It still surprises me how often I hear online business owners question the need for a blog.
But I don’t care about ranking on Google.
I get all my leads from referrals/ads/my Facebook group.
Blogs are old news—all the leads come from TikTok/Reels/fill-in-the-blank new platform…
I DON’T HAVE TIME TO WRITE BLOG CONTENT.
I hate to break it to you, friends, but YES, your online business does need a blog.
No, Any Old Blog Content Will NOT Do
How to Fill Your Blog With Content That’s Actually Effective
Aside from the obvious error of believing you don’t need a blog at all, the next biggest mistake I see is slapping any old piece of content up and calling it a day.
Yes, you can find agencies, content mills, bargain-basement freelancers, and other cheap solutions, or you can fumble your way through writing your own content. But I doubt that’s going to have the outcome you need.
I’d almost rather you nix the blog idea altogether than pay money for bottom-of-the-barrel quality from some rando freelancer who’s willing to work for pennies per word.
So, in short: don’t publish crappy content. Do this instead:
Characteristics of Highly Effective Blog Posts
- 👉Your blog needs to speak directly to your specific target audience.
- 👉It needs to be easy-to-read, skimmable, and conversational. No one is going to sit down and read your dissertation on why your accounting processes are better than that other guy’s.
- 👉It needs to keep readers engaged. Frequent page breaks. Lots of headings. Short sentences. Active vs. passive voice. Relevant links, both to your own content and outside authoritative sources. Put in little speed bumps: ask a question, make a snappy joke, call back to the post title or a previously made assertion.
- 👉It needs to solve a problem. Quickly. What’s your main service? Now break that down into the bite-sized, Cliffs Notes version. Do the things I mentioned in point #3, and you’re golden.
- 👉Have a plan to market it. Every blog I write for my clients serves as the anchor piece for a huge array of marketing.
A blog post can be spun into:
- ▪️Social media captions for Instagram or Facebook
- ▪️LinkedIn articles
- ▪️Pinterest pins
- ▪️Email newsletter content
- ▪️A podcast episode
- ▪️A pitch to be a guest speaker on a podcast
- ▪️20+ more ideas for repurposing your blog posts
- A blog with dull, dense, impersonal writing will do you no favors (and may actually turn away some potential clients).
Blog Content Builds Your Authority
Bottom line? Blog content builds your authority. Let’s follow a typical consumer’s path.
Sally is scrolling Facebook.
She sees your post about your group coaching program for Etsy sellers.
Hey, that’s me, she thinks! I could learn to be a better Etsy seller.
Sally clicks on your profile and finds your website.
She browses around and reads your bio.
She skims your sales page and reads a few testimonials.
Sally navigates away because while your service is intriguing, she doesn’t know enough about you yet.
I’ll come back to this another time, she thinks.
What if you had a blog page, jam-packed with posts that speak directly to Sally?
She clicks around a bit and finds titles like:
This One Simple Hack Will Boost Your Sales Like Crazy
How I Coached My Client Into a 200% Increase in Etsy Sales
How to Write the Perfect Etsy Store Description
8 Concrete Steps to Consistent Etsy Sales, Month After Month
How I Built a Loyal Customer Base for My Etsy Store
Discover Exactly Why You’re Not Meeting Your Etsy Sales Goals
Sally thinks, SIGN ME UP!!
Rather than trusting the anonymous testimonials or pretty sales page copy, she gets a glimpse into your process. She sees behind the curtain and realizes that you’re the real deal.
You have concrete, actionable advice that speaks directly to what Sally needs to grow her business.
Congratulations, friend. You’ve just earned authority status. By sharing your knowledge in longer form blog posts, you’ve just proven to Sally that you know what you’re talking about, and you have the expertise to help her.
Sally has gone from a curious scroller to a potential hot lead. 🙌 🥳️ 🙌
Show Me the Numbers. Blogging Pays Off.
Statistics can be a snooze-fest, yes, I know. But not when they prove to you that something will make you more money. So let’s look at some facts:
According to Demand Metric, companies with blogs produce 67% more leads per month than companies without blogs.
That’s a lot of percentage points.
Businesses with blogs get 55% more website traffic than those that don’t, according to HubSpot.
Are you a big believer in email marketing in terms of ROI? Me too! Guess what? Your blog can help with that! According to OptinMonster, companies with blogs see twice as much email traffic as compared to companies without blogs.
I could go on and on, but I will leave it at this: a blog filled with high-quality, value-loaded content will earn you more money.
How To Plan Your Blog Content
Sure, Leigh Ann. This all sounds great…but I DON’T HAVE TIME / IDEAS / WRITING ABILITY.
Girl, I got you. Planning and writing blog content can be daunting, I know. I’ve been doing both for myself and for my clients for four years, so I’ll share a few tips.
Tips for Creating Your Content Plan
First, the planning. I have a whole FREE workbook to help you with that (Download it here), but in a nutshell:
- 👉Know your goals (get more leads, rank on google, etc.)
- 👉Stalk your audience for problems you can solve and questions you can answer
- 👉Plan TYPES of posts, not individual topics. As in, each quarter, publish a tip or how-to guide that is seasonally relevant.
Download my free guide and start brainstorming a full year’s worth of content today (yes, a year!). If you get stuck, shoot me an email and I’ll help you out with a few ideas.
Tips for Writing and Publishing Your Blog Posts
This is the part that makes a lot of people break out into a cold sweat. But I’m a terrible writer. I always get writer’s block.
First of all, you’re probably not as awful as you think you are. Trust me, I’ve seen a lot of awful. I was a high school English teacher, Lord help me. You’re doing fine.
Secondly, if you have a content plan, you’re already a step ahead of writer’s block. Adopt a done, not perfect attitude and crank out some words, my friend.
If you really don’t love writing and are truly terrible at it (hey, no shame…you should see my “art” skills 😳), consider investing. Outsourcing stuff like your blog writing can pay off. Remember those stats I listed? 💰💰💰
Consider the stages of a typical blog post’s life:
- ✏️Write the first draft.
- ✏️Edit the content.
- ✏️Revise as needed.
- ✏️Add in relevant links.
- ✏️Add relevant graphics, stock photos, etc.
- ✏️Upload to your blog platform.
- ✏️Promote via social channels.
It sounds like a lot, and to be honest, blogging can be a full-time job in itself. Worth it, but it can be a time suck.
Which one of those tasks above makes your skin crawl? That’s a great indication that outsourcing could be right for you.
Do you hate messing with graphics? Outsource it!
Do you love to write but have trouble with typos? Hire a proofreader!
Hate the writing part of it? Find a copywriter who understands your brand and voice….👋 😄
Do you have a love/hate relationship with tech? Find a blog manager or VA to upload and do all the techy things!
Also, remember that every blog post has an edit button. You can always go back and update, improve, or add to your content.
What are you waiting for?? Get that blog going, my friend! Your leads are waiting for you 🙂
For more tips, tricks, and shenanigans, follow me on Instagram @leighannzerr.
