect.
The long and short of it is, your blog is your space. Figure out what you want to write about and what your goal is as a blogger, and run with it. Don’t feel pressured to post at a certain time or in a certain manner; keep your blog running the way you want it to, and watch as your audience begins to hold you in high regard as an expert in your niche.