Next time you’re sitting in front of a blank screen, the cursor blinking like a cruel taunt saying “aren’t you supposed to be the brilliant creative one? Why can’t you think of something to write about?” (or maybe that’s just me), try writing about something you’ve bought recently.  It doesn’t matter if it was as small as a cup of coffee or as large as a new home, just as long as it was remarkable.

1.  Write about a delicious meal.  Writing about a fabulous restaurant or great little cafe can be an excellent move even if you’re not a foodie blogger.  For instance, if you own a store of any kind, tell your readers about the best “hidden gem” eateries in the area.   Hey, it’ll encourage them to check out the neighborhood and establish you as a local authority.  Besides, it’s a good way to help out another business owner.

2. Write about a book or magazine.  Have you picked up a new book or discovered a new magazine lately?  Why did you buy it?  Link to other articles about the book, explain why this particular book appealed to you, review it if you’re already read it, etc.  If you come across an excellent new resource in your topic area, tell other people about it.

3.  Write about a new gadget.  Did you get a new computer, phone, camera, or other fun shiny object recently?   Share your experience, talk about it’s functions, explain how the gadget is valuable to you.  Try to make it relevant to your niche by telling readers how this particular shiny object makes your life and business better.

4. Write about an experience.  Did you go to a cool concert or attend an interesting seminar?  Why not write it up for your readers?   Don’t forget to check out YouTube for clips of the event in question, especially if you know it was being recorded.  After all, if a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth at least a million.

5.  Write about excellent customer service.  Did a company impress you with their amazing customer service?  Talk about it!  Relate it to your business (almost everyone has customers/clients to deal with), use it as a stellar example how a company succeeded. Of course, the flip side to this is to blog about poor customer service, and if you do that, take the opportunity to deliver some constructive criticism instead of just complaining.

So if you’re ever at a loss for blogging words, think about the last few things you spent money on, or the last remarkable customer service you had.  Recommending quality products and experiences is just one more way to establish authority, after all, and if something improved your life and business, your readers want to know about it.

I was very, very impressed by this guest post on Problogger from Gala of iCiNG about the 9 Lessons she’s learned from blogging.  Yes, she’s a niche blogger -her blog deals with fashion and style, which are common topics in the blogosphere but she definitely adds her own unique spin to everything. She points out an incredibly important aspect of blogging that I’d be willing to bet all successful bloggers know.

And I quote:

Blogging isn’t about shouting the loudest or being really important, it’s about connecting & engaging in a dialogue with other people. If you’re not actually interested in interacting with anyone else or hearing other people’s opinions, you might as well be keeping a diary for yourself. Like it or lump it, having a blog is like being in retail. If people don’t like you, they will go (& spend their money) elsewhere.

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times – successful bloggers manage to connect and communicate with their readers, and that’s what makes them so popular.  On the most basic level, they create value for their readers, and that’s why readers keep coming back.

Yes, listening and responding to your readers takes some time, but remember that they are like customers – keeping readers interested is essential to your success.  If you put in the hours creating compelling content, whether it’s a how-to or a round-up of useful resources, it will eventually pay off.  Of course, you need to promote it with SEO and link-building, but you had better concentrate on creating something quality to market first.

One excellent way to create value is to teach your readers something.  If you’re a business blogger, chances are there’s at least one area where you possess some expertise, so share your knowledge with your visitors.  By helping others you can help yourself.  An example from the sports world – hockey great Wayne Gretzky recorded more than twice as many assists as goals (1963 career assists vs. 894 goals), and he still holds almost every possible scoring record.  It’s clear that he helped his teammates succeed, and now he’s considered one of the greatest hockey players of all time.

Focus on what you can give to your readers – “ask not what your readers can do for you, ask what you can do for your readers“.  Yes, I took some serious liberties with John F. Kennedy’s classic phrase, but it’s important for bloggers to remember that they must contribute to community in order to reap its rewards.

