Tips for Consistent Blog Writing – How I never missed publishing a post in 10 years

For more than a decade, The Comm Entrepreneur blog has published a new post every Monday morning without disruption or delay. No vacation, holiday, maternity leave, or anything else has prevented me from sharing new and insightful ideas on my blog and promoting the content across my social media networks. I’m not a slave to my blog either. That’s important to note!

What I have discovered is that consistent blogging is fully in?your?control. You dictate your schedule and standards when you create your blog, so establish what’s going to work for you from the start, and then stick to it. If you plan to use your blog as a branding tool for your career, passion, or hobby – there is no better display of professionalism and consistency than a well-run blog. Keep reading for the tips I still use weekly to upkeep a consistent blogging presence….539 blog posts and counting!

Pick a realistic frequency – and commit to it.

A blog where fresh, meaningful content is posted regularly just once a month is better than a blog that “shotguns” weekly or daily posts for a month or two then goes silent. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Before you charge out of the gate, get realistic about the frequency in which you can populate your blog for years to come. If you’re someone who finds bursts of inspiration, you can and should capture multiple blog post ideas when the mood strikes, but you don’t have to publish them immediately. Build up your arsenal of great content, especially topics that are not time-sensitive. Then you can schedule them to roll out like clockwork on a regular frequency. Planning ahead and automation is critical to consistent blogging!

Don’t overthink your topics.

Do you find yourself frequently facing writer’s block? You might be manifesting this barrier unintentionally. Your blog is merely an outlet for your thoughts and creativity. Simply turn on the faucet and let it flow! Get in the right mindset before writing and focus on?progress, not perfection. The simplest topics can carry immense power and are often the best canvases. Don’t set out to create a blog post that requires a great deal of research. Focus on what you already know and believe. These are topics that should be a pleasure to write about, not a weight on your shoulders.

Seek inspiration from what’s relevant to you right now.

Another secret to blogging consistently is to approach each new post by first reflecting on what’s going on in your life right now. I’ll think about what work tasks were on my list for today, what was a problem I helped someone solve, was there a valuable life lesson I learned, or maybe it’s something going on in my personal life. When topics are top of mind, they’re easier to write about which allows ideas to flow quickly and authentically.?

Longer isn’t better – better is better.

The only standards your blog posts need to live up to are your own. You’re not required to submit a word count at the end of each post. Furthermore, longer isn’t always better. As I like to remind clients on a daily basis, “Better is better.”?However many words it takes to adequately represent your thoughts and to make your point clear is the right length for your blog. Each blog post will (and should) vary in length. Your readers will appreciate it! Sitting down to write what you feel must be a 1,000-word blog post is daunting. Instead, have no length or word count in mind. Just write – and let it grow from there!

Seek outside contributions selectively.

I’ve personally found a lot of value in allowing?guest bloggers?to fill my content calendar from time to time. Once you openly promote that you accept guest content, it will open a floodgate for people wanting to contribute. Be sure you are firm in your standards for what you’ll accept, what topics are best for your blog, and what links and images are included. This stands to impact your brand, credibility, and SEO – so take it seriously. When free content is offered and it takes blog writing off your to-do list for the day, it can feel like you found someone else to do your “homework” for you. But if it’s not quality work, this strategy will “fail” you eventually, to the detriment of your blog’s value.?

Treat it like your job – even if it isn’t.?

I do not consider my blog a substantial revenue stream for my?Public Relations consulting business. Rather, it’s a place where I openly and authentically share thoughts that I hope will help other businesses, entrepreneurs, and working women/parents raising young families while growing a business. Although the work I put into my blog does not directly earn me money, it absolutely does so indirectly. It’s one of the best branding tools I’ve built! As such, I treat my blog as part of my job. I’m responsible for publishing quality content every Monday, and without fail I do. Potential clients who take note of this can gain confidence in seeing that I’m consistent and I show up – every single time. So for my final piece of advice for achieving consistent blog writing is this – prioritize the content you publish as if it were for a client paying you 10x what you think it’s worth. Over time, a consistent blogging presence will reward you with at least that much in return!

Do you struggle to write consistently? What roadblocks are most common? Or do you have another tip to add to this list? Join the conversation by leaving a comment below.

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