Every writer knows the frustration that writer’s block entails. It’s no different for professional bloggers. So, how can you work your way through even the worst blogging brain freeze?
First and foremost, when you are stuck, remember to reference your brand playbook! (If you don’t have one, our parent company, Kocina Branding & Marketing, has a great class that will help you develop one.) It’s a marketing strategy that is consistent, and when combined with new technology can be a very powerful tool. Using your brand playbook helps you determine the underlying message you should be getting across; think of it as your blog’s “guiding light” in a sea of communication. Remember that although social media channels change, strategy remains pretty consistent.
Got your underlying message? Now it’s time to be creative in its presentation. Your message should be like a little gift to your audience: beautifully wrapped in interesting content. It’s easier said than done, though, and this is usually the point in the blogging process where writer’s block rears its ugly head. Here are some ideas to help you beat the block:
- Talk about newness. People like new. It’s exciting. Will your company be launching any new products or features in the next month? How is this relevant to the reader?
- Mention oldies but goodies. Just like people love new stuff, they love discontinued things, too. Is there any reason your audience should “act fast”?
- Build awareness around giving back to the community. I don’t know about you, but I get warm fuzzies whenever I make a purchase from a company that I know donates proceeds or time to charity. Are there any non-profits that your company is involved with? How about special events or fundraisers that you could call attention to? Talk about what the organizations you’re teamed up with do and how they are helping people.
- Do a “Top Five.” Or a Top Three or a Top Ten. Whatever works, really. Do a Top Five for anything that’s related to your industry. For example, a grocer could do anything from “Top Five Reasons to Use Reusable Bags” to “Top Foods for Weight Loss”. I enjoy doing Top Fives for a couple of reasons: 1) they allow you to really get creative, and 2) it’s a list. And I love writinglists.
- Do’s and Don’t’s. It’s the same idea of Top Five, but allows you to mix it up a bit. For instance, a hair salon could write something like “Hairstyle Do’s and Don’t’s for Heart-Shaped Faces.” I also love writing Do’s and Don’t’s blogs. Can you guess why?
- Seasonal Relevance. Are there any seasonal tie-ins to your product or company? Try asking yourself if there is something you could write about now that you couldn’t three months from now. This can often help you come up with ideas that correspond with the season. For example, you probably don’t want to write about how October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month in March or tips for winter weather traveling in July.
- Answer questions about your company or product. Most businesses get questions from their customers. Why not answer them publicly? Dedicating a post on a regular basis to FAQs is useful to your audience.
- Encourage dialog and invite feedback. Ask your audience their opinion on something. It will make them feel valued and hey, you just might get some good suggestions!
- Trigger emotion. People are emotional beings, so it’s only natural that we adore products that we associate with positive memories and feelings. How can your product achieve this?
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