I’m not on Hello Fresh’s payroll. I’ve never offered unsolicited advice on banal products like razors or electric toothbrushes. You won’t catch me posting fashion “dupes” on Instagram or attending trendy brunches with bottomless mimosas. For these reasons, you likely wouldn’t classify me as a blogger. 

Yet here I am, claiming your screen space on a very active blog. As one who writes blog posts, I am a blogger. The term has been commandeered by lifestyle influencers, self-help gurus and stay-at-home moms. Professionals often turn their noses up at the idea of writing on a blog because they see the entire bloggersphere as beneath them. But they’re wrong for two reasons: Blogging is a profitable business for the aforementioned folks (don’t knock their talent, skill and effort), and blogging can benefit your business. I’m here today not to take up my sword for the bloggers, but to turn you into one. 

Why you should blog 

Like 30 minutes of daily exercise or completing a crossword puzzle, blogging is a great way to strengthen your skills and demonstrate your prowess (we know you’re proud of your Peloton ranking). Think of your blog as your professional trophy case. This is where you can demonstrate your expertise and put your unique talents on display. You can articulate not only what you know about your industry but how you apply your knowledge in a way that benefits your customers and clients. Through blogging, you’re creating content that bolsters your prospecting claims, adding validity to your sales pitches. Plus, it provides an opportunity for you to research the most important topics facing your industry, synthesize your findings and apply what you’ve learned. It will ultimately make you a better professional! 

How to choose your topics

Getting started is often the most challenging part. If idea generation and writing aren’t among your list of proclivities, coming up with ideas might feel like an insurmountable mountain. In reality, you have everything you need right in front of you to create educational, engaging blog content. Whenever I’m stumped, I work through the following questions to come up with topics:

1. What is happening in the world around me and how does that relate to my industry?
2. What pain points are my clients facing? How can I help them using new, uncommon or unorthodox strategies?
3. What software, practices or methodologies are coming to the forefront of our field? How should people prepare to integrate these?
4. What are evergreen skills that will help almost all of my clients? Can I provide development support on these skills?

As you reflect on these questions, you’ll undoubtedly uncover fresh topics to feature on your blog. Not every idea will work – prioritize those when you can offer a unique perspective or specialized information. 

Finding blogging success

As with any professional endeavor, you want to see the fruits of your efforts. Blogging is not a “if you build it, they will come” situation. There are steps to take to put your blog in front of interested consumers and strategies to keep them coming back for more content. 

First, share your blog content through your promotional channels. Post content on LinkedIn where your partners and clients can see and engage with it. Add links to your blog posts in your company’s email newsletter. Include a reference to your blog in your new business proposals or in your email signature. 

To keep folks coming back, offer actionable advice and recommendations. While you don’t want to give away your golden goose, you can still offer prospective customers or clients a peek into your area of speciality. If they don’t share your speciality, simply laying out the process might indicate to them that your topic is something they want, but don’t have the skills or time to execute for themselves. For example, if you hire Obsidian, all of the content you’ve read to this point is moot because, as your PR representative, I’ll build, plan and write your blog content for you. But you wouldn’t even know it was a valuable strategy for your business without reading my tips.