Do you know how to blog? What if they had instructions like IKEA provides to help you get started?
I am fresh off of a trip from IKEA where we purchased a selection of put-it-together-yourself furniture! Many of my friends and other shoppers avoid IKEA for the simple reason of not knowing how to put their product line together!
Full disclosure, I ran IKEA’s direct, loyalty, catalog, and email marketing for the US for a few years. However, it’s not as if we all received furniture assembly onboarding training. I embraced the simple instructions included with each piece of furniture to the point where I can now put together many pieces of furniture with my eyes shut!
So, how does this relate to blogging? Well, I just received a tweet from an SAP colleague who noted that he had a hard time making time to blog! I maintain that blogging is easy if you have a simple way in … a play if you will. I have 3 of them that make it very easy to blog. I want to share these with you to make it easy for you to show the world the expert you are and what is on your mind!
First, the average reader consumes content in short bursts, so we want to aim for a 2-minute read, typically 500 words. So, my blueprint for your blogging process is a 5-step, 500-word blog.
5 Easy Steps To Learn How To Blog
1. Set up your story up in first 100 words
You want to start to tell your story in the first 100 words. Set up your story within a story. I typically do not jump right into the “business.” Rather, I find my angle and then set up the “lesson.”Explain your idea in the next 100 words. Take the time to articulate your ONE IDEA in this section. You want to explain why this blog is about. You want to start to tell your story in the first 100 words. Set up your story within a story. I typically do not jump right into the “business.” Rather, I find my angle and then set up the “lesson.”
2. Explain your idea in next 100 words
Take the time to articulate your ONE IDEA in this section. You want to explain why this blog is about. Take the time to articulate your ONE IDEA in this section. You want to explain why this blog is about. Blog relevance in the next 100 words. Explain why this idea that you articulated is relevant to the reader. This is the WIIFM moment!
3. Provide the blog relevance in next 100 words
Explain why this idea that you articulated is relevant to the reader. This is the WIIFM moment! Explain why this idea that you articulated is relevant to the reader. This is the WIIFM moment!
4. Offer your advice in 3 or 5 bullets in 100 words
Bullets are the best way to clearly community your advice, key takeaways, etc.
5. Recap blog in last 100 words
Take these last 100 words to recap your idea, the benefits of your advice, and include a call to action! Bullets are the best way to clearly community your advice, key takeaways, etc. Recap blog in the last 100 words. Take these last 100 words to recap your idea, the benefits of your advice, and include a call to action! Take these last 100 words to recap your idea, the benefits of your advice, and include a call to action!
If you have a question about starting to blog for your business, please leave a comment below or contact me at gerry@marketingthink.com.
So, blogging is easy. Even easier than assembling IKEA furniture. Follow the directions above and you can get started in no time. Be brave and blog!
