Pinpointing what to write about on your blog can be a challenge, especially for new bloggers. But there are a few effective “types” of blog posts that can really help you get the wheels turning and produce compelling content. There are certainly more types of blog posts than this list, but here are some of my favorites!
Helpful Posts – As a professional, you have knowledge and expertise that can help your audience by providing information that gives them a better understanding of a particular topic. My husband Pete worked at a weekly newspaper for nearly four years. His most popular article explained how the borough calculated their water and electric bills, which many residents were confused about. Posts like these are a great way to establish your credibility.
Event Posts – Blogs posts are great way to promote any big customer or community-focused events your company is participating in, both in terms of using the time leading up to the event to encourage your readers to attend, and for showcasing or explaining what happened at the event afterwards.
News Topic Posts – Is there a high profile breaking news event that impacts your industry or your customers? If so, it might be a great opportunity to write a blog that focuses on why the news event is significant, how it impacts the business and how it impacts your clients and customers.
Personal Posts – As people, we all have interesting stories that have helped define who we are. Relaying such stories is a powerful way to form a strong, personal connection with your readers. Of all the posts I’ve published, my most popular blog was the story of a bad car accident that changed my life forever. There is a line here, however, as you don’t want to get too personal and air dirty laundry for no particular purpose.
Lists – No doubt about it, lists are HOT. Framing your topic in terms of a “Top 10 reasons to…” or something similar is simply an effective way to grab a readers’ attention. I wouldn’t make every post a list, but I would definitely recommend incorporating them into your lineup.
Guest Blogs – In the spirit of mixing it up, it’s great to line up a few business partners, experts or vendors for occasional guest blogs. If possible, try to target others who are experienced bloggers or have strong writing skills. I also recommend giving the person a suggested topic.
Frequently Asked Question Blogs – Keep track of the questions you most commonly receive about your business and answer three to five of them in a single post.
