Content Mastery Guide

Editor and Ghostwriter

What your blog categories say about you

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While it may not be something you’ve paid much attention to, your blog categories are a very important part of your content marketing strategy.

Before you write, blog categories help you to generate balanced content in a variety of sub-topics of your main area of expertise.

When you’re setting up your idea catchers, you may even create sub-folders or blank pages labelled with your category names – creating that space can help attract the ideas to fill it!

After you write, blog categories help both you and your readers to quickly find previous posts in a specific topic area.

Planning your blog categories allows you to create a body of work that tells a broader story – showing your ideal client what you know and what you can help them with.

In that sense, your blog categories are a natural extension of your brand, revealing what’s important to you and what you stand for in your business.

Isn’t it time to make the most out of your category list?

While writing this post, I cleaned up my own category list and pared it down to 15. To avoid broken links or confusion, I’m going to tread carefully before I make any other changes, and I suggest you do as well.

Read more: How to Choose the Best Business Blog Categories.

Missed a step in your editorial calendar?

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As I was tooling around Barrie this morning taking care of some last minute details before the move, I was reminded of a great article I once read. It used the analogy of a GPS system for how to get through the inevitable twists and turns of life.

What do you do when life throws you these curves? Just “recalculate,” like the voice of the GPS machine says (mine sounds like a very friendly lady, although I haven’t given her a name yet).

It’s the same with your editorial calendar. It’s a plan, after all, not a court order. As a tool to assist you in publishing consistently (especially during busy times), I’ve also found it helps me balance my blog. I plot out when I will post in different categories, as well as which of the three types of online content I will use.

And then life happens, and sometimes I don’t follow through with a planned post. The topic lost its appeal, I was busy with an urgent client project, or another reason.

Jump right back in and keep posting

I see too many people suffer from blog fade, abandoning their blogs after a few of these missed posts or false starts. Like any other setback in life, it’s important in these moments to just get back on track.

You may want to replace the planned post with another spontaneous topic, or just skip to the next item on your calendar. You may even tear up your whole plan and start from scratch – and sometimes that’s not a bad thing. You definitely want your blog to remain relevant to what’s going on – in your industry, for your readers and in your own life.

P.S. If YOU are the one who wrote that article about the GPS, please comment below and include a link! I hope you’ve continued to write and publish, and haven’t faded away…

Busy time ahead? Don’t lose momentum on your content marketing

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The topic of last week's Small Business Buzz Twitter chat was Vacation Strategies.

While it's not a vacation, I AM looking ahead towards some down time from my business. That's because the Content Mastery Guide is relocating to beautiful Barrie, Ontario. That's right, Patch and I are moving!

Adding to the excitement (and a bit of stress) is that it's all happening relatively quickly towards the end of September. And there's a lot to do between now and then!

I knew that if I was going to keep up with my regular content marketing goals AND keep telling you about the new content writing solutions I'm putting together for you, I had better plan ahead.

First, I used Charlie Gilkey's blog post planner to plot out the categories I want to focus on over the next few months, and I filled in a few article ideas I'm already brewing for each category.

Then, I used his blog post calendar to put together a content strategy that laid out precisely which pieces of content will go out on which date. This document went beyond an editorial calendar, and helped me look at:

  • The types of content I want to be sharing, both in this blog and with the members of the Content Mastery Action Club
  • The best timing for each type of content, based on what's happening in my business
  • The different resources and services that I offer, and how to weave my content strategy through all of these solutions so that the right people hear about them   

The real bonus is that I'll be able to replicate this strategy long after I'm settled in Barrie.

How do you plan ahead when you know you'll be away from your business? Please comment below.

May article ideas for coaches

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Just imagine – if you were to spend some time over the next couple of weeks brainstorming and drafting, your May newsletters and/or blog posts could be a real breeze! Here are some potential topic ideas for your May articles: 

  • Life coaches: Happy Mother's Day! 10 Ways to Celebrate Being a Mother
  • Parenting coaches: May is Family Wellness Month – 10 ways that wellness can bring your family together
  • Marketing coaches: The Tweet-Up – Take your online networking offline in the warmer months
  • Money coaches: Were Taxes a Pain? Take action now to create an easier tax season for next year
  • Career coaches: The Spring Job Fair: Plan ahead to stand out from the crowd

Writing prompt: Use these sample titles as a starting point for topics that are relevant for your clients, prospective clients and readers.

Write from the headlines: Earth Hour is on Saturday, March 27, 2010

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Earth Hour is coming up fast, scheduled this year for Saturday, March 27, 2010 from 8:30-9:30 p.m. I haven't made my plans yet, but I'm looking forward to a quiet, simple evening when I can reflect on the spirit of the event.

I feel proud that some of the pledges I've made in previous years are now second-nature – things like washing my clothes in cold water and bringing reusable bags when I go shopping. I'm not perfect (who is?) but I'm trying.

Here are some environmentally-inspired themes for your March articles and blog posts:

  • Life coaches: Taking a stand for the planet
  • Money coaches: 5 ways that recycling will save you money
  • Parenting coaches: Family-friendly Earth Hour activities
  • Business coaches: Green your office: 5 sustainable business practices 
  • Career coaches: Choosing a job that fits your values

Writing prompt: Please join me in darkness, quiet and simplicity for an hour on March 27th. And in the meantime, inspire your readers with one of these earth-friendly themes.