How do You Post More Often?

This coming Sunday, I will be a guest on Twitter #blogchat, founded and facilitated by Mack Collier. 

Mack tells me that one of the biggest topic requests from #blogchat participants is how to post more often.

He thought participants would really enjoy if I walked them through how I do it.

It's not a black and white kind of question -- at least not like the new gmail look.

As part of that (especially the research part) we'll talk about how you can use your blog to help establish your expertise in your area.

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I thought you'd like to have a short post to frame the context that you can share with chat participants who don't read Conversation Agent (yes, there are plenty) and talk about my high level process.

That way we can spend more time with your questions during the chat.

My philosophy on content

First off, my philosophy on online content is that your own sites are your home base. You should view content as a business asset.

I just recently updated my social network participation policy to integrate my use of Google+ and tweak my evolving philosophy.

Creating a page for this kind of information makes sense, because the question kept coming up and I wanted to have one place and link to share.

Like me, you probably have some questions that keep coming up about your work, or your expertise.

It's a good idea to make a list of what is most important that people know about how you do something, or your rules of engagement. Then write a separate page about it.

When I got my own business going full time, I developed a separate site for it.

The pillars of a good strategy

Your plan of action should be motivated by some unchanging elements that chunk the direction toward your goals into specific modules.

For example, if your goal is to be viewed as an expert in online marketing content and copy writing, you will want to walk the talk to reach your intended audience. You can do that by:

• developing content to teach your audience how to do it -- including curating resources, giving examples, case studies of work you have done, analysis of success stories by others, etc.
• engaging in topical conversations to increase the reach and frequency of your authority and influence -- interacting in social outposts, responding to readers questions, offering Webinars, writing articles, guides, etc.
• facilitating connections with and among your fans and readers by listening and observing -- via the total platform you have built in your social networks, or in a pro community, etc.

For those whose goal is to go beyond becoming a go-to resource, the business value may be in a commerce layer where you convert readers' intent (behavior) with paid products: training courses, tools, paid newsletters, paid speaking, and so on.

Digital marketing is really good with the conversion part -- focused landing pages, search optimization and search marketing -- going from prospects to buyers.

Social is really suited to help those buyers (one transaction) become customers (they come back for more, and bring their friends).

Frequency, intensity, and duration

These are the levers mother nature gave you to play with for neurological development. They come with the human operating system (OS).

When I look at the process I use for my own content, I work at different levels. A mix of deep thinking, with saying, and doing.

Frequency: Currently, I post every day, including two posts on Sunday.

Intensity: Because my purpose (not to be confused with the goal) is to attract like minded business professionals, I refocused both the topics and the depth.

Duration: Generally speaking, my posts stick with you and release meaning over time.

Which means that one really important part of the process for me is discovery -- people finding my blog and reading the posts.

Relevance is really important here. Two ways of being relevant: as a source, by filtering content and news, and using your content archives appropriately.

How do you get there?

Once again, you do it by using the power that mother nature gave you: your habits.

There are certain things that you can do to transform writing from chore to output. Writing is hard work, just like every creative pursuit.

Because it requires you put skin in the game -- pen to paper, hands to keyboard. And some days you really don't want to do it, or you have bigger fish to fry, etc.

There are differing opinions about publishing every day vs. just a few times a week. Really, whatever your decision is, you can make it work if you commit to it.

Every day except for Saturday worked for me for more that five years. I made a commitment, and went through with it. Do search this site, not many "filler" posts in here.

You get creative and something else. The regular appointment instills discipline, structure, and drill in you. Doing the work helps you go from amateur to professional.

With the added bonus that it changes your routines so you can stick with it long term.

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You can find more resources and examples in this page I created to curate part of my content archives.

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If this topic interests you, make sure you join #blogchat on Twitter Sunday, December 11 @ 9pm EST. Here's a helpful guide on how to participate in a Twitter chat.

