Day 1: Set solid foundations.
- Task 1:Set up a idea folder. Progblogger suggest to set up a folder to keep your ideas in. Over the last couple of years I have learned that I don't use my task folder or the notebook that I thought that I would revert to when I took the 31 Day Challenge with the SITS Girls. I find that the Blogger interface host a ton of topics that I think I will write on, it also includes post that I started and never finished. From time to time I got back and finish the posts or delete them if I feel they are not post-worthy. For the company blog posts that I composed I either start them in a word doc or in the CMS (Content Management System) that they use to post their blogs. Most business blogs use Wordpress. I think its a great platform and would suggest it to anyone. So that’s what I use, over time you will get your own system in place.
- Task 2: Mindmap. I think that this is a good process if you are unsure of what you are going to talk about, even if you have a clear path and focus on what your blog topics are its still a great way to brainstorm. When I get a new client I use this process. It gives me ideas on how to create topics for the blog post that I will create for them later. It also allows me to learn more about my client.
- Task 3: The blogging Calendar. * I am a firm believer of the blogging calendar. It saves allot of time and effort. For my personal blog I use Google Calendar to schedule my post. I cam up with topics that I wanted to post on each day of the week and that put them into the calendar to repeat every week. Now my idea behind that was that if I couldn't come up with a great topic to post about I could revert back to a theme. You will find blog themes all over the internet and on almost every blog out there. So coming up with themes should be easy. The most popular and worldwide is "Wordless Wednesday" its super easy and everyone joins in, even business bloggers. Now for the business that I blog for a Blog Posting calendar is a must. Especially if there are more than one of your creating the blog posts. I use a word calendar template from Office 2011 for Mac. I think there is one for PC too. Here is a link to the template gallery, I'm sure you will find the one that you like. If not let me know and I will email you the copy I use.
- Task 4: Plan your first week of Content. Pretty easy to do as long as you give your self enough time to get the posts done. On my personal blog I have gone weeks without a single post then all of a sudden I have 10 posts that I came up with in one night. When that happens I write them and schedule them. Any good CMS has a feature to schedule future post. There is also usualy a way to get them to publish to your Facebook Fan Page and Twitter too…I’ll save that for an other post topic. On client blogs I try and set up a blog calendar and give everyone that is contributing a deadline, that way there is plenty of time to review and make changes and no need to panic that Joe did not turn in the post he promised you he would have yesterday that needed to go up today. Sticking to your blogging schedule is essential for success business and personal blogs.
- Task 5: Create you launch post. Well I did that last night so you can take a look at it here. Also take a look at my first post on One Girl Ideas boy have I come a long way.
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