In our last blog – 5 Compelling Reasons to Blog for your Health Business, we discussed why your health business should have a blog.
If you’ve decided to start (or continue) a blog for your business – good choice!
So, what should you blog about? If you’re concerned about writer’s block – don’t be.
Follow these options to start a list of possible topics and remember to add to the list as inspiration strikes!
1. Solutions to Problems that your Target Audience face
Think about the issues your clients raise with you, their problems and pain points. It makes sense that these topics are of particular interest to them.
In the blogs that you write – discuss these issues along with potential solutions or options to help. Remember – one of the motivations behind Content Marketing is to be of service to your audience. Keeping this front of mind will help when brainstorming for ideas.
AVOID – Writing about what interests you but not your target market. Remember you are not the intended reader for your content!
TIP – Start with the end in mind – if you’re creating content to boost traffic to a certain keyword or key phrase – build your content from here.
2. Your Business Expertise, aiming to create Evergreen content
Play to your strengths. If you have useful knowledge that can be shared, a customer that finds answers on your blog will be far more receptive when you introduce your products and services.
Evergreen content is “Search-optimized content that is continually relevant and stays “fresh” for readers over a long period of time – as the name implies.”
Beginners Guide to Evergreen Content
By creating this content for your business you’re creating tangible assets that will add to your marketing efforts over time. Remember that blogging and Content Marketing are long-term strategies that can yield long-term results and return on your (time and money) investment in website ranking, traffic, brand awareness, inquiries, and sales.
AVOID – Using dry, jargon-filled text. Try instead to create a conversational tone – use layman’s terms, add a few puns and don’t formalise your grammar too much (while still keeping it correct!).
TIP – “Write like you talk” add some personality to your blog!
3. Topical Content
Staying in touch with research in your field can provide numerous ideas for articles. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Citing and discussing a research piece and then linking to this article is credible and helpful to your audience who may be unaware of developments in the field.
Newsworthy topics can also be great – from sports to celebrities, even politics may provide inspiration for your writing. Don’t shy away from controversy. If you feel comfortable giving your opinion do so – but be prepared for any discussion which may ensue.
AVOID – Weighing in when the topic is unrelated to your expertise or business.
TIP – Set up Google Alerts to be notified when certain topics are being discussed. BuzzFeed is another great source of “Social Listening” – among others (eg Quora, Reddit).
4. Fresh and New Ideas
Google Search loves new content but then – so do humans! But, it can be difficult to continually come up with fresh ideas. Some sources to help you include –
Avoid – Waffling – stay on topic. The best blog posts start with a main message which is delivered throughout the blog, expressed multiple times in small ways from start to finish.
TIP – More topic ideas
Other Things to Avoid
- Broad Subjects – Specific subjects allow you to provide quality information and answers
- Unstructured writing – Make sure you have a template or structure and break up your writing with headers, lists, images etc
- Unsubstantiated arguments – Use data and research to support your claims
- Plagiarism – It’s fine to use the ideas of others or expand on an existing topic as long as you correctly cite your sources
- Perfection – A well-edited post beats an unpublished one any day!
- Not optimising your SEO – Think, factors like including external links, internal links, alt text for images, headers etc. Plugins like Yoast and All in One SEO are useful to make sure you’re not missing these.
- Not including a Call to Action – What do you want your readers to do next? Add this.
- Infrequent blogging – try for consistency
How often Should you Blog?
When it comes to posting blog content, more is better ONLY IF your content is;
- High quality
- Original – i.e. Not (overly) repetitive
- Appealing to your target audience
- Delivering what it promises
Try and come up with a schedule that you can regularly manage – be it daily, weekly, fortnightly or monthly. Remember – the goal is consistency.
Look for our next blog – we’ll be looking at “Repurposing Blog Content – Why you Should!”
Online Business Manager and Virtual Assistant, Health Business Supporter, Lean Process Improvement Coach and former Physio. I have a passion for the Health Industry and your business success!