If you read blogs on a regular basis, you’ll probably notice that popular or well established bloggers often take the time to interact with their readers, in the comments section or by replying to emailed questions.   There’s no doubt that one of the things that differentiates writing for the web from traditional media – on the net, your readers can (and will) participate, respond, and offer their own viewpoints.

I’ve written before about how bloggers should take the time to answer questions from their readers, but it’s also possible to use questions as more fodder for your blog. Here’s a list of five ways to use Q&A’s to beat blogger’s block.

1.   Reply to a reader-submitted question in the form of a post.  If one of your readers makes an interesting inquiry through email, chances are they aren’t the only one who could benefit from reading the answer.   You don’t necessarily have to post the entire exchange, but writing a post as a follow-up to a query can be an excellent to interact with your readers while adding compelling content to your blog.

2. Answer a real life question.   Are there a few questions that customers and clients ask on a regular basis?   Create a FAQ for them.   Did someone ask you a really intriguing question?  Write a response to them on your blog, where you can be more thoughtful and detailed than you can in person (plus you can link to sources).

3.  Respond to another blogger. Bloggers often pose questions to their readers. If you come across a good one that inspires you to write a lengthy comment, try making it into a post instead.  Don’t forget to link to the original question so that the other blogger and readers can follow the conversation through trackbacks.   Also, check out forums that are related to your niche and make note of any common questions, because they might make good blog posts.

4.  Follow up on search engine queries.   Look at your stats and the search terms that brought traffic to your blog.   Are there any relevant questions there?  If you consistently rank for search terms that ask who, what, where, when, why, or how, write a post or two responding to them.

5.   Turn the tables and answer yourself.   Is there something that you recently looked up?   Did you find an excellent resource or come across something great in the course of your research?   Others in your niche may have the similar questions and appreciate it when you share your findings.

Next time you find yourself suffering from blogger’s block, think about the questions you’ve recently asked and answered, and you may find yourself overflowing with ideas. You could even answer a more complex question with a whole series of posts.   Besides, responding to your readers and other bloggers sends a positive message of openness, helpfulness, and general goodwill.   Now, do you have any questions?

Okay, you know the importance of placing your keywords and phrases throughout your posts, especially in the titles, bold headings, and tags.  Now I’m going to go into more detail about techniques for seeding them throughout your blog in a natural manner (no one sticks around to read a blog that’s stuffed full of keywords and not much else.)

First of all, place your keywords in titles, headings, categories, and tags. Anytime you’ve got a chance to label something with a keyword (or two or three), do so.   This one’s a no brainer – the search engines consider these things more important than your other content, so be sure to treat them accordingly by labeling them with your keywords.

Next you have to write your content, and of course you want to be keyword rich.  You can either keep your keywords in mind as you write your posts and add them in as you go, or you can write the whole post freely and go back through it to see where your keywords will fit.  There’s no right or wrong way to do it, so you’ll want to try out both methods and see which one leads to your best results.

If you want some extra help with keeping your keywords in mind while you write, you can also keep a list of them on another open document on your computer, or even on a piece of paper on your desk.  You may find that glancing at the list helps you come up with ideas for new angles and ideas to write about as well.

Concerned about your posts sounding unnatural or overly formal?   Try reading them out loud to yourself or a friend- this is one of the better ways to work on developing your writing voice.   Remember that blogging is a casual medium – I always encourage people to write like they’re having coffee with a client or friend, so you don’t need to give a lecture or write highly academic articles.

Another good way to generate high quality, keyword rich posts is to read what other people are writing about your keywords.  Of course, it’s important to be aware of what other bloggers in your niche are writing about, and one of the easiest ways to do this is to set up Google Alerts for a few of your key phrases.  Check out this awesome post on Techie-Buzz for more information and a how-to (you don’t even need to have a google account, although it does make things easier).

