Breaking free of a blogging rut

Savvy website owners know that blogs are smart mediums to reach a customer base in ways that are different from official site content. For one thing, interaction is present and encouraged. For another thing, business owners can cover more ground and bring in more potential customers with a well-formulated company blog. Though blogging is often viewed nonchalantly, it is a vital part of many business strategies and as this blog recently pointed out, employees are now trained with that in mind.

So let’s say you set up a user-friendly blog, update it often and use social media to promote your posts. You are doing everything right, even incorporating what you know about SEO into the process. But one day you sit down to blog and your fingers freeze. The more that you stare at the blank new post template on your screen, the less you have to write. In the professional content realm, this is known simply as “writer’s block.” You do not want to neglect your blog but you also do not want to repeat content.

If this scenario has ever happened in your workspace, you are not alone. It takes a lot of work to come up with fresh content for your blog. If you are running out of ways to keep your company blog relevant, follow these tips for breaking out of any blogging rut.

• Follow the news. Do an online search for topics in your industry and peruse any news-related items. If there is a law that was recently passed that affects your field, explain it to readers in layman’s terms. There may be a news item that has universal implications across industries that would make great blog fodder. See what other people are saying about it and either agree or present an opposing view. If you pick something controversial to discuss, be respectful and keep in mind that not everyone in your customer base will have the same views as you.
• Seek out guest writers. The great thing about bloggers is that they love to crosslink. Contact companies that own the blogs you like to read and find out if they are willing to swap posts with you. This is a great way to add fresh material and may also provide you with some other ideas for your own writing. You will also be promoting your blog to the people that read the site where you guest post. Any links back to your blog from others will improve your overall page rank in search engines like Google – so it’s a win-win for both parties.
• Revisit popular posts. Take a look at your blog statistics and find out which posts have fared the best all-time. Chances are that the people who read these posts will also read a follow-up. Write an updated version of the same post, or write something new that is a spin-off of the original idea. Let your readers lead you to your next great idea by tapping into what you already know that they like.

Above all, remember to have fun with your blog. It is part of your company identity, but does not need to be as formal as an official website. If you are willing to go outside your usual blogging routine, a new realm of writing possibilities awaits.

Megan Totka is the Chief Editor for ChamberofCommerce.com. She specializes on the topic of small business tips and resources. ChamberofCommerce.com helps small businesses grow their business on the web and facilitates connectivity between local businesses and more than 7,000 Chambers of Commerce worldwide. Megan also specializes in market research.