Maintaining a steady, informative blog that also prompts visitors to share isn’t easy. Consistency, quality, and quantity are all key to reaching a wider audience (and to making Google happy,) but that’s easier said than done, right? What happens when you hit that wall, when you just can’t squeeze another blog post out of your exhausted brain?

Well, maybe you can change up your blogging format; take a break from your usual style. Shaking things up can breathe new life into your content (and your poor brain). Instead of piles of paragraphs filled with facts, statistics, and figures, consider using one of these formats.

Listicle

I know; it’s not a real word. But blogging powerhouses like Buzzfeed have made the listicle a valid blogging format. In fact, with a little bit of practice, these blogs can become true viral art. Okay, that may be a bit of a stretch, but seriously: how many Buzzfeed list-style blogs have you shared on Facebook today?

The key is to keep things short and punchy. GIFs and humorous images dress up your razor-sharp wit, and the end result is a blog that everyone wants to read. The biggest benefit you personally reap, however, is leftover brainpower for your next big blog. Oh, and that fun buzz that comes from doing something creative and watching people love all over it.

Updated Post

For this post, you’ll need a little bit of research into your blogging past. Are there posts from over a year ago that got a lot of traction? If so, pick one that still holds some relevance today. Then update that post with the latest statistics, add any new information that you may have discovered since the last time you covered that topic, check it over once more for flow and grammar, and then post again with a new date.

The previous traffic that post received will carry it right back to the top of Google searches. You’ll reach a whole new audience with your updated information while enjoying the rankings in search engines. It’s a win-win without a whole lot of work.

Newsjacking

This one’s a tough one, especially if you have a strict posting schedule set up. Still, you should always leave a little wiggle room for industry updates with the hottest news. Has Amazon done something amazing and yet crazy? Google releasing a new algorithm that will destroy everything we know about SEO? Maybe there’s something specific to your industry that’s shaking up the world as you know it. These things should be reported, and with your personal (and educated) spin.

Newsjacking shows your customers and clients that you have your finger on the pulse of your industry. Your personal spin shows them that you have keen insight into the issues at hand. Maybe you didn’t have to put a lot of work into a news blog, but you did have to use your smarts. That goes a long way while also leaving you refreshed enough to tackle the next blog on your list.

Curated Posts

This blog style is probably the easiest and yet most time consuming on the whole list. A curated post pulls together news and blogs from within your industry and shares them all in one place. There are a few big no-no’s with a curated post. First, never, ever, ever copy and paste text from someone else’s blog or website onto your own. Google will smack you down so hard for duplicate content, plus you just look like a copycat to any of your readers. Second, never, ever, ever steal images without asking permission. If you’re using someone’s infographic, be sure to credit the original source.

What benefits do you receive from sharing other people’s news? After all, you want your readers to think you’re the expert, not someone else. Well, by showing how in tune you are with your industry, you prove your expertise. Sharing information from other sources just shows how involved you are, how well read you are, and how discriminating you are. You wouldn’t share just any old post, now would you?

These blogging ideas run really make keeping your content production steady and dead easy, but you can’t expect to wing it and get by. You’ll still need to put in plenty of time and brainpower to ensure you’re sharing only the highest quality information. As always, we’re here to help you with your content marketing efforts. If you’re still struggling to maintain a powerful blog on a regular basis, give us a call.

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