Does the thought of starting a blog for your business feel overwhelming?
It doesn’t have to be. You really CAN write content that matters, if you take the time to do some initial groundwork first.
This course will teach you what you need to know to get started.
You’re in the right place if…
- You’re already convinced of WHY you should blog (e.g., create content) as part of your marketing strategy, but you’re not sure HOW or WHERE to start.
- You’d like to find your best topic ideas that will allow you to say something worthwhile and shareable.
- You want to know how to optimize your blog posts for both humans and search engines.
- You’d like to learn how to promote your blog posts so that you generate new and on-going traffic to your website.
- You’d like to get your arms around best business blogging practices so you publish with confidence.
There are 7 lessons here — each with several modules and bonus videos — all meant to help the beginning business blogger figure out how to write content that matters.
(If you’re already an established blogger, or you’re looking for technical advice and tutorials, this course is not for you.)
Lesson 6: Module 1 – Make Social Sharing Easy
Half the battle of promoting your blog posts falls under making it easy for others to share your work. To do this, be SURE you've got a solid social sharing plugin installed. What does "solid" mean? In short, we're looking for a plugin that... Allows you to customize...
Content Strategy
Almost every blog post you write (at least 75% of them) should bring your reader back to working with you or buying from you. So let’s start there! What are you trying to sell in the next two to three months? Do you have a new product or program? Your blog should...
Welcome and Orientation
Welcome to Blogging for Business 101. This course is available to you at your own pace. That means you do the lessons when you're ready and have the time. You can progress as fast or as slow as you like, but you'll need to mark each lesson topic complete before you...
Lesson 5: Module 2 – Add a Compelling Image
Include an image that conveys what the blog post is about. Images appeal to readers and help them better assimilate text-based content. A blog post that has some type of visual that’s a photograph, graphic or some type of infographic typically has better reach than...
Lesson 5: Module 1 – Write for Humans First
Many times when we talk about "optimizing" our content, we're really talking about SEO (or Search Engine Optimization). The thing about SEO is that it's a constantly moving target. Whatever I write about it today will be out-of-date tomorrow. That's because search...
Lesson 4: Module 3 – Time to Edit
My own process for editing requires at least three different run throughs after the first draft. And in between each edit, I make it a point to step away from my desk for at least 20 minutes. The first time through, my focus is about coherence: just look for (and...
Who Are You Writing For?
Before you write a word -- whether that's for your blog, for a newsletter, or for any business-related effort -- you need to understand who you're writing for. Who is your Ideal Reader? (Usually, this is the same as your Ideal Client) In this lesson, we'll do a deep...
Lesson 1: Module 2 – Before You Start
Create Space/Time to Blog We all have the same 24 hours in a day, right? So why is it that some people can find the time to blog – even while accomplishing a boat load of other tasks – and some folks can’t? One word: Priorities. I’m going to be honest with you here....
Lesson 7: Module 1 – Surprising Advice for Honing Your Storytelling and Blogging Skills
Have you seen these rules before? [Get more writing and content marketing tips from Copyblogger.] Here’s Step #11: Don’t Write in a Vacuum. It’s simple: if you want to get better — no matter what your experience level — you should also find and work with a critique...
Lesson 3: Bonus Video #1 – How to Nourish Your Audience AND Your Business with the Best Content
The following video was recorded as part of my Digital Dining Room program. We look at a different aspect of your marketing plan (aka storytelling framework) each month. New members are always welcome. https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=127&v=YCCRD5yoes4...
Lesson 4: Module 2 – Fill in Your Outline (The Ugly First Draft)
"The first draft of anything is shit." -- Ernest Hemingway All writers everywhere struggle at times to get their thoughts down on paper in a way that makes sense. Don't put undue pressure on yourself by expecting something that looks good right out of the gate. You'll...
Lesson 4: Bonus Video – Blog Smart and Make Every Word Count
The following video was recorded as part of my Digital Dining Room. We look at a different aspect of your marketing plan (aka storytelling framework) each month. New members are always welcome. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ls7fpISp-0...
Lesson 6: Module 2 – Enlist the Help of Others
A great starting point is to leverage your existing connections and create new relationships. Reach out to influential bloggers in your industry and attract their attention through mentions on your blog and social media. Your goal here is to create an opportunity for...
Lesson 2: Module 3 – The Starter Recipe
The challenge of crafting every marketing message (copy AND content) you'll ever need has been distilled here into five simple questions. These questions make the task of writing copy and blog posts as easy as baking bread – and tasty, too. Each step in the recipe...
Lesson 3: Module 1 – Your Content Strategy
Almost every blog post you write should bring your reader back to working with you or buying from you. So let’s start there! What are you trying to sell in the next two to three months? Do you have a new product or program? Each of your blog posts (or at least the...
Lesson 4: Module 1 – Outline Your Blog Post
If you're not sure how to begin a blog post, the easiest way is to outline a writing structure. You can use the Starter Recipe as a guideline: 1st paragraph: state the problem. 2nd paragraph: talk about why the problem persists. 3rd paragraph: paint a picture of...
Lesson 5: Module 3 – Formatting is Your Friend (or, We Eat With Our Eyes First)
Online, it's important to break text up into chunks. Online reading is not like reading a physical book. The online reader needs to be able to immediately scroll through content to get to the subheaders and the bolded content and even bullet points. For example, here...
Lesson 4: Module 4 – What Makes a Great Title?
Just as with your email subject lines, the title or headline of your blog posts is equally crucial to getting folks to click a link and read further. And funnily enough, the process is the same: write the title last. And brainstorm at least 10 potential blog post...
Lesson 2: Module 1 – Who is Your Ideal Client?
Think about your Aunt Sally. You care about her, right? So, you don’t knowingly serve her shellfish when she’s allergic. By the same token, any marketing message you try to deliver should also be created around specific knowledge of your prospect. Here’s what I mean:...
Lesson 2: Module 2 – The Character Sketch
Create a Persona or Character Sketch for your Ideal Customer Just as a novelist will write 3 to 5 pages of back story on each main character before she begins writing, I recommend you write a character sketch for your ideal client. That means, writing about ONE...
Lesson 3: Bonus Video #2- Storytelling & Content Strategy
The following video was recorded as part of my DigitalDiningRoom program. We look at a different aspect of your marketing plan (aka storytelling framework) each month. New members are always welcome. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lhcgq0dbpC8...
Lesson 1 : Module 1 – Intake Survey
Lesson 4: Module 5 – How to Blog When Everything You Write Sucks, Nobody Reads or Comments, and You Feel Like a Failure
This might surprise you, but not everyone enjoys the process of blogging. Even those who write for a living! I’ve had clients whose main source of income was freelance writing tell me “I hate blogging.” And others who’ve even written and published entire books ask me,...