Blog more productively with these 7 tips

By Charlotte Varela | 4:54pm 07/02/2013

Blogging in a business can often be the bottom of your to-do list. You know you ought to do it. But you avoid it because it’s often unproductive. You get distracted, or bored while writing.

But with a few simple, yet powerful tips, you can get back to your blogging best!

1) When are you most productive?

Identify the time of day you’re at your most productive and then stick to it. Countless studies have tried to identify this peak working time, but the truth is that everyone’s different.

2) Take a break

If writer’s block decides to rear its ugly head, don’t sit in front of the post you’re working on for hours at a time. If you just aren’t feeling inspired then take a break to make a brew or read a book for an hour. It’ll be much more helpful than the frustration that comes with not being able to start writing. You could even try typing out a rough first draft before taking a short break, then going back to it with a fresher perspective if you’re in a hurry.

3) Don’t work at night

Although many of us are at our most productive late at night, try to avoid working too late after dark and letting your content suffer as a result. Tiredness is one of the main causes of distraction and writer’s block. It’s also a major threat to your health.

4) Ditch the distractions

Get rid of unnecessary distractions like social media and your mobile phone unless they’re absolutely essential to your blogging. Although some people are able to fight the urge to give in to distractions like these, most people aren’t.

5) Look at other people’s ideas for blog fodder.

When your mind is a blank, websites like Topsy are a great way of dreaming up blog post ideas. Simply type your chosen search term into the box and you’ll be taken to search results that show what people across the web are saying about it. Whether you agree heartily with someone, disagree immensely with them or even have a concrete counter argument, this all provides great blog fodder.

6) Write about the things you know.

Only write about things you know. An industry authority might find your post and pick it to pieces. It’s also likely that a post about something you aren’t well informed about, will sound unprofessional and unconvincing.

7) Use organisational tools

Use tools like Remember the Milk, FreeMind and Windows Live Writer to help with organisation and productivity. Although handwritten to-do lists are sufficient, virtual productivity tools cut down on waste paper and clutter and can’t get lost or eaten by the dog.

Although blogging can prove difficult at times, working tips like these into your routine will prove invaluable where productivity is concerned. It means you can create the amount of content which your business needs.