When you dont know what to write

Blogging When You Hate To Write (or You LOVE To Write, But Don’t Have Time)

In this guest post, Kate Schell, aka Digital Marketing Momma shares her best tips on how to come up with ideas for your blog:

Let’s face it!

We are running businesses and families.  Time is LIMITED!!

It’s hard enough trying to find time to manage doing the work and juggling kid/husband/life stuff, but we also have to find time to promote, market and share our wisdom with the world so more customers and clients find us and want to hire us.

When I tell people that they “should” blog I can feel their insides groaning.  I know because mine do too and I enjoy writing.  Blogging feels so….Big.

What do you write about?

It’s going to take a long time?

What if no one reads it and I’ve wasted my time?

Where do I post it?

My challenge with blogging is that usually when creative inspiration strikes, I’m not in the right place to stop everything and write.  Like…when I’m making dinner for 4 hungry kids.  “Sorry gang here’s some cereal without milk because I forgot to buy it,  Mommy’s gonna go write”… Say wha?!?!

Of the flip side – when I do have some time to write, I stare at a blinking cursor for an hour and nothing comes.

Here are some tips!

Tip #1: Remembering a great blog idea

Create a google sheet or excel spreadsheet (for you Microsoft users) that’s called “Blog Ideas”.  When inspiration hits and you can’t stop, just add it to this spreadsheet to reference back to when you do have some time.

It can look at simple as this:

blog tracking

Tip #2:  Do a voice recording

If you can’t stop what you are doing and add something to a spreadsheet, BUT the ideas are flowing and you need to put them somewhere. If I’m in a jam and need to capture some ideas I plug my earbuds into my iPhone and use “Voice Memos” on my phone.

I wouldn’t trust it for a long recording because if you have a ton of photos, apps or “other” on your phone you may not capture a long recording.  But, it’s great for a quick memo.  The sound quality is pretty good.  Here – listen to my test I did.

If you want something fancier, there are several apps out there that have more features and can save in different formats. Here’s a great article on those apps.

By now you may be saying, “That’s great if I KNOW what I want to write about, but what if I have no idea (or time)?”

Here are some ways to get a blog published if you are stuck thinking of what to write about.

Tip #3: Ask your audience a question and then answer it

I discovered this beautiful book on Amazon.

4,000 Questions

Inside are some really great ideas that can inspire some creative writing.

For example:  let’s say you are a life coach – Ask your audience this little nugget of goodness:

“What do you need changed in your life before you can have more fun?”

Then write a blog, answering that question.

REMEMBER:  Blogs don’t have to be insanely long! Think about your readers attention span when writing.

Tip #4: Do a little research:

Go to www.buzzsumo.com and type in your topic you’d like to blog about.  The results will be the top shared articles and blogs based on that topic.  Use that article or post as inspiration.  It’s been shared a lot for a reason.  Can you put your own twist on the content?

BuzzsumoBuzzsumo

 

Tip #5: Go to the search God – Google

In the search bar, start to type a common question your clients or customers ask.

For example:  What is an autoresponder?

Screenshot 2016-03-17 13.11.17

As you are typing this, Google will make suggestions.  Those suggestions are commonly searched questions/phrases/words.  That means a lot of people are searching those suggestions.  Write a blog post based on those suggestions and put those keywords in the post.

 

Tip #6: Go to Google Trends 

See what’s a hot (or trending) topic.  Or see if a topic you want to write about has any interest.  You can also get some ideas for other keywords and topics that are popular. (see third image)

Here’s an example using email marketing again:

Screenshot 2016-03-17 13.18.10

Screenshot 2016-03-17 13.18.18

Screenshot 2016-03-17 13.18.30

 

Tip #7: Go to YouTube:

You can search by trending videos or search by topic. If you are going to use a video, make sure to watch all of it AND make sure it’s not done by someone who could be considered a competitor.

For example:  Let’s say you are a Fashion Blogger.

A trending video (today) is a video on Vacation Make-Up

Screenshot 2016-03-17 13.21.52

(SOURCE )

You can add the video to your blog and comment on it.

NOTE: MAKE SURE TO ADD THE LINK BACK TO THE VIDEO!!

All you have to write is “SOURCE” and hyperlink it.  Then you can use the video. (see below the image above)

TIP #8: Do a quick review on something you use everyday in life or business

Why not write up a quick review on something you love?  Is there a certain App that’s made your life easier?  Write about it and share the info.  Is there a Podcast you love?  Tell people about it.  If you share on your social media pages, try to tag the person who’s doing the Podcast.  You never know, you may get some social media love back.

Try those tips out.  See what works for you.  Let me know what you think over on our Facebook page!

Best of luck busy entrepreneurs!! Blog away!

XO Kate

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Kate Schell, aka Digital Marketing Momma is an entrepreneur and crazy busy mom to four. Digital marketing, online business models, funnels and sales strategies are her drive and passion in business! She gobbles up anything and everything that has to do with online business and backend technology systems. But her true passion lies in supporting women entrepreneurs in building their businesses and CRUSHING their fears around technology and digital marketing!