By now you know how important it is to regularly update your blog. Consistency is one of the biggest ways you can help maintain and generate business by putting your blog on the top of the search engines. However, creating unique, entertaining, informative, and relevant content takes time. How do you keep your writing and your posts on schedule without being overwhelmed and still providing quality content? Here are four ways to remain on schedule. While they are not necessarily exclusive of one another, it is highly suggested that you utilize all of the steps discussed.
1. Create a Schedule
The very first way to remain on schedule is to CREATE a schedule. This is called an editorial schedule. It will list everything you want to put on your blog, when you want to post it, and much more. This is one of, if not the, most important steps to not only remain on schedule but to have a cohesive content schedule for your blog. As with any schedule, this will only work if you actually follow it.
The editorial schedule can be designed in any format you wish that is easiest for you and anyone else involved in your blog to follow. A physical calendar? An Excel spreadsheet? Microsoft Office Calendar? It doesn’t matter. What matters is what works for you. Some people work better with a physical calendar, others prefer an electronic calendar that can be shared with an entire social media/content creation team. Play around with different types and see what works best. Perhaps a combination of both: an electronic master calendar and paper copies of segments.
Once you have the format set up, you need to plot out your content. You’ve already created your content strategy, now it’s time to implement it. Mark which days you want to talk about particular topics, perhaps have a day just for Q & A’s with your readers. Or you can create a list–maybe another day for reblogging or sharing articles that you found interesting. Every day doesn’t need to involve brand new content, but it needs to have something to make your customers keep coming back. Be aware of important dates or milestones in your industry so your blog schedule corresponds to what is going on. Nothing will make you more relevant than to have a blog about the newest release of a product or service within your industry.
2. Delegate
Running and maintaining a successful business blog takes time, time a busy business owner like yourself usually doesn’t have. Smart business people surround themselves with strong people, and utilize them by delegating responsibility of the blog to them. If you don’t already have a team of people who help run your social media and blogging, find someone within your company (or hire someone) who can.
Go over the editorial calendar with them perhaps every week or every few weeks to ensure that your ideas are being properly executed. It can be hard to let go of this aspect of your business, but as long as you have people who share your vision, you will not be disappointed and your blog will prosper.
3. Schedule Your Updates and Posts in Advance
Sitting down at the computer every day at the same time can be difficult to manage, yet having professional blog posts go out at the same time every day is vital for the success of your blog campaign. This can be easily managed by utilizing the scheduling feature of your website. As each platform is a little different, check with the particulars of your site host or administrative features to see how you can schedule your posts.
If you utilize your editorial calendar enough, you can have your blog posts scheduled a month (or more!) in advance. This is perfect if you go on vacation or are away from the office unexpectedly. Your blog will not suffer for it.
You can also schedule your tweets and messages out to social media when your blog updates. Programs like Hootsuite or Buffer can help you schedule your social media messages. There is more to social media management then this, but that is another article for another day.
4. Make the Commitment
Creating and maintaining a business blog takes time and commitment. You have to be ready, able, and willing to devote the necessary time required to develop your marketing idea. Occasional blogging can be more detrimental than not having a blog at all. It shows to your customers that either you aren’t involved in your business or can’t be bothered to update–neither of which are things you want your customers to take from your blog or your business.
Regardless, whether you delegate or create on your own, or perhaps a mix of both, set aside the time that is needed to keep your blog on schedule. At first it may seem like the blog is taking an inordinate amount of time, but once you and your team gets into the swing of things, you’ll find the time required from your day is less and less.
With a little effort, a little delegation, and making the most of available technology, you can easily maintain a schedule for your business blog. These four steps are simple, but it takes commitment, trust, and initiative. Utilizing these steps will make your blog flourish, and your business will thank you.
Do you have a method of keeping on a schedule that isn’t mentioned here? Share with us what you do to keep your blog going.
