A lot of bloggers struggle to keep the content flowing on their blogs.
They write, erase, rearrange, trash the whole thing and start over, and three days (or weeks) later they still haven't finished it.
What they lack is a post building blueprint.
Here's a simple blueprint you can use next time you find yourself struggling to get the next post up.
Start With Your Keyword Start with the general topic you want to cover.
Let's say your blog is about dog training, and today you want to cover walking on a leash.
Your first stop should be your favorite keyword research tool.
I like the Google AdWords keyword tool myself, but you can use whichever method and tools work for you.
The point is, figure out which keyword this blog post will be centered around.
For this example, we're going to use "leash training a dog," which gets about 1900 searches per month according to Google.
Construct Your Title The title is the most important part of your blog post, and should be where you spend most of your time.
This is the part that shows up in your RSS feeds, in your email updates if you have them, and in the search results listings when people search for "leash training a dog.
" Good SEO requires that your title contain your keyword phrase.
But good SEO is only the beginning.
You also need people to click on your link, and for that, it can help to be a little more compelling.
Instead of calling your article "Tips for Leash Training a Dog" try "5 Things Everyone Screws Up When Leash Training a Dog" or "Leash Training a Dog in 3 Easy Steps.
" Write the Introduction Simply put, the intro tells the reader what your post is about and why they should read it.
For our leash training example, you might start out by telling the reader about your 120 pound Rottweiler who tried to pull your arm off one day while chasing a squirrel, and how proper leash training would have helped.
Get to the Point in the Body This is the meat of the article.
It's easy to get carried away here and start writing long, run on paragraphs heavy on the details, but don't.
It's called surfing for a reason, and when hit with a page dense with words and lacking in white space that is exactly what readers will do.
Surf away.
Instead, break up the text with section headings and bullet points, use short paragraphs, and aim to keep your post under 600 words.
Wrap it up in the Conclusion All you're doing in the conclusion is wrapping it up.
Restate the reason the reader needs to know this information, maybe add one other small point, and you're done.
Tell Your Readers What to do Now with a Call to Action If you're marketing a product, this is a no brainer.
Just tell your reader what to do next.
"Click here to learn more about my new ebook" or "Download my latest video to see how I turned my dog into a leash walking superstar.
" If you're not marketing a product, you still need a call to action.
It might be a subtle as "leave a comment with your leash training tips" but it's still a call to action.
If you've been blogging on the same topic for a while, this whole exercise should take no more than 30 minutes.
But if you find you're easily distracted by all that the Internet has to offer, try setting a timer.
I'm experimenting with that right now, and I tell you, it really helps me keep my focus.
One other tip I'll pass on is to keep an idea file.
I use Evernote to keep idea files for all my blogs.
Whenever I think of a topic I might want to write about, I add it to my list.
Then when I sit down to write, I don't ever waste time wondering what to write about.
I just pick something, set my timer, and go.