How Many Blog Posts Should I Launch With? (& Other Blogging Questions Answered)

Let’s start with this truth: blogging isn’t dead.

While some marketers say blogging is no longer worth the effort, many business owners (myself included) know that blogs are still alive and well today. The old ways of blogging might be dead and gone, but it’s ushered in a new way to blog.

A decade ago, you were considered to have a great blog if you had many sidebar ads, lots of comments, and an impressive list of blog sponsorships. Now, it’s even more about creating SEO-rich, storytelling-based content that attracts the right audience.

Blogging can help you:

• Drive more traffic to your website 
• Build your email list with new subscribers
• Generate more leads for your offers
• Share educational or entertaining content that’s memorable 
• Solidify yourself as a top choice in your industry 

Among its many benefits, blogging is an easy way to start creating valuable content your audience will enjoy. The more you demonstrate your expertise on your blog, the more your audience will trust what you have to say. Built over time, that same sense of trust can lead to more sales.

Your biggest blogging questions answered

As you think about creating a blog of your own, you may have a few questions. In this article, I’ll answer some of the most common questions I’ve been asked by past clients and blog readers. That way, you can walk away knowing how to make the most of your blogging efforts.

How many blog posts should I launch with?

I highly recommend launching with at least three blog posts before you publish your website. When someone lands on your website for the first time, you want to give them something new to read right away. This will help you make the most of their attention once you have it.

You can launch with up to five blog posts if you desire, but at least three will give you a good foundation to build from. You might also want to create blog categories. For example, a florist may have blog categories like “wedding planning,” “floral design,” and “advice for brides.”

Once you have a set of blog categories, think about creating unique blog posts that fit into each category. That way, you’ll launch with a well-stocked archive of articles that will connect with your audience. I often give this suggestion to my clients so they can work on writing blog posts while I’m creating their Showit website design.

 

How often should I blog?

This is a big question and one that can only be answered by you. However, I can give you some direction in creating a blogging routine that fits your needs. You certainly don’t need to create content on a daily basis. That would burn anyone out!

Instead, I recommend publishing content on a weekly basis if you’re able to. This allows you to regularly connect with your audience while delivering fresh, new content. However, if that publishing schedule feels too overwhelming, start with biweekly or monthly blog posts.

The biggest thing to remember is it’s not about how often you should blog but rather how consistently you’re blogging. If your audience comes to expect weekly blog posts from you but then you only post once a quarter, they may be confused. It’s more important to be consistent, so it’s best to decide how often you can sustainably publish content on your blog early on.

As a business owner, I know you wear many hats and blogging is just one of them. The same is true for me! If you’re not able to keep up with your publishing schedule, think about hiring a blog ghostwriter, proofreader, editor, or changing your posting schedule so it’s easier to manage.

How do I come up with blog ideas?

Ideation is one of my favorite parts of the blogging process. I love exercising my creativity and seeing what comes out of each brainstorming session. However, ideation may not come as easily to you or you may not know where to start.

If you’re struggling to come up with blog post ideas, you may want to consider using a Blog Ideas Generator. This tool will automatically generate a list of blog post ideas when you feel stuck. All you need to do is list a few related topics and write down your favorite ideas. It will even create a blog post title for you!

If you feel like you’re in a creative rut, you might want to create a list of blog post ideas when inspiration strikes. You can do this in a notebook, on a sheet of paper, or in a project management software like Asana or Trello. I like to keep my ideas organized in Google Sheets so I can share them with my team, but you’re free to use any tool.

Also, pay attention to what your audience is talking about on social media, forums, and other platforms. Are they asking questions you can answer within your blog content? Ideas are all around you; you just have to be looking for them.

What does a good blog post consist of?

In order to create high-performing blog content, you need to have the basics:

• An introduction 
• A compelling story 
• A conclusion 

An introduction will simply introduce the main topic of the article, but first, you need a hook. A well-crafted hook will engage your audience and make them want to continue reading. A hook can be an interesting fact, statistic, story, or question.

Then, it’s time to create a captivating story in your body content. In a lifestyle blog post, you may want to tell a personal story and share what lessons you learned. In a listicle blog post, you may create a list of educational tips to share with your audience.

No matter what style of article you write, every story has an end. This is where your conclusion comes in. It’s a perfect time to summarize the main points of your article and include a direct call-to-action (CTA).

When you choose your CTA, think about the action you want them to take next. Is it to sign up for your email list, schedule a discovery call, or visit another page on your website? Choose one call-to-action for each blog post and view your analytics to see how it performs over time.

How do I improve my blog’s SEO?

As I mentioned previously, SEO (search engine optimization) is incredibly important to your blog. If you had the opportunity to write something really valuable, wouldn’t you do everything you could to get it in front of the right people? That’s what SEO can help you accomplish.

I teach basic and advanced SEO strategies inside my Simple Showit SEO course. However, if you are just getting started, here are a few strategies you can use.

• Use industry-related keywords to increase your search page rankings.
• Include keywords in your page titles and meta descriptions.
• Don’t forget to include alt text with your imagery.
• Simplify your URL links so they’re easier to find.

There are so many more tips I could share about SEO but it’s best to start with these. They will only take about 15 minutes to incorporate into your next blog post but they’ll make a world of a difference.

It’s best if your SEO practices guide your ideation process. If you find a targeted keyword you really want to rank for, think about creating a blog post on the subject. It’s best to choose keywords that aren’t too competitive if your website is brand new. You can work your way up to more competitive keywords over time as your website grows in strength.

How do I drive more traffic to my blog?

We already talked about using SEO as a traffic driver, but you can also use various social media platforms to promote your blog. I highly recommend using Pinterest because it’s built like a search engine. One pin can be repinned thousands of times, helping you reach new readers.

Pinterest, like most platforms, is extremely visual so you’ll need to design graphics that are appealing. If you already create vertical graphics for your blog posts, you’re ahead of the game!

Make sure you include the title of your blog post, an eye-catching photo, and your blog URL or logo in the graphic. It’s best to keep the design consistent with your brand color palette and signature fonts. Most bloggers create these graphics in Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, or Canva.

You can reuse the same graphic template for better consistency within your designs. It will also save you hours of time when you create a new blog post. I recommend creating these graphics in batches, meaning all in one sitting so you can work productively.

Keywords also matter on Pinterest so be sure to use them in your pin titles, descriptions, and bio. If you can join group boards, that’s even better. Keep playing with Pinterest!

What are some of your best tips for new bloggers?

Be consistent above all else. Don’t worry about what other people in your niche are doing on their blog when you’re getting started. Fill your blog with content that stands out from the rest.

Format your blog posts so they’re easy to read. Don’t forget to add imagery that’s engaging and unique. Include headers, subheaders, and quotes to make your content appear more interesting.

Test new ideas! Don’t be afraid to experiment with new content types. Keep an eye on your analytics to see how your blog posts perform over time. Promote your blog posts consistently on social media and use your blog to grow your email list.

If you follow these tips, you’re sure to create a blog that’s worth the time investment!