As you can see, using keywords doesn’t have to result in boring, uncreative content – once you get into the blogging groove, you’ll be creating compelling, keyword rich posts in no time.

Inspiration is a tricky thing.  Sometimes you’re firing on all cylinders and you just have tons of great ideas that you can’t wait to share with the world, but other times you end up staring a blank screen wondering what in the world to write about today.  I know that I’ve definitely been there.

Since it has been established that No One Cares What You Had For Lunch (a book of ideas for blog posts that I’d definitely recommend, if only to kickstart your creative side once in a while), how do you pull a quality post out of your hat?  Starting today, on Mondays I’m going to post a list of creative tips to help you beat blogger’s block and write something awesome.  After all, even the best of us need a little creative spark from time to time.

1.  Write about a recent triumph, whether it was large or small.  For instance, did you land a great new client or any kind of award?  This can be anything from selling a beautiful piece of property if you’re a real estate agent to having something published if you’re a writer or photographer (be sure to link to the piece if possible).

2.  Share some handy tips. Did you figure any new time-saving tricks, productivity boosts, or life hacks that might help someone else out? Check out sites like Zen Habits and Pick the Brain for more ideas here.

3.  Interview someone – a colleague, a satisfied client, someone prominent in your field.  Hint: most bloggers like to be interviewed provided it doesn’t take tons of their time, so contact other bloggers in your niche, particularly ones who get more traffic, and ask if they’d like to be interviewed.  An added bonus: they’ll probably link to your interview at their own site, sending some traffic your way.

4.  Make a list. As evidenced by the many lists I’ve posted in this blog, I like lists.  Other people like lists too, because they are scannable and instantly let the reader know what they are getting into.  Lists can cover any topic; for instance, five ways to solve a particular problem or seven reasons why a certain item is a must-have.

5.  Link the news.  Have any good articles or blog posts been written about your niche lately?  The web is vast enough that there is probably something interesting out there, so find a few things and link to them.  Be sure to put the links in context with a short description through, otherwise your readers won’t know what they are clicking on (so they probably won’t).

Branding a blog is not unlike branding a business – you want to design a brand that encapsulates your core characteristics, that makes you stand out from the crowd, and that sums up your philosophy. I’m not talking about pretty logos or a memorable slogan, however. In order to succeed in the age of Web 2.0, your brand/blog must be dynamic, beneficial and/or entertaining – or preferably all three. Today’s readers are savvy, demanding, and fickle, so there has to be substance behind the hype if you want your message to stick.

When you begin your blog, ask yourself these questions:

1. What do I want to say? Try to narrow your message down to a few sentences. Think of it as a blogging mission statement (you can put this on your about page).

2. What do I have to offer? What unique skills and knowledge do you have to share with your readers? How can someone benefit by reading your blog? This can can become the basis for your cornerstone content.

3. What is my niche? No one can be all things to all people, so focus on what you can do well. Define your niche so that your blog and brand can be tailored to it (this is also important for SEO purposes, as it helps you to focus on the best possible keywords).

4. Is this sustainable in the long run? Do I have enough to say on this topic to maintain a blog? If you are blogging about your business, (hopefully), you’ll be very passionate about it and have more than enough to say. Remember that creating a successful blog, like a successful brand, requires time and commitment.

5. What sets you apart from the competition? What makes you and your business stand out? Can you describe in a few words? Why should someone read your blog?

As an example, here are the answers for this blog:

1. What do I want to say? In a nutshell, I help bloggers make their blogs better; in particular, I teach to people use blogging to promote their businesses.

2. What do I have to offer? A finely honed writing ability combined with an knowledge of new media and web 2.0 topics, and an awareness of trends in the blogging community.  Plus, I’m patient, friendly, and a good teacher.

3. What is my niche?  Yes, I’m one of the many who blogs about blogging, but I’m focused on helping small business owners and entrepreneurs create compelling content and maximize the potential of their blogs.

