by Rita Barry

Blogging takes a lot of time. And it often doesn’t seem urgent because nothing is going to explode in your business if you don’t get a post out this week.

Your favorite client, on the other hand, might not be happy with a missed deadline…

So blogging gets relegated to next week, again, or you throw together an article quickly just to post something.

By not following through with a regular blogging schedule, you’re missing out on the opportunity to build authority, trust, social media shares and marketing opportunities plus a lot of good will among your target audience.

Blogging allows you to build a community around your business and your ideas which ultimately translates to more eyes on your work and more revenue in your pocket.

Amazing content, consistently published, is possible, you just need a system…

1. Separate Your Topic Brainstorming from your Post Writing

Starting off with a blank screen and no clue what to write about is a recipe for writer’s block and frustration.

The free flowing, creative nature of topic brainstorming doesn’t go well with the more structured process of outlining posts, writing and proofreading.

Schedule a recurring monthly or quarterly appointment with yourself to create your editorial calendar where you brainstorm topic ideas for posts, content themes for the month, etc.

Then, when you sit down to write a post, you’ll always have your topic cued up before you start.

2. Create a Post Template to Quickly Create Outlines

Outlining a post before actually writing it might seem like an extra time commitment that isn’t necessary but I bet you’ll find it helps you create more useful and well-written posts that will take less editing time later.

To create an outline, start with a blank document that has these 5 headings: Introduction, Clarify, Solution, Examples/Evidence, Conclusion/Call to Action.

After checking your editorial calendar, you can start jotting down ideas for each of the 5 sections to round out your thoughts on the topic. Make sure you’re providing useful information and a call to action for your readers.

For more information on each of these sections, you can grab your own copy of my blog post template.

3. Create Recurring Tasks each Week to Keep Your Blogging System Running

Publish a post every Wednesday? It’s shouldn’t be a surprise every Tuesday evening that Wednesday has arrived, yet again.

This last minute blogging panic becomes an all too common scene for many business owners, I’ve been there too. A solid, recurring set of blogging tasks will solve this cycle once and for all.

First, choose a day of the week to review your editorial calendar and confirm your blog post topic for the following week. Add this task to your favorite project management software and set this task to recur weekly.

Do the same thing for all your blogging related activities. Choose a time each week and set a recurring appointment with yourself:

• writing your outline
• creating the final post
• proofreading
• creating/sourcing images
• uploading the final post to your website
• scheduling social media updates
• contacting anyone mentioned in the post

With a set blogging system, you’ll also be able to spot areas that can outsource to your VA or batch together based on your preferences and time commitments.

Now It’s Your Turn

What is your best tip to get blog posts published consistently?

Bio

Rita Barry is an email marketing strategist and conversion focused web designer who helps women build results driven marketing systems. Rita teaches entrepreneurs at all levels how to upgrade and professionalize their email marketing. You can get instant access to her Email Marketing Blueprint. You can also find Rita on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram.