The Smart Guide for Newbie Bloggers

So you decided it was time to start blogging. You created your blog, you came up with a fancy name and you decked it out with all different types of widgets. But now you have to generate some content, and you could be staring at a blank screen for days before something good comes to mind.
If you’re completely lost as to how to start writing blog content, the following tips will help alleviate the writer’s block and get the words flowing.

1. Decide on a purpose.

Before you can start writing copy for your blog, you need to decide on a purpose for your blog content. What is the main focus of your blog? Is it technology, children, finance? Once you have this idea decided, it will help you become focused on things you want to write about.
One good tip has always been to write what you know. If you’re having trouble deciding on a purpose, think of the things that you could be considered an expert in, or at least things that you thoroughly enjoy. The more you know about a topic, the easier it will be to write about.
2. Create a calendar.

One of the best ways to create blog content is to create a weekly or monthly calendar. Write down a list of topics you want to touch on each week. This way, you will have ideas marinating and will have topics already picked out so you won’t have to spend time thinking about topics.
The nice thing about blog calendars is that you don’t have to stick to them religiously. If you went to a recent event or experienced something totally great and you want to share it, you can always write about it and use it in place of one of your other topics. The calendar is solely meant to be used as a guide—there is no punishment in straying away.
3. Write a few posts first before publishing.

It is always a good idea to write 2-5 posts before you launch your blog. This way, you have items to post during that first week to generate some content and (hopefully) some SEO for your site. Having more content on hand up front will help alleviate some of the burden of creating content later.
4. Be consistent.

One of the worst things you can do for your blog is to publish inconsistently. If you want to post every day, make sure you always post every day. If you want to post only once a week, make sure a post goes up every week. After you start to receive a dedicated following, they will become familiar with your posting schedule. If you fail to meet this schedule, your readers will stop coming back.
Blogging should not be the hardest thing on your plate. Though it can be overwhelming at first, you need to use your blog for topics that interest you. Having a calendar will also help generate some content ideas. As long as you continue to produce great and interesting content, your readers will continue to come back.