Creating quality content is the key to blogging success. The problem facing bloggers is that there isn’t enough time in a day to churn out the necessary number of posts. Most conservative estimates advise that sites need to publish fifteen to twenty blogs per month, which is a lot if you’re a lone wolf. So this time-saving advice should come in handy!
Unfortunately, not everyone is in a position to outsource content curation. Paying for the pleasure solves the issue, yet you’ve got to get the platform to the point where it makes money. To do that, you need incredible blog posts. It’s a vicious cycle that never seems to end!
Thankfully, the alternative is to save time throughout the week and use the extra minutes to address content creation. You may assume this is impossible considering your to-do list and the fact that you’ve already cut back quite a lot, yet where there is a will, there is a way. Consistency is imperative because hitting targets is about being reliable and efficient.
With that in mind, here is a selection of time-saving tips that will help you be more productive concerning blog posts. That is unless you can afford to do it like a big company and hire an in-house team!
Time-saving advice for bloggers
Carry An Idea’s Device At All Times
The main sticking point is coming up with twenty ideas for content each month. Typically, bloggers struggle to source enough angles to help reach their monthly targets. When you’re lucky and an idea strikes you, there’s nothing worse than letting it drift into the ether of your memory. Sure, you’re young and have a powerful recollection of all things, but it’s amazing how often something so simple can leave you grasping at straws.
In today’s technologically advanced era, you should always have a device on which you can write down concepts. Regardless of when they pop into your head, you can reach into your pocket and make a new note on your phone. Standard mobile handsets have notoriously flaky batteries, so you may want to carry a portable charger in case it runs out of juice.
For the retro bloggers among you, a pen and paper combo is still handy. It is harder to carry around due to its size, yet if you’re willing to squash it into your jean’s pocket, you’ll never have to rely on the back of your hand. Speaking of, if you have a pen, at least you have an emergency option!
Ensuring you have readymade ideas to turn into content is an excellent way to save time on content planning strategies that take up precious hours.
Create A Calendar Plan
Once you have the angles, it’s on to the next step – writing the posts and publishing them on your blog. If you aren’t already, it’s vital that you plan when each article drops. Aside from saving time and making it easier to plan, this strategy helps satisfy fans, too. Hopefully, your blog has loyal readers who can’t wait to read your next post. The audience will be much happier if they can time a new piece by their watch.
For those wondering why a calendar is a smart move, it’s because you can follow the life cycle of the post by the day. Then, you know when an idea needs creating, how long it will take to write, and the date it will hit the site. In short, tracking posts is a powerful organisational tool that will save time in the long run.
Tech-savvy bloggers may prefer to download a piece of software that does the hard work. This is a brilliant choice if you understand how to use the best work schedule apps as they eliminate needless hassle. And, when there are fewer stress triggers for you to worry about, you’re bound to be on course to smash your monthly content targets.
The pertinent point to take away from a plan is that it should be easy to follow and inclusive of your goals and promotional strategy.
Reuse Frameworks
When you hear the term “Buzzfeed-style post,” you understand what it is without heading to the site and analysing Buzzfeed’s content. This is because they stick to a similar structure that rarely changes. As a result, the online news site has crafted a tone of voice that readers love, encouraging them to come back for more.
It’s tempting to think that the style of writing is what makes Buzzfeed popular, and it is to a degree. However, the ToV wouldn’t exist without the listicle framework. The good news is that you can use the same structure to create content and save time in the process. If you release “how-to” guides, for instance, it’s wise to split them into bitesize chunks with numbered headings so that the instructions are simple and stand out.
More importantly, you must understand the dynamics of a quality blog post. The size or word count doesn’t matter as long as you add value that your readers require. That means grabbing attention with a bold headline, leading readers into your main points with an introduction, and adding images and videos for engagement purposes.
Along with a conclusion or summary, as well as leaving room for feedback, you are bound to make your posts interactive enough to rank well on SERPs. Not only that, but you can use a successful framework multiple times.
Make Time To Write
As obvious as this advice sounds, it’s not straightforward when you factor in your other responsibilities. As well as creating content, you’ve got to email readers and clients and organise your schedule to ensure you complete the essential tasks first. When you think about everything you must do daily, it’s not hard to see why you get distracted.
Making time to write isn’t about only writing – it’s about giving yourself the best chance to be productive. Are you a morning person or a night owl? The former should churn out as many pieces in the morning and leave the other, less important stuff to the afternoon, whereas the former will prefer to start posts in the evening.
Whichever time slot you choose, it’s critical that you remove distractions. The problem with them is that you don’t realise they are problematic. Most people assume they work harder while listening to music, yet studies show this isn’t always the case. 1,000 Brits regularly listen to music during work hours; however, only 40% believe it makes them more productive. That means a massive 60% don’t find music helpful and listen to it anyway.
To remove distractions and save time, you must understand yourself and in which environment you work best.
Edit Quicker
Writing isn’t the time-consuming part – it’s the editing. Modern blog posts need to be free of errors and typos, as well as including backlinks for SEO purposes. Therefore, it can take the same amount of time to edit blogs than it can to write them in the first place. Of course, you can’t cut corners or else the standard will drop along with your reputation.
Don’t worry, though because online applications have made editing articles a lot quicker. The main one is Grammarly, which highlights syntax and spelling mistakes, and lets you change them at the click of a button. The Hemingway App is another online program that shows you how well the content flows by flagging sentences that are passive instead of active.
Of course, the newest versions of Microsoft Word and Google Docs include spell checking tools that show you grammar and spelling errors. The great thing about these is that you can see and tweak them in real-time, saving enough more seconds during your writing session.
Last but not least, don’t forget about analytics software. You need to know how well your content is performing, and you shouldn’t leave it to the chance of guesswork. Analytics programs gauge everything from bounce to click-through rates while providing actionable solutions.
Back It Up
You’re a lowly blogger – who’s going to hack your site? Although this logic makes sense on the face of it, it isn’t very logical when you delve beneath the surface. Small and medium-sized websites are more likely to be targeted for hackers due to their lack of security. In short, you are easy pickings, and you won’t put up much of a fight.
While you have basic security elements, a lack of resources probably stops you from building a plan that blunt online attacks. If this is the case, the best thing to do is to back up your blog regularly. That way, you can perform a fast factory reset that will limit any damage.
The tricky part is creating a backup strategy, such as how often you should save your site. Every three months is about right. What you must avoid is sharing storage space with public users. The cloud is a cheap and useful piece of equipment, but only if it’s private.
Otherwise, everyone who uses the same server will have access to your backups.
How much time do you save each week? What strategies have you implemented? Did you find this time saving advice helpful?
