If you have a website chances are you know that you need to be providing it content on a regular basis. Why? Search engines like new, relevant content. Updating your site with new content at least once a week is a very good idea and will pay you back with better rankings by the search engines.
But how to come up with something new to say once a week? Well here is…
A simple tip on generating blog content once a week.
Writer’s block no more! You are going to have Google prompt you with topics you care about. Here’s how.
- Visit Google Alerts. Visit https://www.google.com/alerts (using your Google account. If you don’t have one, get one. They’re free. Open up the URL in a new tab right now so you can follow along!) and set up a new alert. Let’s say you want to write about logging.
- Set your search query. Well, we want to write about logging, so let’s have the Google Alerts “search query” be “logging”. (If this proves to be too broad, you can narrow the search later, by changing the alert to “logging Pacific northwest” or some such.)
- Set your result type. “Everything” is a good default. You can always modify your alert later if this provides you with too much information.
- Set how often you want to receive an alert. I like “once a day” but you can receive your alerts as they happen (are published on the web) or once a week.
- How many results? We’d recommend limiting to only the best results.
- Finally, indicate to which email you want the alerts sent.
You will now receive regular alerts about “blogging tips”. OK, now what?
Write a regular blog post
Here’s a painless way to do that.
- Set up your schedule such that once a week, same day and same time, you will dedicate 15-30 minutes composing a blog post.
- Review your Google Alerts. Surely there is something in there of value that you can use as the basis for a post.
- Be generous to your source. If your idea springs from the blog of another person, link to the other person’s blog. (Don’t forget to let them know. Perhaps they will reciprocate one day.)
- Still drawing blanks? Aggregate and summarize posts from multiple sources on a common topic and indicate to your readers that you are presenting them with some valuable URLs related to that topic. That’s pretty darn helpful, isn’t it?
Et voila! In one tidy package you have:
Regular blog posts, substantive knowledge, a growing website, and search engine love
Do you have a useful tip about producing regular blog posts? Let us know in the comments section.
Photo credit: Dictionary by greeblie, on Flickr
