Getting the most out of your writing blog
A writing blog can be a valuable part of an author’s brand and marketing, but if you want it to be as useful as possible, you need to invest in it. This doesn’t necessarily mean spending money on it, but it does mean making an investment in time and attention so you can get the most out of it. Here are some tips to help you get started.
Define what ‘regular’ writing means to you
We’re always told that if we want our writing blogs to be successful, we need to make sure we update them regularly. I definitely subscribe to this view: it’s pretty hard to make your blog successful if there isn’t anything on it. But ‘regular’ writing could mean different things for different writers. Work out how many posts per week you have the time to write, and take into account issues such as how many ideas for blog posts you can think of in that time.
Take your time to build your presence
It’s said a lot, but it’s said a lot because it’s true: it takes time to create a successful, well-visited writing blog. It can take a while for your work to pay off, but it’s definitely worth building up a good back catalogue of blog posts (see another reason why below).
Consider your keywords and SEO
This one relates to the point above – a good back catalogue of blog posts can be useful for your SEO. Think carefully about the keywords and phrases you want to use on your blog and don’t forget to work them into your blog posts (but don’t force them to fit if they won’t go in – a well-written post is better than a keyword stuffed illogical ramble any day). Another tactic here is to make sure your blog is part of your main website so readers can easily find out more after reading.
Use it to develop your writing discipline
We all know that writing requires discipline, and your writing blog can be a good way to help you develop this. Writing blog posts regularly can help to get you into the mind-set you need when you’re writing your novel. When you’ve finished your blog post for the day, don’t let go of that discipline – stay with it and carry on writing something else straight after.
