Why is blogging so hard? Where is the best place to get good blog topics? We all have the best of intentions when it comes to blogging. Even outsourcing to an SEO agency can get complicated – but it doesn’t have to be that way. Check out the usual scenario that comes with blogging, and then use our mini cheat sheet to get your blog back to being the revenue generator you know it can be.

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Have you posted to your company blog lately? I know, I know. It’s not only something you don’t get to that often, it has become a source of guilt. You’ve seen how some of your competitors have turned their blogs into multi-media powerhouses, and you wonder not only how they find the time to do this, but where they get all the great ideas from. It’s likely that they have brainstormed their strategies with their SEO agency. Why not get the same advantage for your blog? If you aren’t sure what to look for, try these tips:

1) Tell your SEO agency who your top competitors are. Give them a list of 3-5 competitors and point out what you admire about their blogs. If you aren’t sure what to look for here’s a mini cheat sheet:

* Use of engaging images
* Deployment of short videos
* Varied content – text, images, infographics, lists, interviews

2) Brainstorm themes built around some of your Mission Critical keywords. I’ve seen blogs that focus too heavily on keyword placement and they are a real turnoff for human readers. Key phrases should be naturally sprinkled into the content, not repeated twice per sentence – the goal is to inform, entertain and provide value. This can be done with strategic keyword placement.

The goal should be to inform with a unique viewpoint. Worry about keywords after you’ve done that.

3) And this is the big one: have your agency share the content calendar with you. When you work with an agency you don’t turn over the entire process to them. You’ll want to continue to exercise oversight; and reviewing the content calendar is important.

What to do: Check the type of content that’s getting posted to your blog. Do this often. Why? Here’s a good case in point:

You might end up with something really odd on your blog, like a post about how many rats there are in NYC; I actually saw this on a company blog; it was posted there with no rhyme or reason – just for shock value. (You must keep track of what is being posted; especially if you have multiple people posting to your blog, or an agency doing so.) Don’t resort to shock value. This type of tactic will not gain you the following you want or convert readers to customers. It is a quick fix, and that usually fails.

Gauge what people have responded to the most, and weigh in with your agency about creating more of that type of content. Also, use your calendar to identify gaps – perhaps you’ll want them to create more how-to, long-form, and top tips posts.

So how do you apply all of these recommendations and turn your blog into a revenue generator?

It’s all about building trust.

ContentPlus reports that 70% of consumers prefer getting to know a brand via articles than ads  [please see infographic on their page]. That means it’s time for you to focus on your website content and creating text, images, videos and audio that solves your audience’s problems. Become their go-to source for information on your topic. People that trust you are more likely to buy from you.

Organically built its reputation on creation of quality content. Let’s get started today with a powerful blog strategy designed to develop trust in your company.