Toolbox Tuesday | Tips on Managing Your Blog

February 13, 2018

A blog is a great way to keep the content on your site fresh and connect with interested home buyers. Maybe you’ve been reluctant to start – or you’ve started and then stopped – because managing a blog seems overwhelming. It certainly can be, but with some simple tips, managing your blog doesn’t have to take over your life or become a huge time suck.

Have a Specific Purpose (and Stick to It)

Yes, of course, you want your blog to drive interest, but it needs to be more measurable than that. Something like “increase website traffic by x%” that you can measure and track through Google Analytics or some other means. And be smart – make sure your goal is attainable. If you’ve never had a blog before, don’t expect it to go viral the first day. As time goes on, revisit this purpose and be sure you’re sticking with it (or modifying it as necessary) to stay on track with generating content that converts.

Plan Your Posts

It’s more than just writing your content and publishing it. There’s also promoting it, responding to comments, researching, and commenting on other blogs. Try using a blogging calendar, like this one, to set up a schedule so all necessary blogging tasks are completed in a timely fashion without taking over your life.

Jot Ideas Down

The idea for your next great blog post can happen anytime. In the shower, driving, making tea, etc. Don’t brush it off and think you’ll remember it when it’s time to work on your blog. You won’t. Take 30 seconds to write it down in a file specifically for this purpose so you’ll be ready to go when the time comes.

Just Write

It’s human nature to try to edit as you go. Don’t! You’ll lose your train of thought and wind up frustrated. Just write everything you have to say and edit it later. The real key is to make it exciting, so write something you’d want to read.

Outsource

Maybe you’re great with words, but creating awesome graphics or video to go along with your post is daunting. Find someone to do it for you. Sites like freelancer.com and fiver.com offer these services at affordable rates, depending on the contractor.

Automate

Once your blog post is written, you need to share it on social media so people will know to go read it. Before you start stressing about how much time it will take to make posts and publish them at the right time, consider automation. There are many tools available to help you automate your posts. Which one works best for you will depend on the social media accounts you use. Some suggestions are Tailwind, Hootsuite, and Buffer.

Guest Bloggers

It can be tough to come up with ideas all the time. Reach out to people in similar businesses and ask them to write a guest blog. Besides saving you from writing that post, you’ll get to have your business put in front of their audience – and vice versa. It’s a win-win.

Know Your Competition

What are other blogs in your niche writing about? Don’t copy their ideas, but do leverage that information to show you’re keeping up with what’s going on. No one wants to read yesterday’s news – and no one will consider you an authority if that’s what you’re putting out there.

Try these tips for managing your blog. If it still feels like something you’d rather outsource, contact Meredith Communications. The first consult is always free.

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