It’s funny to me, thinking of the business I am in as a content writer and copywriter. I literally make a living writing content for businesses to share on their websites so that they can draw in more of the right customers to buy their products or services. When I onboard new clients, they consistently ask me how often they should post, how long their blog posts should be, etc. And I always give them a recommendation.
But the truth is that I don’t necessarily practice what I preach. Sometimes, I’m great at posting two or three blogs weekly on my website and then sharing those posts on social media. Other times, I let one week, two, or even three weeks go by before sharing anything. While I am getting better at it, this is a mistake that I implore you not to make.
And so, as I continue along in this series of the top ten mistakes I made my first year, let’s dip our toes into mistake # 7, which is all about not posting regular content to my blog. And, I’ll take that a step further as this mistake is bigger than that. It’s also about not leveraging social media to its fullest—something I talked about in my last post that I’ll reiterate again here.
Why is Posting Content on Your Own Blog so Important?
Before I get too far down the path here, I want to level set just for a moment on who I think the target audience is for this particular article. My intended audience is new small business owners who are in the content creation space, specifically written content that is designed to inform or sell. However, I realize there is a secondary audience out there, which consists of any small business owner trying to grow their online presence.
So, while I am writing to other copywriters and content writers, I suspect many more readers can benefit from what I have to say. And the message is this—your website needs a steady stream of content to stay relevant. And not just any content. You need great content that shares a unique point of view and helps to solve a problem that someone might be having.
When you don’t have great content, your website starts to feel like a ghost town—quiet, a little eerie, and not where people want to hang out. Think of your blog as the heartbeat of your online presence. It’s what keeps things lively and interesting. Without regular, high-quality content, your website becomes just another page in the vast sea of the internet. And let’s be honest, nobody wants their website to be the online equivalent of a tumbleweed blowing through a deserted town. You need to keep things fresh. Keep things interesting. And that’s what content does for your website.
Is Content Only Written?
Here is something I have learned as a marketer over the last 25 years or so, especially as technology has evolved and consumer needs and preferences have changed—content comes in all forms.
While my business is in the space of content writing and copywriting, I know that there is more to it than that. Mediums like video content, infographics, podcasts, and even interactive quizzes can do wonders for your website. Think about it—sometimes, people just want to watch a quick video or glance at an infographic that breaks down a complex idea into something digestible (and maybe even fun). We live in a world where attention spans are shorter than ever, so why not give your audience something that grabs their attention and keeps them engaged?
Videos can be a fantastic way to show your brand’s personality and build brand recall, whether it’s a quick tip, a product demo, or even a behind-the-scenes look at your business. Infographics? They’re like the Swiss Army knife of content—they look great (when done right), are fun to watch, are easy to share, and are packed with information that’s easy to understand.
By mixing up your content types, you’re not only keeping your website fresh but also catering to different learning styles. I’ve totally embraced the video side of this over the recent months, kicking off my YouTube channel with regular content and sharing those videos on social media channels such as Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter… how often do we need to say this, really?), and even Pinterest. And the results have really paid off, helping to grow my followers and more interest in my products and services.
How Much Content is Enough?
And this all begs the question, how much content is enough? This is a tricky question, to be honest. The way I see it, you can never have too much great content. But that’s the keyword. Great. What makes great content? So, let’s answer that question first before we really dig into the frequency and cadence of content creation.
What is Great Content?
Ask yourself this question and see how you answer it—seriously, ask yourself this question right now—what makes great content? If you’re like me, you probably define great content as grabbing your attention from the get-go and not letting go. It’s the kind of content that makes you want to keep reading or watching, even if you had every intention of just skimming it. Great content leaves you with a sense of satisfaction, yet it often leaves you wanting more, like a good book you can’t put down. It’s content that makes you laugh, think, or even say, “Wow, I never thought of it that way before.”
Great content solves a problem or answers a question you didn’t even know you had. It introduces you to new ideas, new perspectives, or even new products that you didn’t realize you needed. It’s the kind of content that you’re excited to share with others because you know they’ll appreciate it as much as you do. In short, great content doesn’t just inform—it engages, entertains, and inspires.
Ingredients
So, what makes content truly great? Here are a few key ingredients:
- Content that makes you want to keep reading or watching: You’re hooked from the first sentence and can’t stop until the end.
- Content that leaves you asking for more: It piques your curiosity and leaves you eager for the next piece.
- Content that makes you laugh: A little humor goes a long way in making content relatable and memorable. And if the content makes you laugh out loud? Score! This is the best content because other people might notice your laughter and ask what’s so funny. This stuff makes great content go viral and is super good for your small business and your brand.
- Content that solves a pain point: It addresses a problem or need and offers a solution that makes you think, “Why didn’t I find this sooner?”
- Content that introduces you to something new: Whether it’s a fresh idea, a new perspective, or a product you didn’t know existed, it opens your eyes to possibilities you hadn’t considered before.
Creating Great Content
Now that we know how to define great content, it all boils down to making it happen. This is where things get easier said than done, and I have faced my own roadblocks, especially in my first year of copywriting.