4. Is this sustainable in the long run?  Definitely.  I clearly have lots to say, and the blogging community is incredibly dynamic and innovative, so there are always new topics to cover and lots of blog fodder.  I’ve developed blogs before, so I understand the time commitment.  Finally, blogging is something I’m passionate about on a personal level, because starting a blog literally changed my life (ultra quick summary – I was planning on going into a completely different field after I got my B.A., but I started a fashion blog as a hobby, fell in love with the world of blogging and online media, and the rest is history).

5. What sets you apart from the competition?  I consider myself a writer as well as a blogger (just because the web is more informal medium than print doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t put my best face, or posts, forward), and I teach people to use their blogs as a means of active communication, connection, and involvement with their readers/markets instead of just a promotional tool.  I’m in this to help other people succeed.

This post is being submitted to ChrisG on New Media’s Branding Round-up, so click the link for more posts on branding and how it relates to new media.

And a Happy 4th of July to my American readers!

In honor of Daily Blog Tips‘s “Blog Project: Three” Contest, here are the three things that all bloggers should before they hit the publish button on a new post.

1.  Read over and spell check the content.  I know that blogging is an informal medium, but spelling and grammar errors can make you appear less intelligent that you actually are, and a quick proofread only takes a few minutes.  Besides, once you’ve invested the time in setting up your blog, writing posts, and participating in the blogging community, what’s a few more minutes to ensure that you put your best face forward?  Spelling errors on a blog are the equivalent of going into a job interview in track pants and a t-shirt – in a perfect world, appearances wouldn’t matter, but in the real world, they definitely do.

2.  Make sure that your post is tagged properly and assigned to the correct categories.  You want to make it as simple as possible for others to find your blog and use your content, so careful tagging and categorizing are essential and easy things to do.

3.  Link to any other blogs or outside sources you mention.  It helps your readers find out more on a particular topic if they are so inclined, and giving some link love to fellow bloggers is generally a good thing.  Besides, citing your sources lends your blog credibility (well, this may depend on what the sources are, but in general citing can’t hurt).

3.5.  The one thing bloggers should do after they hit publish is to check how their post looks in the context of the rest of the site – is the layout okay?  If there are images, are they are sized and placed properly?  Are any of the links broken?  Did you forget to mention anything really important?  Go back and edit anything that’s not right - one of the many, many excellent aspects of blogging is how easy it is to edit and fix errors. 

*An aside: blogging round-ups, contests, and carnivals are excellent way to get the word out about your blog to other bloggers and new readers, so keep an eye out for similar goings-on in your niche.  The Daily Blog Tips Project 3 contest is very open-ended (as long as you post about something involving the number 3, you can participate).

No one really likes to be on the receiving end of the hard sell – it’s awkward and annoying for everyone involved, really.  Fortunately, it is easy to avoid engaging in such off-putting activities, thanks to the many promotional tools and techniques out there on the net.

Blogging, is a particularly good way to set up a passive but constant soft sell.  Now, you might be thinking: “Of course you’re going to say that!  You write a blog about blogging!” Guilty as charged, but it doesn’t change the fact that blogging can indeed be a valuable marketing tool.  It lets potential customers find you on their own time and get to know you and your products or services at their leisure.

See, blogging is a two way street.  Instead of just broadcasting your message at a captive audience in the manner of most traditional advertising, you’re communicating with your readers instead of talking at your potential customers.  The blogosphere is a community, and for your blog to be as successful as possible, you have to participate, even if you’re blogging about your business.  Actually, especially if you are blogging about your business.

