According to Hubspot, an online marketing group, websites with a blog get 55%+ more traffic.

I frequently hear from clients that they would like to blog, but they really aren’t much of a writer.  There are a number of different things that you can add to your blog that allow you to continue adding new and interesting content, where you don’t have to be an excellent writer.  Below I’ve listed 7 ideas that you can use to allow you to add content to your web site without being a writer.

1. Video. Blog posts don’t necessarily have to be written so consider using video to convey your words of wisdom. And with respect to many of the ideas below, you could incorporate video into those suggestions as well.

2. Audio. If you’re not comfortable writing or using video, you can always record yourself actually speaking through a topic and use podcasting as your tool of choice. All you need is a simple microphone to plug into your computer and a simple tool like Audio Acrobat.

3. Industry Events. Simply posting the details about upcoming industry events or your own simple list of notes from a recently attended event is useful for your audience. Any events that you might be having or speaking at or taking part in are useful to post for your customer and prospect audience. Be sure to include photos too.

4. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). FAQs make for great information to post on your blog. If you’ve just created a new web site and been pro-active by adding a blog, but you’re not ready to write yet, use it as your FAQ page for now. And each week, make a point to add in a new question and answer. That way you’ll be adding new content to your site and that content will be inherently rich with key word search terms.

5. Customer Testimonials. Complimentary words from your clients make for great content as well because they too, are inherently rich with key words.

6. Pictures. If you have photos or images that somehow relate to your industry these are fine to add to your blog with a few simple words explaining their relevance.

7. Interviews. Simply transcribing an interview that you might have with a strategic alliance or a client can provide excellent content.

It’s also important to remember that the best written blog posts are written as though you were having a conversation.  The style is much less formal and that also makes it easier to write.

I’d love to hear about any other ideas you have that allow you to blog without the talent of someone like Tom Clancy.

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Content is King!  Content Rules!  Killer Web Content!  For some time now, we’ve been hearing how the key to success is supplying awesome content for our prospects and customers.  A multitude of books, blogs, articles, etc., written on how to deliver exceptional content, and providing content in any number of formats, but what is exceptional content?

Simple and Concise Makes Great Online Content

I’ve read a number of these books and listened to many experts talk on the subject, and I think these are the rules to live by.  Here are three simple concepts to help you produce great content, no matter how you plan to deliver it:

1. Provide Information Your Audience Actually Wants.  But how do you know what they want?  It’s now easier than ever to find out what kinds of information your prospects want.  You can poll your audience using social media tools.  And simply look for trends in the questions that your clients and prospects ask you in face-to-face conversation.  Then provide answers to those questions.  But it’s quality, not quantity.

2. Commercial free content.  Providing content with no sales message or offer actually demonstrates that you’re more concerned about giving your readers the information to make great decisions.

3. Content that’s easy to read, with bullets, bolding, and white space.   Content written in a simple, clear and concise manner will get read.  Because we’re being bombarded with messages, it needs to be brief and to the point and use some simple formatting like numbers, bullets, and bolding.  And don’t forget the white space.  If it looks like a long read, we won’t take the time.

These three ideas will drive people to want to read what you have to say and help you build trust and credibility at the same time.  And that’s what will drive them to want to buy from you.

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Yesterday I spoke to a group of Senior Care Service Providers about the value of blogging for small business owners.  And no matter when I talk about blogging, people’s biggest fear is what to write about.  Regardless of the business or industry you are in, there are topics galore to write about.  Here are some suggestions if you find yourself without a blog topic.

1.  Talk with your customers and provide the answers to the questions on their minds.  You could ask for questions on your website or in your newsletter and then publicly publish the answers.  If someone is asking about it, chances are many people are interested in the same information.

2. Read other blogs in your industry.  Frequently that will stir up some ideas for your own post.  It might be that you have a different opinion that one you just read or you have an alternative take on the value of a new trend in your industry.  Reading what the other experts in your field have to say should, no doubt, create some ideas for you.

3. Read other blogs completely unrelated to your industry.  Sometimes you come across a concept or idea that relates well to your industry.   I did this just recently as I was reading some information about time management and it gave me the revelation to write a post about not having time to market your company.   

4. Flip through some magazines.  Sometimes the pictures themselves will develop some ideas.

5. Technology in your industry.  With time-saving devices and technology influencing so many things we do, there are likely some techno gadgets in your field that you could provide an overview on, a user’s review or just as an FYI that these gadgets are out there.  You could write tips for use or details on best practices, just write information about 5 new tools in your industry.

What other sources of inspiration can you think of?

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