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By now you’ve probably heard how important having a blog is for your business. People buy from people they know, like, and trust. A blog is the perfect way to help people get to know you. But it also serves as a resource for people who are looking for your expertise.  

Blogs help establish you as a thought leader while they can also help you place organically in search. They provide fresh content on your website and help visitors get to know you.

But…

To write a congenial, informative, and entertaining piece of at least 300 words takes time and (possibly) research. While you want your blog to showcase your knowledge you also don’t want it to sound like an egotistical diatribe (see what I mean?). Citing other credible sources will help back up your argument or assertion, while it also drives additional traffic to your site.  

This type of in-depth writing takes time and who has that?

Use these hacks to get the effective piece written in the least amount of time even if you hate to write.  

Use What Others Say 

This is not a license to plagiarize. You should never use someone else’s words without giving them credit and you should never copy someone else’s blog post in its entirety (even if you give them credit) and place it on your site without their knowledge. If you want to reference their content, do so with a link or a quote. Links to their site and to yours from theirs is also good for SEO.

Now that the plagiarizing disclaimer is out of the way, there is nothing wrong with elaborating on someone’s post, showing a different side/argument, or going more in depth with the information they presented. You can introduce the piece, provide a link to its inspiration, and then give your take. 

This type of post saves time because you don’t have to think of the content subject, you’re using someone else’s idea for the basis of yours. (Hollywood does this all the time with spin-offs of popular shows or prequels and sequels to movies).

Why does Hollywood do this? It’s not because the idea creators are lazy. It’s because it’s the closest the producers can come to guaranteeing success. If it was popular before, it will likely be popular again. The same is true of your content. If the original post or opinion got a lot of traction, it’s likely yours will too.

Plus, when you link to other blogs, that blog owner is notified and may take a look at your post. That’s one more set of eyes, which is always a good thing. If you’re lucky, they may ring in as well. 

Incorporate an Event or Popular Culture Reference 

One of the easiest ways to get someone’s attention is through channeling a popular show or event. It’s a great way to incorporate something you like personally with your business. It shows a human side and makes people excited about your content. Try something like “5 Things Homer Simpson Can Tell You About Marketing” or “20 Life Lessons from the Walking Dead.”

Create a Theme People Can Look Forward To 

A popular hack in content idea generation is creating a daily, weekly, or monthly theme. For example, you could post a product spotlight every Monday and a question from the “mail bag” every Tuesday. It doesn’t have to be stuffy and doesn’t even have to be relevant to what you sell. If it’s interesting to your audience and personable it can become something you’re known for such as a weekly book review or a weekly Top 10. All of your posts should be informative, inspirational, or educational. There’s a lot of room for creativity in those lanes. 

Don’t put off writing a blog because you don’t like to write or don’t think you have the time. Some of the most interesting blogs are the ones where people incorporate parts of their lives in their business storytelling. Those kinds of posts are easy to write because they flow from your experiences and passions.  

Commit to a consistent schedule, one you can keep up with, and look for content that inspires you. Keep a folder or electronic file of ideas so you will always have topics. And remember you’re not writing for your English teacher. You’re writing to connect. You want to share of yourself so that people will know, like and trust you. This style of writing flows in the way you speak, easy and not forced.  

Go ahead.

You can even start a sentence with a conjunction.