Happy spiders are the key to being found on the web. The best way to keep these spiders happy is to be consistent with your communication by posting articles, pictures and links to your website and social media pages. In my experience, many people are unsure what they’re supposed to write about so I’ve gathered some information and resources that I hope you’ll find helpful. Brainstorming is a great way to pull things together and get a plan together.
It’s Brainstorming Time
Take a few minute to brainstorm topics and initiatives that you think would be useful to your website. You’re building an audience and they need information to help them decide if your mission is also their mission.
Here are some suggestions to help you get your brainstorming session started:
- Setup an ideas folder. This can be a physical or a digital brainstorming folder. Anytime you see something that seems important to forwarding your message drop it in. It might be a good idea for members to send their suggestions to the person who will be maintaining the site so that everything is kept in one central location.
- Brainstorm your ideas. Brainstorming should take 10-15 minutes. Using one idea from your ideas folder, take a moment to consider who you want as your blog audience. What is their gender, age range and other desirable characteristics? This will help you write the post in a way that will appeal to that audience. Then come up with five questions that you think a new reader might be have about your organization. Be sure to write down all of the suggestions that you receive. Once you have all of your brainstorming ideas together select one for your post.
- Setup your posting rhythm. As the old adage goes “Start as you intend to proceed.” It is important to set a pace that you can keep up with in the long-term. People tend to go full steam ahead, posting every day and then the posting starts to dwindle until it is an irregular trickle. If all you have time to do is one post per week — that’s great! If you can do more — fantastic! the main idea is to remain consistent whatever schedule you choose.
- Planning. I’ve included in the resources a blogging calendar for your use. Plan out the stories and news that you’d like to discuss for the first week or so. If you write it down, you’re more likely to follow through.
- Create your launch post. Now that you’re done all of the prep work, it’s time to announce to the world why you’ve created this website, who you are and what type of problems you will solve, the questions you will address and the help you will provide to your readers.
- Peer Review. Have someone read through your first articles to be sure that you’ve fulfilled your objectives. And it’s always a good policy to have a spare set of eyes look over your work.
