As promised in a past post, here are my ideas for capturing and writing blog posts. To capture an elusive idea for a blog subject (because don’t all great inspirations come at the most oddest moments in time or place ), I use my phone, a letter size yellow notepad, my laptop, and my blog folder.
Idea #1. Notepad on your bedside table. How often have you thought of a great idea in the middle of the night only to forget about it the next morning? Five minutes writing on a bedside notepad will jog your memory later.
Idea #2. Notepad within easy reach of your desk or phone. Quite often you may be on the phone with a client, or in the middle of a meeting and something said triggers a possible blog subject. Again, a few simple notes helps keep that idea safely recorded for later.
Idea #3. Web surfing – we all do it. Lots of blog ideas present themselves during random web surfing. When one finds content that can serve as research for a post, bookmark the page or print it if possible. Printing may be preferable as then you can keep all your ideas in a blog folder. (Note: don’t plagiarize ; give credit or links if necessary. Use your research instead as a jumping off point for your own “twist” on the subject.)
Idea #4. Email. Just like everyone these days, you are bombarded with email every day. Occasionally though one of these may bring an interesting blog subject to mind or provide good resource material. Store in a special email folder or print and save in the aforementioned blog folder.
Idea #5. Voice recorder. Use a voice recording app on your phone such as Dragon Dictation for those times on the go when inspiration hits.
Idea #6. Notepad on a smart device. Use this handy item on your phone or tablet to capture ideas in meetings, seminars or while killing time (such as in airport lounges!).
Idea #7. Take a photo. As they say” a picture is worth a thousand words”! See something you want to blog about, take a few snaps with your phone etc. and tag some notes. Expand on the notes later – use the photos in your blog!
Idea #8. Google it. This is more a research method than a capture method but worth mentioning. If you have a topic, Google it to see what others are saying. This can provide a new direction to the topic in mind. You can also research what people are searching for on line and write about an answer(s) to the question(s).
Now that you have a number of topic possibilities filed away in your physical or on line folders, sift through for a topic that is timely or gets your typing fingers itchy. Spend that hour we discussed previously writing your blog post; then edit and upload it to your site. (Posting to social media and back linking will be discussed in another post.) If you are a Compass Media client, you are in luck – all we need is your rough draft and we can proof, edit, and make it web ready while maintaining your unique “voice”. We upload it for you and do the back linking.
More to come on this bogging topic: great tips for making your blog into an e book, and blogging & Face book.