How to develop blog content

Amber Swenor,

Everyone has the power to teach what he or she knows.

If you’re ready to blog and are just stuck on developing content, this post will walk you through an easy three-step process that will shake lose all that knowledge you’re carrying around and turn it into blog post topics. Once you create content, you can use it in multiple ways:

Step 1: Brainstorm what you know

  • What are the top three things/aspects of my business/subjects that I consider myself knowledgeable/expert at?
  • What five questions/topics do most customers most often ask me about?
  • What are the top five myths/misconceptions in my industry that I can educate people on?
  • What are the top five questions that people should ask themselves before buying a product/service like what I offer? (Top five questions to ask before buying a used car, hiring a wedding photographer, hiring a painting company, adopting a pet, etc.)
  • Are there any skills, a how-to, or step-by-step that I can teach someone how to do on their own at home that relates to my industry? (How to replace your own windows, pave your own driveway, save money by coloring your hair at home, etc.)
  • What are the top changes/trends happening in my industry that customers are confused by?

Step 2: Plan out your content calendar

  • Take each of those topics above and map them out into individual months through the year.
  • Pay attention to seasonality and start planting topics into months when people are most likely to be concerned with that topic.
  • What are the hot topics of that season? For example, if you’re in the trades industry you likely receive more questions about exterior projects in early spring, and more interior or prep for winter topics in fall.
  • Consider annual company events/sales that you can tie into. You can write content relevant to your special event or sale in the weeks leading up to that event to get people thinking about it and answering their questions through blog content ahead of time so that they’re ready to make a buying decision when your special offer hits the market.

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Step 3: Start writing!

Introduction

  • The introductory story/relatable example I will include is:
  • How I will relate this story/example to my customers’ pain-point:
  • What I will teach you:
  • What problem I will help you solve or what question I will answer:
  • Why this matters to you:

Body

  • One paragraph for each item on your top five list.
  • Answer why each point matters.
  • Why is this a question that a customer should be asking?
  • How is this a benefit that is derived from your product or service?

Conclusion

  • Provide a summary of what the reader just learned.
  • Remind them that they are empowered to go out and make a confident decision/try this at home, etc.
  • Remind the reader that if they need/want your help, tell them how/why you are a qualified resource for them to keep in mind.

Blogging is possible when you write what you know. You already have the knowledge; you may just need a process for getting the information onto paper/voice note/type.

Hopefully this step-by-step post and this 12-month content planning guide will empower you to write your first post! Comment back here with a link to your post. We can all help each other when we teach what we know!

Amber Swenor, founder of Strategic Partners Marketing, is on a mission to empower businesses in their marketing through education and access to helpful resources and tools. Her experience spans a lifetime of curiosity and 14 years professionally in sales, online marketing, brand development, and marketing strategy. When she's not strategizing with clients you'll find her writing, playing with her wrinkly pups, or rocking with her band, Amaryth.

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