Creating great content takes time, effort, and a lot of energy, which you might not have after managing your business for a long day. But you need to make it happen, either yourself or by bringing in a reliable third-party content creator to do this on your behalf.
While I am contemplating working with a third party to augment my content, I’m taking the solo path for now. Many small business owners, especially those in the content writing business, are probably going to do the same—for now, until they grow.
Getting Started With Great Content
So, how do you get started? Here are some tips I have learned over the last year.
- Start with a solid plan: Know your audience, your goals, and what you want each piece of content to achieve. It’s like building a house—you need a blueprint before you start hammering nails.
- Break it down into manageable chunks: Writing a full blog post can feel overwhelming, so tackle it in smaller sections. Write the intro first, then focus on one point at a time. And remember, the key to a great post is to tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you told them. And of course, make sure the content is unique, authentic, and shares something new.
- Keep a content ideas list: Inspiration strikes at the strangest times. Keep a list on your phone or in a notebook so you can jot down ideas as they come. You’ll thank yourself later.
- Batch your work: Dedicate specific blocks of time to creating content. Whether it’s a few hours each week or one full day a month, batching helps you get in the zone and be more productive.
- Don’t be afraid to revise: Great content isn’t written in one go. Step away from your draft, then come back with fresh eyes to polish and refine it.
Posting Regularly: Great Content Doesn’t Matter if You Don’t Share It
Let’s talk about social media again. I talked about this at length in my previous post in this series because I failed to leverage social media to its potential. Sure, I believe I have written some pretty great blog posts. But, putting them on my website alone is not enough, especially when a website is new and needs time to start indexing in Google (something my website is finally doing, thank you very much).
Okay, gloating time is over. Let’s get back to the main point here. You need to do more than just post your blog to your website and hope for the best. Yes, this is where it starts, but there are more steps to take. And that takes us to social media.
I’ve shared this before, but current data suggests that people spend a lot of time each day on social media—143 minutes per day. So, of course, it stands to reason that if you want to reach your customers, you need to be present on social media, too. But what does that look like?
How Often to Post Great Content
There are multiple schools of thought on how often you should post on each channel. And though I’ll provide some best practices below, its important to think of it from the perspective of a consumer. How often would you want to hear from the brands you love? How often do you want to hear from brands that are new to you but might have something to offer that interests you? And, how much is too much? Consider these questions as you look at the following recommendations.
Instagram is all about visuals, so focus on high-quality images, infographics, and short videos (like Reels). Ideal content includes behind-the-scenes looks, tips, and quotes that resonate with your audience. My posts tend to be about my first book, Perseverance. Reinvention. and general content about my favorite books, reading, and helpful tips for content writers.
Generally, I recommend one to two posts per day to keep your feed fresh and keep your audience engaged. Keep captions concise but interesting—think around 150-200 characters. Don’t forget to use relevant hashtags to increase your reach, and mix in some Stories to give followers a more personal glimpse into your brand. I’ll talk about hashtags more a bit later—hashtags were a headache for me for awhile, but I finally understand why they are so important, and you should, too.
Facebook is great if you have a mix of content types, from longer-form posts to images, videos, and links. I failed to create a Facebook page right off the bat when I started my business, and it is something I regret to this day. One of the reasons I love Facebook now is that it is a great way to share your business content with friends and family members who are interested. If they like your content, they may share it with their family members and friends, thus broadening your reach and helping you get in front of more eyeballs.
However, I seem to find many conflicting recommendations on how often to post. Hootsuite suggests posting one to two times per day, and this is probably my best recommendation as well. For me, one post per day is adequate unless something super exciting happens that I want to share with my prospective business audience. That said, I’m not sure what might come up that would require me to post two times in a day.
For quick updates, posts can range from 40 to 80 characters, but you can go longer if you’re sharing something more detailed, like a blog post or a video. I typically start with a brief lead-in and then share the link to one of my videos on my YouTube channel, the link to an external article that I might find interesting, or the link to an article on my own business blog.
As a quick tip, engaging with your audience through comments and shares is key, so make sure your content encourages interaction.
LinkedIn is the place for professional, thought-provoking content. I put all of my eggs in this basket when I started my business, and while my content definitely got eyeballs, I quickly learned it wasn’t enough. Use LinkedIn for your B2B-focused content with things like tips and tricks and how-tos that will resonate with other business professionals.
Try for one post per day with posts of around 100-200 words.
Pinterest is all about inspiration and ideas, so your content should look great and be highly shareable. That’s why Pinterest is so popular for things like recipes—because this is content that people tend to want to share with others. Currently, my infographics and blogs tend to get the most impressions.To date, my most popular Pinterest post is related to pricing copywriting and content writing services.
Pinning one post per day is ideal, and each pin should link back to valuable content on your website. Remember, the goal is always to get people to spend more time on your website, getting closer and closer to a conversion.
So, keep descriptions brief but keyword-rich, around 100 characters, to help your pins get discovered. Focus on creating pins that offer solutions, tips, or ideas that your target audience is searching for, whether it’s infographics, tutorials, or compelling blog post graphics.
