Ready to start blogging? What should you write about? What do people want to read on your blog?
The first step to creating your blog content is defining your audience or audiences. Who are you writing for? You can have multiple audiences, and every blog post should apply to at least one of those audiences, if not more.
Once you know who you are writing for, you can begin to consider what you should write about.
Here are some jumping points to help you decide what content to write:
- What questions does your audience have? What information are they searching for?
- What groups does your audience belong to on LinkedIn or Google+? The subject matter of these groups can help you develop content ideas.
- What are the business needs of your audience?
- What information are you an expert on that will make your audience’s job easier?
- Talk to your audience and ask what they want to know; send a survey, ask in person, or ask in your email signature.
Overall, your goal with a blogging program should be to answer: how can I make my audience’s life easier?
Consider this checklist by Lee Odden when creating content:
- How is the content going to attract my audience?
- How is the going to engage my audience?
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How is it going to inspire them to take action?
When you’re ready to begin writing, keep your audience in the forefront of your mind, and share your expertise. An honest and engaging blog is a great tool to build strong relationships and become a valued resource.