I get it. Inbound marketing can feel totally overwhelming at times. And understandably so.
When you’re still warming up to the idea (or if you’re still getting started implementing it all into your business) each new piece can feel like it’s own little Russian nesting doll: as soon as you open it up, you immediately discover 12 more things to add to your “to-do list”.
Well, if you’ve ever felt like you’re swimming against the current when it comes to blogging, then this post is exactly what you need.
Here are the 3 steps to streamline your blogging efforts while cranking up the heat at the very same time (and even putting it all on autopilot, if you want):
- Pick A Frequency (And Stick To It)
You’ve read our post on why consistency is key (and how not being consistent will totally kill any rock-solid marketing strategy).
If you’re taking inbound marketing seriously, and if you truly want to see a positive ROI, then 2 posts per week serves as the “gold standard”.
If you can deliver more without sacrificing quality, then by all means, go right ahead. But, reducing to one post per week might disappoint your most avid followers. They’re hungry for lots of content! And, if you were to output even less content then you’ll likely see your traffic flat line.
Our recommendation is to settle on 2 posts per week and leave it at that.
Sounds like a lot doesn’t it? Keep on reading.
- Create a Content Calendar
The next step in this easy “blog growth” strategy is to create a plan and map out ahead of time the topics of each blog post. In the inbound marketing world, this is called a content calendar.
If you haven’t taken the time to find out exactly what your audience cares about, you NEED to do that first. Once you have a buyer persona written up, simply create a quick spreadsheet with these 3 columns:
1. a publish date, for when the post will go live
2. a blog post topic
3. a few points you want to cover in that blog post
We do this here at Falcon, and it works like a charm. And this needn’t be a lengthy process either! 30 minutes per month is really all you need.
Why create a content calendar, you ask?
To eliminate the guesswork. With a content calendar in place, you know exactly what you’ll be blogging on, and when. So when the time comes, you can dive right in and churn out great content. Or, you can put it all on autopilot and outsource.
And that brings us to…
- Get Help
Much like being an agent, blogging is quite literally a full-time job, and for good reason.
Trying to manage 2 blog posts per week on your own (or even handing the task over to someone on your team) can quickly eat up the better part of a day…or more, if they’re not a seasoned writer already.
Luckily, there are several ways you can offload this task while still ensuring you’re in good hands.
The best strategy is to get a referral. At Falcon, we’re happy to refer one of our content creators as someone who can generate excellent blog posts and marketing content when you need it most. Click here to get in touch with him now.
Alternatively, there’s UpWork.com, where you can search for, interview, and find freelancers who will write blog posts for you. Just be prepared to sift through quite a few, and conduct interviews as well. Another, simple to use, freelance site is iWriter.com. You might have to give more direction and copy editing at first but it’s definitely an affordable option.
Lastly, you may already know someone who wants to start their career as a blogger or writer. Blogging for you could be the perfect way to launch their career – sending out a simple email to a few family and friends might turn up some unexpected results.
With this 3-step strategy in place, you’re all set up to crank up the heat on your blog and start seeing real results…but don’t kill your momentum! Grab your FREE inbound marketing checklist to eliminate all the guesswork (for good):
