Let’s talk about blog post creation.
The key to blogging is consistency. But for some reason, consistency can be the hardest thing to achieve.
The pressure to produce something that your readers will actually read can be really stressful. Not to mention, having to repeat that process on a semi-regular basis.
How do we remove the stress and pressure and make blog post creation fun again?
Blogging isn’t easy, but there are so many habits you can implement to make your blogging journey equipped for long-term success. Here is my 5-step blog post creation process that has, for the most part, taken away the pit in my stomach when I start planning and writing my content.
[one_half padding=”0 20px 0 0″]
1. Write down 3-5 clear focused topics to write about.
The biggest hurdle to creating quality blog posts is coming up with a topic that will be easy to write about and connect with your readers. Brainstorming topics ahead of time will make post creation much simpler, as you’ll already know what you’ll be writing about before you sit down to write! For example, if you’re a travel blogger, you’re topics might be city guides, budgeting, where to stay and how to get around. Every time you sit down to write a post, it will fall into one of those four categories, simplifying your thought process.
2. Commit to posting a realistic number of posts each week.
One of the biggest mistakes I see bloggers make (especially new bloggers) is attempting to post 4-5 posts a week. To avoid blogging burnout, take an honest look at your schedule and decide how many posts a month you can commit to. Then be consistent! It’s ok to be posting bi-weekly, as long as you’re consistent and your readers can count on seeing new content regularly.
3. Make a content creation plan & schedule batch writing sessions.
Once you’ve decided on the topics you’ll be writing about and how many times a month you’ll be posting, plan out your post schedule a month in advance. If you use WordPress, you can do this right in your WordPress backend using the Editorial Calendar plugin. And if you don’t use WordPress, I highly recommend switching over. You can read all about how to set up your WordPress blog here.
Next, choose a day or week when you can commit to writing all your blog posts for that month. After they’re written, schedule them out over the next month in your post scheduler. And you’re done for the month! Trust me, batch writing is a key step in eliminating the stress of post creation and freeing up your energy for social media engagement and community building.
[/one_half]
[one_half_last padding=”0 px 0 20px”]
4. Outline your posts before writing them.
This trick has been HUGE for me. When I’m staring at a blank page, it’s so hard for me to get the words out of my head and onto the page. Creating an outline of your post before writing it seems like an additional step, but can actually make the writing process so much easier.
Start by outlining the post’s objective, main points and call to action. Then go back in and add all the details. Outlining removes the pressure of cranking out 1000 words from nothing and adds a stress-free flow to your writing process.
5. Create a post image template.
It’s no secret that a good blog post has a beautiful, relevant image to engage the reader. But searching for and formatting that image can eat up so much time. To save time, create an image post template that can be used for every post. This can be done in Photoshop, Canva or whatever your preferred graphics creation tool is. If you need help getting started, check out my guide for Creating Branded Images for your Business here.
Finding quality images for your posts can also be a huge source of stress. If you’re not a content creator and need great photos at the snap of a finger, I’ve put together a list of The Best Stock Photo Resources for Bloggers here.
[/one_half_last]
Ultimately, your blog is your business. If you can put systems into place to remove the stress and automate your processes, your blog will bloom and grow just by your commitment and consistency.
Happy blogging!
xx,
Ariel