How to Keep Up with a Blog

First, a confession. I'm often late with my own blog entries. It is hard to keep up with a blog when you have a sea of other deadlines. No surprise, then, that the #1 problem my clients have when they take on writing their own blogs is consistency. It's hard to build a following when months go by between postings!

Here are a few tips to help you become a consistent blogger:

• Set a schedule: Are you going to blog daily? Every other day? Weekly? Establish deadlines and incorporate your blog entries into your weekly "To Do" list. It can be very efficient to bang out a few blog entries on a quiet afternoon, but save some of the entries for times when you are too busy to write something on the spot.
• Develop an editorial calendar: Take a tip from magazines and map out your content. Brainstorm a list of topics and schedule when you will write about the various topics. Just stay flexible so you can address current trends or interesting news as opportunities arise. And remember: blogs should provide useful information. They should not a steady stream of sales messages.
• Assign responsibilities: A blog is often more interesting if you have a stable of writers contributing content. Consider asking different staff members to write about topics that pertain to their areas of expertise. Make blogging part of their job description.
• Invite guest bloggers: Know an expert that could provide interesting information to your readers? Ask him or her to write a blog entry. Alternatively, you could interview an expert and publish the Q & A in your blog.
• Outsource: Professional writers ghostwrite articles for experts all the time. You can also hire a professional writer to ghostwrite for your blog. Just as for articles, the writer would conduct research and interview you to help share your knowledge with the world.