Blogging for Small Businesses: Getting Past That Writer’s Block

Somewhere along the line you’ve probably found yourself sitting through that marketing webinar whilst someone witters on about how vital blogging is for marketing in small businesses.

You probably don’t need to be reminded for the billionth time that “blogging boosts SEO” or “blogs help you build authority with your audience” or even that “blogs can be a great way to bring content to your social media”.

You inevitably go away feeling newly energised and ready to put a sparkly new content plan into action. The one plan that’s going to change EVERYTHING. 

But lo and behold when the next morning rolls around, you find yourself faced with a blank page and a brain that’s withered and crispy from lack of inspiration.

“We’ll circle back to that.”, you think to yourself. “The grand plan can wait until tomorrow.”

Overcoming Square One

The problem with tomorrow is that it never comes, as the saying goes.

Those first few nuggets of genius are often the hardest to come by, but once we get those first few words on the page, we’re good to go.

So where do we start? Let’s take a look at a few ideas.

1. The Who and the Where

Blogging for small business marketing is very different from “being a blogger”.

Career bloggers are looking for loads of traffic above all else, but as a small business owner, you don’t need to be attracting the whole world to your website. You just need to attract the clients who are a perfect match for your brand.

Start by thinking about them, and find some keywords to target them.

Try using Answer The Public to find out what questions they are searching for. Use location specific keywords if you work with people in a specific area. 

Understanding how to use keywords properly is a vital part of SEO and has the added benefit of giving you some inspiration to kick start your writing process.

2. The Agony Aunt They Never Asked For

One of the most important concepts in marketing is understanding the problem(s) you are solving for your client.

Make a list of the problems your product or service solves and turn one of them into a title for your next blog post.

Pick something that’s so compelling that can’t help but click. Better yet, can you create something they’ll want to bookmark and come back to? Or even something they’ll forward on to friends?

3. Curate Your Library

Often, your best starting point is what you already have.

Look at your existing library of blog posts- could you expand on one of the points you’ve already made? Is there something you could come at from a slightly different angle?

This has the added benefit of allowing you to link your articles together. 

Not only will Google love you for this, but it can also help to keep the reader on your website, browsing other posts you’ve directed them to and building their trust in your brand bit by bit.

4. Start at the End

Why do you want them to read your blog? 

Are you hoping they’ll book a call with you? Buy a product? Jump on a mailing list?

If you have a clear outcome from the outset, you can build backwards to find your topic.

Let’s say you’re looking for email sign ups- why not write a blog post that educates them about a problem that can be solved by your lead magnet?

If you’re looking to get some discovery calls booked in, why not offer a bit of advice, whilst driving home the idea that getting some bespoke input is super important?

If Your Business Blogging Brain is Really Running Dry…

Just write about something you would want to read about.

At the end of the day, we’re not so different. If you’d read it, there’s someone else who will too.

Don’t overthink it. Just start.

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This article was originally written on behalf of the wonderful team at VAB.

VAB is a coalition of freelancers in marketing, here to offer all you need for a magical marketing makeover, including branding, copy, website design, graphic design, social media, email marketing and admin support, all under one VABulous roof! We work with any budget, no job too big or small. Just pick and mix the services you need! Check us out here.