We’ve all been there. You need to publish a blog post, and you’ve known it for a while. But when you sit down to start, the words won’t come and you’re left staring at a blinking cursor with a deadline looming. Unfortunately, you’ve found yourself among the legions of those who’ve suffered from writer’s block.
The truth is, blogging isn’t easy and it isn’t fast. The average content writer spends a little over three hours on a single blog post, and the most successful posts average around 1,500 words. Given these numbers, it’s not surprising that writer’s block can strike at random – when the pressure is on and the stakes are high, the best of us can find the idea well running dry. If you can't seem to find the words, keep reading for 10 tips that’ll have you writing great content in no time.
1. Look to your marketing data.
Ideas don’t come out of nowhere, nor should they. If you sit down to write with only a broad idea, it’s much more difficult to create a compelling post. Instead, start with your buyer personas (see this great post from Content Marketing Institute for more information) and make a list of topics that are relevant to each. With a clear target in mind, you’ll be prepared to make every word count.
Then, turn your attention to the digital marketing funnel/buyer's purchase path, otherwise known as the phases of the path each customer takes to making a purchase – you can learn more from this helpful post from Conductor. This will help you refine your ideas even more, narrowing general concepts into finely focused ideas.
2. Read up.
What are the premier blogs for your industry? What publications do you read without fail every month? Who do you follow on Twitter and LinkedIn? Seeing what thought leaders are saying helps you get a better sense of what’s relevant and how your business can provide the solutions potential customers are looking for. You’ll walk away from your research better informed and ready to speak with authority on the topics everyone is talking about.
3. Use a content calendar.
Deadlines turn up the pressure, there's no doubt. But sometimes, pressure is what we need to get the job done. Creating a blogging calendar serves two goals to help you complete your writing on schedule. First, it takes away the need to generate topics and write at the same time, reducing your content fatigue. Second, with content goals planned out weeks in advance, you can get ahead of schedule and even buy yourself extra time to get in the zone.
4. Eat the frog.
Mark Twain knew a thing or two about writing. He famously wrote, “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning.” So what does that mean? Take a look at your to-do list and pick out the hardest, least pleasant task. That's your frog. If you’re reading this post, there’s a good chance that frog is writing a blog post. Then, get yourself a cup of coffee, grit your teeth and get to work on completing this job before you tackle anything else. You’ll look forward to getting the post done, and you’ll be better prepared for the rest of your work as well.
5. Check your keywords.
Keywords are a great way to plan your writing – they’ll help you boost SEO value, plus they can provide critical guidance in understanding your audience. If you’re having a hard time figuring out your next blog post, visit the Google Keyword Planner or your preferred keyword tool. Armed with keyword ideas, you can tailor your writing to the phrases that are most likely to draw customers to your site and provide insightful answers to their questions.
6. Revisit a topic.
If you’re struggling with blogging now, keep in mind that you’ve probably succeeded at it before. It's a great time to revisit those posts and see if there’s anything new you can add. Maybe the industry outlook has changed, or you’ve reversed your opinion. Perhaps you can add some concrete data to a post about ideas that were merely speculation at the time of writing. And of course, it’s very likely there’s more you can say about the concept in general by expanding on the previous post. One easy way to do this? Take a look at any of your list-based posts and work on any of the bullet points within.
7. Talk to your team.
This is a trick we use pretty regularly in-house. It’s not uncommon for us to get together and toss around ideas, whether it’s a general brainstorming session or asking questions about areas of our industry that we’d like to learn more about. You already know that your employees are your best asset, so why not get their take? You’ll be surprised at the insights you’ll gather this way.
8. Skip the beginning.
This probably doesn’t sound logical, but you should try it anyway. There’s no content marketing handbook that says you must begin writing your blog posts with the introduction. Try writing the body of your post first, or even just getting down some headers or list points – that’s how this post was written. Once you have an outline, you’ll find it much easier to get going.
9. Leave something for your editor.
Writing and editing aren’t the same thing, and they shouldn’t be treated as such. If you’re constantly worrying about grammatical mistakes, awkward phrasing or incorrect statistics, you’re not focusing on the writing itself. Worse, you’re taking twice the time it should require to write as you jump between mindsets, searching for compelling ideas and errant commas at the same time. So if you’re writing, just write.
10. Give yourself a break.
Sometimes, these and every other tip for writer’s block won’t deliver what you need. If you’ve tried everything you can and still can’t get the words to flow, simply take a moment to get away from the task, and your desk if you can. Have a chat with a colleague or grab a snack. Rather than berating yourself and staring at the screen, enjoy a moment to feel refreshed and try again.
Writer's block is no fun, and it strikes when we have the least capacity to deal with it. But remember: you don't have to be the best writer – you only need to be the writer that finishes the post.
Need some help with a tough writing task? Check out our Tweak My Post offer. We'll review your blog post, optimize it and get you over the block, so you can check another item off your to-do list.
About Virtucom Group
Consistent business blogging yields results – more clicks, more subscribers and – ultimately – more conversions. Whether you’re writing an automotive blog, an accounting blog, a healthcare blog or a home renovation blog, blogging for business and content development are useful for any industry. Follow the content writers at the Virtucom Group blog as they share digital marketing tips and discuss website content writing services that can optimize your business blog.
