Denise and I kicked off our first advanced blogging class yesterday, Better Business Blogging, with a select group of 10 professionals all eager to improve their blogs. It is so great working with a small group of passionate people, as opposed to spouting the blog gospel to the hordes on large bridge lines.
Each week we highlight several of their blogs and give suggestions for improvement. We’re following our CODA system for blog improvement: paying attention to Content, Outreach, Design and Action. Yesterday we worked on blog content issues.
Here’s my list of 15 ways to find content for writing your blog posts:
Finding Content for Your Blog
1. Set up Google Alerts for your topics and subtopics
2. Set up Technorati WatchLists
3. Monitor your blog feeds of your favorite blogs
4. Use other people’s blog posts as inspiration and jumping-off points to write your own post
5. Use a poll tool such as Vizu.com and set up a vote from readers on biggest challenges,
worst experiences, etc.
6. Announce your own events and products and services, speaking gigs, etc.
7. Share information and tips you think might interest readers, but in a way that engages a conversation
8. Make a list of your topics and subtopics
9. Set up an editorial calendar with a day for each subtopic
10. Ask selected favorite blog writers to contribute a guest post on a
topic of their expertise – make sure it is appropriate for your
readership – this is especially useful when you are traveling or just
plain tired
11. Grow blog antennae – these are two radar like ears that are
continually scanning the Web, newspapers, magazines, email, etc. for
interesting items to blog about. Even your own life and challenges and
mistakes make for great blog posts!
12. Do a list of your favorite blogs for xyz, and publish this list (great for link backs!)
13. Refer to the classics and history and books you’re reading – adds depth to your posts
14. Universal human needs
15. Emotional hot buttonsI’m sure there are more ways to find ideas for blog posts, so be sure to add to my list by clicking on the comment link.
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