Why Great Content Matters for Your Blog and Biz

Hey there, I typically write about living a more creative life, retreat ideas, and simple crafts here. But today I’d like to share a bit about some of the things I’ve learned when it comes to this blogging business and why great content matters.

Have you ever noticed that some businesses seem to soar into success over night? Or how some pins on Pinterest have literally thousands of repins, and you’re happy when you can get 10? Not that we need to start comparing ourselves (I truly believe that kills creativity from the get-go), but there is something to be said about great content.

First, I need to say that I don’t believe in overnight success. I believe in hard work behind the scenes and serendipity which can sometimes look to the world around us like overnight success.

The musician who finally gets signed to a record deal didn’t start playing their instrument the afternoon before, and the artist who gets into a prestigious show didn’t just start drawing. Both of these creatives practiced for (most likely) years before the doors flung wide open for them. Why does this matter?

When you’re crafting a blog and a business that you want to be successful, you must lay a strong foundation of great content in order for the proverbial doors to open for you. Without strong content, you won’t gain consistent readers (other than your sweet mom.)

Why Content Matters

1. With every post your create, you are defining your brand. Who are you? What’s your mission? What do you have to share with the world that’s different? What’s your perspective? Even if you’re posting something like a workout that went well for you, you are communicating that health is important and is part of your lifestyle (and brand.) When you sit down to write, really think through the WHY of what you’re writing.
2. Your content MUST solve a problem for your reader. Okay, there is definitely room for blog posts where you ramble on about something you’re passionate about, but most people search on the internet to find a solution for something. Thinking about my own use of the internet was an eye-opening exercise for me. I typically use it for workouts, for finding recipes, for catching up on the news, and for inspiration. My point is, I am specifically looking for something. When you think about your blog and business, what do you think are the things that people are looking for from you? Don’t short-change yourself and think you don’t have a lot to offer.
3. Content that is “evergreen” is best. Yes, it’s completely fine to post about Easter crafts or cute ideas for St. Patrick’s Day but your best and most visited posts are likely going to be ones that will have time to percolate through Pinterest and Google for a while and thus gain traction. I’ve noticed that most of my posts take at least a couple of weeks before I start seeing real traffic from them, and this was especially true when I was first starting out! (P.S. “Evergreen” refers to content that can be read and used year after year.)
4. Create a content plan for your blog (and business) and really soar! This will save you a ton of time and energy because you won’t have to constantly come up with post ideas each week. A content plan starts with considering what your theme or focus will be for the month and then dividing that into blog posts, newsletter topics, and social media content. When you do this, you’re creating a cohesive feel to what you’re sharing AND you’ll be much less stressed because you’ll know what to write. Believe me, parameters like a content plan are your best friend. (P.S. If you’re curious, here’s how I set up my blog planner; it’s super simple, efficient, and I LOVE it! :))

So, WHY will great content make your blog grow fast?

1. Your content will be shareable. Although your story about how cute your dog is made your friends agree enthusiastically, it’s somewhat unlikely that they’re going to share this piece of news with their friends (that is, unless you have a video that’s viral-worthy that goes along with it, but I digress.) Your content being share-worthy means when people read your posts, they are immediately compelled to tweet it out to the masses, post it on their Facebook wall, and basically give you a lot of free publicity. This is a good thing because it is incredibly difficult to build your business and brand by yourself if you’re brand new to the online world.
2. You will establish a reputation of being an expert. Think about who you go to for advice on different topics. I would guess that you could think of very specific people or brands. This is because they’ve established themselves as experts. You’ve read plenty of their free content, maybe even learned a great deal from taking one of their courses, and you are willing to trust them with advice they give in the future. When you share great content consistently, your readers will grow to appreciate you. They’ll count on your expertise. No, you don’t want to come across as a know-it-all, but if you truly want to make even a part-time income from your blog or online business, your readers and customers have to trust you.
3. Finally, the more great content you have, the more likely you are to be found online. This isn’t to say you can’t experience growth with a few great posts, but let me tell you, if you have a variety of posts that are each bringing in 50-100 pageviews a day . . . you’re going to be seeing 100,000 pageviews a month before you know it. This is great for earning ad revenue and even better if you’re selling your own products. The bottom line is, more great content is always better. And your brand and blog will be that much of a better resource and help to those who stumble upon it. Your goal is not only to get people to your blog, but to have them stick around.

As you can see, content matters. When you’re writing posts, think about the problems your readers have; by considering their needs first, you’ll be well on your way to growing your biz. And I don’t know about you, but it’s just plain fun to help people, don’t you think?

Hope you have a lovely {and creative} day!