Twitter—aka X—is the place for quick, snappy updates. With a limit of 280 characters per tweet, you need to be concise and engaging. While I think this is a bit excessive, many experts suggest three to four tweets per day to stay active in your followers’ feeds. For me, I find one post a few times a week to be adequate for my audience.
Share a mix of content—links to your blog posts, retweets, industry news, and even polls or questions to spark conversations. Since Twitter moves fast, make sure your content is timely and relevant, and don’t be afraid to jump into trending topics when appropriate.
Getting Started with Content
I know that getting started with content can feel overwhelming. And, it’s a lot to take on when you have a business to run. Trust me, I’m a writer and its what I do all day every day, but finding the time to develop content for my own website can sometimes fall by the wayside. Of course, that just so happens to be the point of this entire article—don’t let the importance of developing content for your wayside become a bottom priority.
And if you don’t have the time or skills to create the content, find a business partner that can help. There are lots of amazing writers out there—like yours truly—that can help you write great content to get your content strategy off the ground.
Topic Ideas to Get You Started
Need help with topics? Here are some recommendations that I tend to give small business owners when we are scoping out initial projects.
- How Your Business Got Its Start: Share your origin story—what inspired you to start your business, the challenges you faced, and the milestones you’ve hit along the way. This personal touch helps your audience connect with your brand on a deeper level.
- What to Look for in [Your Industry]: Whether you’re in real estate, retail, or dog grooming, a “what to look for” guide can help position you as an expert in your field. Plus, it’s a great way to incorporate relevant keywords that your potential customers are searching for.
- Top 5 Myths About [Your Industry]: Busting common myths is a fantastic way to educate your audience while addressing misconceptions that could be holding them back from purchasing.
- [Year] Trends in [Your Industry]: People love to stay on top of trends, and this type of content not only keeps your blog current but also positions you as a forward-thinking leader in your industry.
- How to Get the Most Out of [Your Product/Service]: Offering practical tips and tricks for using your product or service not only adds value but also helps your customers see the full potential of what you offer.
What’s More Important? Blogs or Videos?
If you’re like me when I was trying to figure all of this out, your head might be spinning, trying to figure out where to invest your content marketing dollars. Should you invest in blogs? Videos? I hate to break it to you, but the answer is both.
Blogs are highly informative pieces that can help provide key information that consumers need to decide if they want your product or service. But perhaps even more important is a blog’s ability to aid your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. And then video serves as a great way to help that information that consumers are consuming, to actually sink in.
So yeah, you need to do both. But, you do need to start somewhere. Start small with maybe one blog post a week, and as soon as you can, start layering in video content. And I know what you’re going to ask me now, how much is all of this going to cost?
Budgeting For Your Blog and Video Content Creation
The cost of a blog post can vary widely based on the writer’s experience and the complexity of the topic. A 500-word article written by a beginner might cost you anywhere from $3 to $25. In contrast, more experienced writers often charge between $30 and $150 for the same word count. And if you’re looking for a true expert—someone with a deep understanding of the subject matter and years of experience—you might be looking at $1,000 or more for that same 500-word blog.
When I first dipped my toes into blogging as a side hustle back in 2019, I charged just $0.04 per word. That meant a 500-word blog cost just $20. It seemed like a steal for my clients, right? And it was, especially when the content was well-crafted and SEO-optimized. As you can imagine, the work started flooding in.
But here’s the catch: I quickly realized that charging such a low rate was selling myself short. Despite my 25+ years in writing and marketing, my rate made me seem less experienced. It was a wake-up call. Over time, I raised my rates—first to $0.05, then to $0.07, and now I charge between $0.10 and $0.15 per word, depending on the project. Not only did the demand for my work continue, but the quality of projects and the caliber of clients improved as well.
Video Costs
When it comes to video content, you have options too. Hiring a professional, like I did with TreeTop Media, to create a background video and promo video will cost more, but the investment can pay off. If you’re on a tighter budget, consider purchasing some basic video equipment—a microphone kit, vlogging camera, boom stand, ring light, and portable Zoom recorder. You could get started for around $1,000 to $1,500.
Whether it’s a well-written blog or engaging video content, investing in quality is key to making your content marketing efforts pay off.
Now What?
To help you get started, I’m offering a free 30-minute consultation to discuss your blog strategy, which you can use to get started on your first blog for your business. Reach out, and let’s build a content strategy that you can manage. Don’t wait like I did because you may never be able to catch up. It’s okay to start small, but you do need to start soon.
PS… Remember those hashtags I talked about earlier? Here’s the thing: they matter more than you realize, but thankfully, finding the right ones is not all that difficult. Know that hashtags help increase your posts’ visibility on platforms such as Instagram and Twitter, but they can help with all social media platforms.
To find the right hashtags for your content, do a Google search to see what comes up. Scroll the platforms for similar content from other members and see their hashtags. When you use hashtags correctly, you’ll grow your audience faster, which means you’ll be getting your content in front of more people.
