Blogging for your personal brand is essential. There’s no better way to build authority, establish expertise, and market yourself than through regular, helpful content. But what kind of content will keep your readers engaged and keep you (the actual writer) … sane?
The key is to diversify your content. But don’t stop at simply mixing it up; have a strategy on how much of each type of content will make up your blog. A healthy and balanced diet will keep both you and your readers coming back for more.
1. Case Studies & How-To’s
Assuming you have clients, you’ll have at least a few case studies or testimonials of your work. Share them! Write about the conference you spoke at, client you coached, or business you helped. Show people how you did fill-in-the-blank, and tell them how to do it.
Don’t let yourself fall “out-of-sight, out-of-mind” especially when it comes to work you’ve been paid for. This type of post reminds your audience that while your blog is free, you actually get paid for other services. Trust me, this will be a revelation to many of your readers!
You can go the “news story” route with this type of content. For “How-To” content, just put that into your headline. Some samples:
- 8 Businesses Launch Their First Website Using Mike Kim’s Course, “Launch Brand You”
- “My Profits Have Never Been Higher!” Local Baker’s Business Soars After Using This One Tactic
- How To Launch A Blog In Under 7 Minutes or Less
Tacky? Maybe. Sensationalistic? No! The job of your headline (and this type of post) is to rally your readers. Case studies and How-To’s should be the foundation of your blog content.
2. Left-Brain & Right-Brain Content
Are you left-brained? Right-brained? Chances are your readers are both … so gear your content towards each. Numbers are a huge help in engaging the logic-driven left-brainers:
- 10 Things We Could Do in Kenya with $4,392 USD
- Investigating Our 217% Increase In Business Leads
The right-brainers will gravitate towards philosophical stuff. Questions work great in these kinds of headlines:
- Is Lying Ok … Even If It Means Getting My Client More Work?
- Can We REALLY Trust The Monthly Income Statements Of Those Big Time Bloggers?
The right kind of headline will be irresistible to the thinkers and philosophers in your readership.
3. Product Reviews
Reviews are one of the easiest ways to create content. Books, movies, heck — even sleeping bags — are all fair game. I knew a humanitarian aid worker that spent time in Africa. When I was about to go on a trip, I asked him what type of safari shirt I should buy … and blindly purchased it.
If he had that product on his blog via an Amazon affiliate link, he would have made a small commission. If you cover someone’s blog or product, there’s a chance you will get that person’s attention and your content shared with their networks.
Here are some headlines I’ve written that have grown my audience exponentially:
- The One Blog Every Leader Needs To Read Right Now
- My Review of Cliff Ravenscraft’s Podcasting A to Z Course
- 3 Top-Of-The-Stack Personal Development Books
4. Opinions and News
The blogosphere is always full of lively (ahem) discussion. Be brave and chime in on current events … or if there’s something happening in a region where you have boots on the ground, share your firsthand account. I knew a guy who was in the Philippines when Typhoon Haiyan hit. I helped him write a blog post, and it was shared on a major magazine’s website. Who would have known?
An opinion or news post shows your readers you are current and engaged in current events, and makes you an authority.
5. Personal Updates
People want to know what’s going on in your life. On my blog, personal posts are often the most engaged … but that’s not why people read my content. They read it for how-to’s. Personal posts are powerful, but the key is to not overuse it.
Consider making this the least frequent type of content you share. You’ll have to find out what works for you, but I write a personal post once every 3 months or so. Some examples:
- Why I Stepped Down As Pastor
- 12 Years Scott Didn’t Have: A Teammate Lost on 9/11
- Iris Scares Off Swindlers … And Other Things We Did on Our Paris Vacation
So, how much of each type of content?
There’s no exact science … you’ll have to see what your readers respond to, but I might recommend something like this (out of 10 posts):
- How-To’s & Case Studies: 4 out of 10
- Left-Brain / Right-Brain: 3 out of 10
- Product Reviews 1 out of 10
- News & Opinions 1 out of 10
- Personal: 1 out of 10
Your blog is really about making a connection with your reader. That connection leads to relationship, which may lead to paid work or purchases. Balancing your content to keep your blog interesting takes your personal brand to another level of impact, influence, and income.
Question: How do you plan the kind of content you share on your personal brand blog? Share below, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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