How to create a 12-month blog plan

If you plan to blog regularly, you should create a 12-month blog plan.

And NOW is the time to start planning.

Blogging may sound like a lot of work (it is!). However, it’s something that will reap benefits for your business in the long-term. It can:

• increase your SEO presence and web traffic — each post is another opportunity to rank in Google and become a ‘clickable’ post
• increase your business profile and authority — blogs are a chance to show off your industry expertise, and why you are good at what you do
• help you connect with your clients/customers — when customers feel like they know you, they’re more likely to buy what you’re selling
• show that you’re helpful — when you can provide solutions to problems, customers will think of you when they need them solved
• build trust with your audience — customers are more likely buy from you if they trust you.

Fail to plan….plan to fail

As the saying goes, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail — and this applies to blogging.

If you’re planning to blog regularly then you MUST have a plan — preferably a 12-month plan. Initially, it may be a little bit of work, but it will make your next 12 months that much easier when it comes to writing your blogs. Having a plan will mean:

• you’re more likely to post regularly
• you won’t need to scramble when it’s time to publish a blog
• you won’t publish something just for the sake of publishing
• you can create useful, engaging content that your clients will love
• you’ll make the most of opportunities to promote and market your business
• a more streamlined way of working.

How often should you blog?

This will depend largely upon how much time you have to spend on your blog. If time is scarce but blogging is important, consider outsourcing this task to someone (like me) who can write them for you.

How often you blog will determine how many blog topics you need to come up with to put in your plan.

Monthly = 12 posts per year

Fortnightly = 26 posts per year

Weekly = 52 posts per year

How to create a blog plan

This is the trickier bit, but also the fun part.

When creating your blog plan, it’s important to align topics with your business. For example, if you’re in the health industry, you wouldn’t write a blog about the latest trends in automotive accessories. Remember, each blog post is an opportunity to showcase what you do, and why you do it better than anyone else.

My tips to creating a blog plan:

Plan around an events calendar

Are there any events/promotions/special weeks that you can link in with? — e.g. if you’re a physiotherapist, then writing a blog around safe lifting for Tradies Week is perfect.

Be creative and think outside the box with this. Events such as Earth Hour may be an opportunity for you to write about your sustainability practices in your business, regardless of what industry you’re in.

Case studies

Do you have any success stories or case studies that you can turn into a blog? Showcasing how you have helped a past customer is a great way to highlight your expertise and explain your business.

Answer questions

What are the most common questions you get asked about your business? Turn each question into a blog post, which is both informative or useful.

Industry news

Do you attend industry events or conferences? Schedule a blog post summarising what you learned, or the top take-away messages. To see an example of this, read my post about CopyCon 2018.

Research

Do you work in an industry where ongoing research takes place? Plan to write a post or two about current research and how this links into your business. This is also an opportunity for you to show your customers that you have your finger on the pulse.

What’s happening in your business?

Do you have plans to launch a new product or service? Schedule a blog post or two around that.

Your blog plan should be well-balanced and include a mix of various topics. You could also try a ‘Question and answer’ format, or even a video post. And don’t forget to include a call to action at the bottom of every post — however, this doesn’t have to be a ‘hard sell’.

My final tip on creating a yearly blog plan is to factor in some flexibility to be able to respond to news events, ground-breaking research, or even industry news.

Need help creating your 12-month blog plan?

I understand that life gets busy and you may have difficulty setting aside time to create your year-long blog plan.

So let me help you.

To book your 12-month blogging plan, so you’re ready to start next year with a bang, contact me today.

Cheers
Nerissa