My Twitter handle is @ConversationAge. Follow Mack Collier @MackCollier.

 

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Comments

[Adam]

Great article. One of the items that rings the most true for me is frequency. It's something I need to work on to improve what I do. Like you mention in you article there are a lot of distractions that need to be overcome to succeed. Thanks.

[Serena]

Very good article! I really like that you highlighted duration, along with frequency. I often focus on the AMOUNT of content I am producing, rather than the lasting effect it should have on those that read it. I will definitely have to change a few aspects of my strategy! Thanks for the info!

[Brian Driggs]

Timely, as usual, Valeria. :)

Lately, I've been trying to push myself beyond my comfort zones. I've been fleshing out a strategy through almost-daily posts on my personal site, pursuing challenging paid and pro-bono projects on the backchannel, and trying to figure out how I'm going to get back into regular Twitter chats.

It's not always as pretty or polished as I would like, but I feel like I'm making progress. And that feels pretty good.

[Valeria Maltoni]

thank you for stopping by, Adam.

[Valeria Maltoni]

it's much easier to connect the dots when there is clarity of purpose with respect to longer term. At least in my experience. Thank you for stopping by, Serena.

[Valeria Maltoni]

the biggest hurdle, I find, is gaining clarity as to where you're going. Activity, alone, doesn't give you much information. And networks are set up to suck you in because they feed off your content...

[Brian Driggs]

as much as I feel I have a sense of direction, I don't have the clearest vision of what my destination looks like. Dangerous, I know, but I find myself pausing mid-post to start/save a new draft when ideas sprout mid-sentence.

I can't quite describe it, but it feels like the other shoe is about to drop (in a good way)!

[Mack Collier]

Sorry Valeria, I tried to leave a comment this morning just now realized it was caught by captcha! I'm so glad you can join us this Sunday for #Blogchat! Whenever I go to social media and marketing events and we start talking about bloggers we read, your name always comes up and we always remark at how you are able to not only post daily, but post GOOD CONTENT! It really is inspiring that you can create so much content, and at such a high level.

Looking forward to learning from you on Sunday!

[Melody]

Looking forward to seeing on Sunday Valeria. Posting more often is a great topic. I'd love to know how you never run out of topics. Even with a lot of focus and clarity, there are some days where it seems like I run out of words. Whoops, used them all up already, none left for the blog! See you Sunday!

[Valeria Maltoni]

I was going to install Diqus this past weekend and time just slipped away from me. I can see how people may get discouraged by lack of feedback -- most of my posts get little in way of comments -- and think their contribution is not valuable because of it. You know I have my own take on this.

Thank you for inviting me as guest #blogchat. Looking forward to people's take and questions. You've built a good community there.

[Valeria Maltoni]

yes, and the answer may surprise many. Hint: it's not about buying topic ideas ;-)

Looking forward.

[Patrick Prothe]

From personal experience - and feeling the pressure to create more and more meaningful content, this nails it. Content is an asset and there are no shortcuts to success -either via time or the hard work required. Making an appointment to write is important advice - too easy to put it off.

There's no one right way and each person must define what works for them and what they hope to accomplish so they know whether or now they're spinning their wheels or moving closer towards their goal.

Either way, you have to act and yes, it's so important to make sure you find a way to make it a rewarding process vs. a chore.

That you create these valuable posts consistently each day is both admirable and inspiring.

[Todd 'tojosan' Jordan]

Valeria,
So glad to find myself here.
This post comes at the right time. As 2011 wraps up I'm looking to refocus and start fresh with blogging.

Do the work first is something we forget.

[Valeria Maltoni]

the burn rate on content with social networks is incredible. I was thinking it reminds me of the consumption stage that is still driving intent (behavior). Like walking into a store filled with stuff you can grab for free in one sweep and with little time to parse what you will use and what won't be useful and just take up space in your mind...

[Valeria Maltoni]

likewise, Tojosan, glad to see you here and participating to the chat.