Marijane Funess
March 22, 2013 | 02:30:39
Is your blog flabby? Is its content the equivalent of junk food? As with other spring rituals, getting your content in shape is a worthy exercise. Ask yourself these questions and then choose a shape-up plan that works for your particular blog.
Is it carrying a “spare tire”? You need sharper editing. If you are the sole assignment editor, writer and copy editor, you may have become too close to the content and need some outside eyes to do incisive cutting. It only hurts for a minute, but the rewards for sleek, new posts are worth it.
Are your topics stale or the content equivalent of “empty calories”? Overhaul your Editorial Calendar! Really take some time to look at the next 3-6 months with a keen eye to topicality, seasonality, annual posts worth revisiting and some futurecasting to help you come up with fresh, dynamic themes. Consider assigning guest bloggers to keep things interesting.
Having trouble “fitting in” the time? Get organized and set aside an hour to plan, write and edit each piece. This may mean blocking out writing time on Outlook or having Siri remind you “time to blog” – any way that you do it, make it scheduled and rigorous as you would a physical exercise routine.
Does your blog need a new look? Something as simple as a font change can help liven its look. If you have had the same graphics and colors forever, though, it may take a bigger change to keep your blog fresh and appealing.
Whatever changes you undertake to improve your posts, set some realistic goals and recognize that just like losing weight or saving money, goals take time and hard work. Set some and get to it!