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7 Tips To Keep Blog Content Fresh

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Blogging requires a cup full of creativity, two cups of inspiration, and a third of dedication to keep the content fresh and interesting.

It’s SO EASY to read your favorite blogger and take their inspiration as yours; heck, it’s even EASIER to swipe a few article ideas or, better yet, take their words and re-purpose them into your own blog (no one will notice, right?).

I’ve been seeing in the last several months a few cases of indiscretion — bloggers “currying favor” with power bloggers and repurposing their content. While that may be the nicest form of a compliment; uhm, it’s not — that really sucks.

Just last week I saw my friend Erica Allison’s post on upcycling content to make it fresh again and, lo, a leading A-Lister blogger had an extremely similar post the next day. Coincidence or not really?

I have no idea whether the words I write or the ideas I come up with are re-purposed by others. I do see the tweet words or blog comments I make re-purposed on occasion.  I don’t police for that, but then again, I’m not as prolific as Gini Dietrich, for example. We’re all guilty of the above in some way, shape or form. It could be subliminal because we take inspiration from others’ writings.

If you’re struggling with how to freshen your blog content or nudge your creativity for something new (because we do live in an echo chamber!), here are some ideas you may want to consider:

1. Read, read, read. When I started in public relations agencies at Manning, Selvage & Lee in Chicago, my bosses told me to read. I really never knew what that meant or why. It probably took me 10 years to understand why reading is so important. And, it probably took me 10 years to mature into a better practitioner to incorporate reading into my daily routine. When you read, you’re better versed to impart insight to your blog.

2. Scan headlines. If you don’t want to read, then scan headlines (and include the first graph in that exercise, too). When you scan a headline, think about its relevance to your daily work. If you represent clients in healthcare, scan the headlines in the AMA Journal to see what’s current. This exercise helps spark ideas both for your employer, client or blog.

3. Select a topic and focus in-depth. Facebook is all the rage these weeks and so is Google+. Everyone is talking about timelines, business profiles, fan pages and the like. If you’re adapting your work to accommodate the new features, then write a story about it with a “how-to” piece or share a case study about how you implemented something for a client or your company. EVERYONE wants someone to teach them, and if you have a step-by-step process showing how to do something, you can watch your analytics rise exponentially.

4. Get Clicky. I was absolutely kicking and screaming on implementing a back-end decoding device (that’s not what this is, really). When you install Clicky on your blog, you can see why people come to visit. The key words they’re honing will appear in your dashboard, and you’ll find the information valuable to develop new posts. I was a non-believer until I saw the data on day one; it’s fascinating. So, thanks Gini, Brankica and Erica for pushing me over the brink.

5. Comment Love. When you engage on others’ blogs in comments, invariably, you will generate a rich trove of new ideas and blog fodder. If you happen to disagree with the blogger and others in the community also are debating your views, this becomes automatic fodder. And, wow, look at that opportunity — instead of debating in another bloggers’ comment system, bring that discussion to your house and state your perspective in an original post. Invite those same commenters from elsewhere to join you at your house, and voila! A new thread of interest comes alive.

6. Don’t force it. I’ve not blogged in awhile, and that’s because it’s been a tad rough with the client side. When you are not feeling your blog, DO NOT WRITE. There’s no hard or fast rule that says you must share your sorrows on your blog just because it’s been dormant. Respect your own boundaries and know that people want to read uplifting and inspirational content; they’d prefer not to engage in down-spirited bloggers. If you are inclined to write when you’re down, you are forcing your hand, and it shows.

7. Pick tried-and-true topics. This is a real-live personal tip from today — because I’ve not blogged in awhile, I selected an easier topic I knew I could write about comfortably to get back into routine. I have many ideas and blog posts started; but, because they’re under-developed and would take too long to complete, I selected something quick written this morning.

 

What might you add from your experiences?

The Great American Content Mashup

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I’m reading Jason Falls’s blog, Social Media Explorer, and if you’ve not subscribed to him, you’re missing the boat. In 500 words, Jason packs a punch with tips and lessons galore about social media and of late, content.

I predict the great American content mash up is ready to collide in our faces.

Everywhere you turn, Facebook pages are coming alive launched by companies that want a piece of the pie. But, look closely, the content is el stinko on many a fan page. How about Twitter? It’s not easy for some to write thoughts in 140 without littering the characters with “and” plus “that.” Thank goodness teen tweeps aren’t texting on Twitter although in those circles, I’m sure texting content exists.

And, then there are the blogs. I’m appreciative the bloggers I follow can write and write well. Sometimes you have to wonder who is doing the writing especially when the “author” is one popular dude (i.e. Seth Godin who posts the shortest blog fodder I’ve ever seen hit day light).

Content is king and having a content strategy will get you farther than a turtle with six legs.

Think about the numbers of people and companies engaged in content development today. Danny Brown wrote a recent blog post “52 factoids about the big 4 (and he didn’t call it that)” You’ll want to keep it for reference. It provides the user data for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.  In a nutshell, users and traffic are astronomical and growing.

So what do I mean by the Great American Content Mash Up?

Writers from all walks of life have an opportunity to ghost write blogs, Facebook pages, Web sites, tweets, and more. It’s the next social media revolution as content needs collide with a limited number of high-quality writers.

Imagine the vertical markets that require specialty writers. Are there enough to go around to produce these communications? Probably not.

So, those self-employed, unemployed, newly graduated, or semi-retired, think about the opportunity facing the online world today. We need good writers, and we need them now. Is that your calling?

Dilution of the Press Release

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Don’t get me wrong. Press releases are the number-one best way to deliver a company’s message. The confusion surrounding this vehicle lies with its distribution.

When vendors seize opportunity to tout free online press release distributions, fraction-of-the-cost news delivery, and optimized content with high search engine rankings, I cringe with angst. My pure profession is being obliterated by suppliers touting the ability to do what I do better, faster, cheaper (well, maybe not better). Quality of product rarely comes in to play; it’s the faster, cheaper thing I can’t get around.

Strategy and message are top rungs on the ladder. The distribution offerings now a dime a dozen confuse even me, a seasoned public relations practitioner, from discerning the high-quality real deal from the low-ball, churn. When I look at content, however, it’s clear there’s no comparison. Here’s a sample headline and descriptor off a free distribution service:

(Headline) Enter The Wow With Accounts From Us (Meta description) “Wow is an exclamatory expression as per the dictionary. The expression denotes surprise. And you would sure be taken by surprise when you enter…”

Are you kidding me? And, who’s reading this garbage anyway?

I’ve almost stopped being offended about others’ business opportunities. Anyone can issue “news” to their heart’s content (and I don’t hold the patent on that). What they can’t do is:

  • Align communications strategy with business objectives.
  • Develop a tactical plan to attain communications objectives via well-thought strategies.
  • Deliver on-target messages that resonate with brand position.
  • Write the dang press release.

Here’s the “ah-hah.” Anyone interested in saving a buck with free, cheap and faster online news release distribution services, save yourself the embarrassment of DIY. Hire the guns to strategize, deliver on-target messaging and make a press release part of the greater plan. Frankly, put a highly qualified and strategic public relations practitioner on your team.