Photo by Cunning Stunt.
I used to never be much of the type of blogger that planned things out (aka, the smart blogger). The only planning I ever did was write my posts the night before and timestamp them to publish the next morning. However, I never knew what I was going to write until I sat down at the computer. On really bad days, I wrote something that didn’t turn out to be the kind of quality I wanted, or I didn’t write anything at all.
If you are in the same boat I was or if you are struggling with figuring out what to write, then there’s one simple word: plan. If you plan, you’ll never be in a troubling situation with your blog ever again.
Step one: create a blog binder.
I highly recommended you get a new binder (no notebooks, you need to be able to move pages around) and don’t mix your blog business with your life or work business. Over time, your blog binder will grow and the point here is to be organized. So start out with a clean slate and don’t let things escalate to a mess.
Since we want to be organized, you might want to get some dividers for your binder so you can keep plans for separate aspects of your blog apart (content ideas, design ideas, etc.) However you want to make your binder is fine, as long as it works for you and your blog.
Step two: starting jotting down post ideas.
Today we’re mainly focusing on straightening out your content, so create a page in your blog binder where you can write down ideas for new articles. Whenever a thought enters your head, don’t discard it no matter what. Even if you don’t use the idea later, it’s still good to have titles you’ve thought up or good concepts for posts.
This way, whenever you are struggling with writer’s block, you aren’t sure what to write, or you are going to be away and have to write posts in advance, all you have to do is consult your trusty binder and there will always be a plethora of ideas you can use (as long as you use your binder properly, that is).
Step three: create a week-by-week plan.
If you’re like me and you’re not always sure what to write about when you sit down at the computer, a week-by-week plan is just what you need. Start a new paper for every week, and write down all the days of the week (Monday, Tuesday, etc.) Then flip back to your post ideas page and begin writing down what posts you are going to publish on what days.
If you have a good collection of ideas, you can know what you’re going to write about Monday though Sunday within half an hour. You can also work out to publish your best posts on the days you get the most traffic. When you plan ahead, you benefit and save time!
After you’ve got your content down and now you don’t go a day without posting (or, every other day is fine too if you don’t have as much time), you can begin working on other things. Use your binder to create to-do lists, design ideas, or lists of plugins you need to install. This blog binder is your way to be 100% organized, so use it to all of its advantage!
Ideas for things to include in your binder:
- A list of things you must do that have deadlines (such as entering a certain giveaway before it’s over, etc.)
- A list of things you must do that are timeless (entering blog carnivals, article marketing, etc.)
- A list of plugins you need to install.
- A list of blogs to comment on, to increase your exposure and interactivity within the blogging world.
- A list of tweaks and ideas for you to implement on your blog’s design.
- A list of sites you need to check out or things you need to check up on later when you have more time.
A well-run blog is a successful blog, and a well-run blog full of success can only be achieved with organized planning. So start your blog binder right now, and begin planning out what you’re going to write for the rest of the week. Don’t ever disappoint your readers or let your rankings fall again! Only losers don’t plan.
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Friday is here again along with another batch of great articles. But apart from that, you might notice my weekly roundups have gotten yet another makeover (
