Whatever type of business you have, writing is an important part of getting it seen by the right people. Whether it’s social media posts, newsletters, website copy, eBooks, or blog posts, using the right words regularly will help your business to grow.
Finding the time to write regularly can be difficult when there are so many other things on your to-do list. The temptation is to relegate time for writing to the bottom of the list because it doesn’t create revenue for your business instantly.
Think about how you look for something you want to buy, whether that’s a product or a service. You’ll probably start by typing something in a search engine online. And then you’ll visit the top few websites that come up in your search until you find a business that solves your problem.
Why your business needs regular, new content
If you’re a business with a website and don’t have fresh content on it, you’re missing a trick. Having regular blog posts on your website that contain the words potential customers are looking for, gets it seen and showing up in search engines. It also increases the number of pages on your website which shows search engines yours is an active site. That in turn means your site is more likely to show up higher in searches.
Having regular blog posts also helps your audience get to know and trust you. If they trust you, they’re more likely to want to buy from you. And then recommend that their friends buy from you too. If you want to read about the benefits in more detail, this article from Hubspot is a good read.
Writing doesn’t come easily to everyone though. And not everyone finds it easy to create time in their schedule to write regularly. Running a small business brings with it a lot of pressure and often a to-do-list as long as your arm. Setting aside time to write might seem like a luxury you can’t afford. Particularly if you’re trying to keep up with orders. Or launch a new product or service.
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So how can you easily fit in writing new content for your website without it feeling like a burden? Creating a writing habit that fits into your day easily is the best way to create regular content, without it taking up too much time. Here are some tips to help you get started.
Create a writing habit
Work out when you’re most productive during the day. For me, it’s early morning. Make yourself a cuppa and set the timer on your phone for 20 minutes. Either grab a pen and notebook or your laptop and just write. During that time, don’t be tempted to look at emails or messages. If it helps, use something like the Forest app to help you resist the temptation to get distracted.
To start with, it doesn’t matter what you write about, just write whatever comes into your head. When your timer goes off after 20 minutes, stop writing. Do that three times a week.
Content ideas
Get into the habit of making a note of content ideas as and when they come to you. You could do this on the notes section of your phone, create a voice note or jot them down if you prefer pen and paper.
The ideas don’t have to be business related. They could be to do with something you’ve seen on the news or a conversation you’ve had that got you thinking.
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Start writing a blog post
As you start to get more confident writing, pick one of your content ideas and write a blog post about it. Aim for 600–1000 words and to do it across three or four 20-minute slots. Don’t worry about editing at this stage: just get your idea out of your head and into words.
Once it’s done, go back and edit the format as well as spelling and punctuation. Your post needs to be easy to read so shorter sentences and paragraphs are best for this. Make sure you’re using plain language and avoid industry terms and abbreviations, as the chances are your reader won’t understand what they mean which can stop them from reading to the end.
Use images to break up the text. If you have a product-based business, use images of what you sell. Or websites such as Unsplash and Pixabay have thousands of free images you can use.
Create an achievable writing habit
To start with, aim to create one blog post a month. Then as you get faster, a blog post every fortnight. Using this method, you’ll find that writing can fit easily into your day. It doesn’t feel so overwhelming or unachievable when it’s broken down into bite-sized pieces. In the time it takes you to drink your cuppa, you’ll be well on your way to creating a blog post. That feels achievable.
Photo by Georgia de Lotz on Unsplash
You can use this technique for whatever you’re writing. If you want to create blog posts and newsletters, do 20 minutes every day. If you want to create an eBook or non-fiction book that relates to your business, allocate longer time at least once a week.
Need some help?
If you struggle with writing blog posts and want to learn how to nail them I can give you the tools to create content to help your business grow. My free newsletter, Wish Weekly, gives tips and advice about writing posts that will engage your readers. I have some downloads that give you the basics about SEO and structure, and my masterclass Blogging for Business gives you all the tools you need to craft easy-to-read blog posts that are well-structured and contain the right words to bring new customers to your business.
If writing isn’t for you, or you just don’t have time, I have content and copy packages that give you brilliant words without any stress so you can concentrate on other parts of your business. I can also help if you want to create an eBook, newsletter, or something else to get your business seen by the right people. Get in touch to find out how I can help you harness the power of words to make your business shine.
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