The key to using your blog as a marketing tool is not to think of it as such, at least in the traditional sense.  Besides telling your readers about your business and products, share other details about your life and link to other blogs, articles, and websites that you like.  By blogging about varied but related topics you can prevent your blog from being a one-note-wonder.  After all, would you want to read a blog that only consists of tons of remarkably similar posts harping on the same product? It’s the blogging version of the smarmy, pushy salesman who gets in your face and refuses to let you leave without making a purchase – but on the web, readers can escape the hard sell with just one click.*

Think of your blog as a mini-portal to your niche.  Let your readers start with your blog, check out your latest posts, and then continue on by clicking on your links (naturally, you should link to things that support your message and your brand).  Remember that blogging is a dialogue, it is dynamic, and it is interactive, so update often and answer comments and questions.  Also, remember that your readers are probably pretty savvy and they can tell when a blog is straight-up propaganda.  The best way to draw readers to your blog is to create interesting, useful, and compelling content, and do it regularly.   Of course, that is also the hardest way – but that’s what your blogging coach is here for.

*You may have already seen this, but the Cluetrain Manifesto is worth checking out – and getting on.

Your About page may be the most important one on your blog.  By telling readers about your purpose, your background, your expertise, and your personality, it helps you create a connection with them.  It also tends to be one of the most visited pages – after all, when you come across an interesting blog, isn’t it one of the first things you click on?  People like to know who they are reading about.

Don’t be afraid to depart from the standard bio/resume format.  After all, being too formal can make you seem boring – and we’ve already established that no one wants to work with robot.  Tell your readers about your life, share your passions, let them know what is important to you and include a few quirky details.  For instance, check out my About Page – I include some of my favorite writers, other blogs and sites I write for, and a few fun facts about me.

I also link to a “100 things about me” list that I wrote for my personal blog.  Making a similar list (it doesn’t necessarily have to be as long, but once you get started, you may find yourself on a quite a roll) can be a good starting point even if you’re blogging for your business.  It humanizes your blog and makes it memorable.  Think about the details that you’re likely to remember about someone else, and try to include those on your About page.

Of course, you do want to show off your business chops at the same time, so you should still should include the more prosaic aspects of your life (credentials and such), but even that doesn’t have to be boring.   If you’re passionate about your work, what you’ve created, and how you can help others, that will still probably come through in your writing.  On a related note, the About page is also a good spot to put links to a few of your best posts – your flagship content.

Think of your About page as a online press kit, as your own corner of the blogosphere, and as your elevator pitch to potential clients.   It is where you let readers know the key information – who you are, what you do, where you are (contact info), how you can benefit them, and why they should read your blog.

Blogging is uniquely suited for search engine optimization, because the search engines definitely favor websites that have lots of relevant, easily updated content.  However, there are ways you can maximize your blog’s promotional abilities – SEO techniques you can use to “blogcast your brand”.

Here’s a rundown of my SEO for Bloggers series:

Part 1: Getting Started with SEO.  Start here to learn exactly what SEO is and the basics of how to use it to promote your message, including choosing your keywords properly.  If you only read one of these posts, read this one (but you really should bookmark them all!).

Part 2: Link Building and Link Popularity.  This post covers a key component of any blogger’s SEO strategy: getting tons of incoming links.  Search engines love websites that lots of people are linking too – after all, popular blogs are popular for a reason, and that reason is simple: people like ‘em.

Part 3: Link Baiting for Fun and Profit.   Link baiting is the art of getting other bloggers and webmasters to link to your site by creating interesting posts that benefit your readers in some way, shape, or form.  After all, people link to content they find compelling.

Part 4: Building Your Cornerstone.  Strong flagship posts are the pillars of blog – they are your most compelling content, they bring in the links, and they naturally have an ultra high keyword density.

Part 5: Off-Site SEO and the Social Media.   This post describes how to use the social media networks and the user-driven aspects of Web 2.0 to enhance and promote your blog.   There are a whole lot of amazing tools and communities out there, so use them to your advantage.

There’s one more point to remember about SEO, and that point is that the results generally don’t happen over night.  Yes, content can go viral, but building a popular blog with lots of readers takes time – you have to develop your keyword-dense cornerstone content, to build link popularity and generate incoming traffic, and to make a name for yourself in your niche.