Canadian Small Business Women

Connection, Synergy, Community

10 ways to repurpose your blog posts – so versatile!

If you’ve ever thought that blogging for business is a boring chore, do you realise just how much you can do with one blog post or article? Here are ten good reasons why your dear, old-fashioned blog is worth its weight in gold…

Number one priority – blog on your own real estate

If you’ve read any of my previous articles on blogging and/or attended one of my talks or workshops in the UK and Canada, you’ll know how important it is – and why – always to blog on your own website or blogsite first of all.

Much as some people now are skipping their own blog or not bothering with one at all, preferring to blog directly to LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram etc., it’s risky. One, there’s nothing to stop the platform owners pulling your stuff if they feel like it; and two, you’re less likely to benefit from Google rankings for it if it doesn’t appear on your own site first.

 

  1. Then, post on social media: on own page, as post or even as comment in a group

You may need to give your blog post a bit of a haircut, but if it fits appropriately you can use it to post or even comment on your social media. Many of the popular sites can accommodate fairly long posts, and even the previously terse Twitter now allows you up to 280 characters … and it’s rumoured that this will increase again.

  1. LinkedIn article

As long as it’s after your blog post has been published on your site, you can then upload it as a full-blown article on LinkedIn. You may to change the headline and first sentence or two and adjust your call to action. It’s also quite useful to include a base line that says something like “an earlier version of this article first appeared on (your website).”

If you have written a lot more about that topic, you can also say “For more articles on this topic, please check out this link” (being a link to the appropriate category on your site.)

  1. Magazine / online magazine article

Yes, there still are some paper magazines around these days, depending on your business! Given that blog posts and articles now are almost identical, you can submit good blog posts to magazine editors. It’s always a good idea to email the editor beforehand and ask if they would be willing to view your article. Some publications are very picky, but others – especially the smaller ones – often are desperate for new, good content and although you won’t get paid for your article, you’ll get the publicity.

Online magazines tend to be crisper, shorter and punchier than print versions – far fewer words per article, laid out differently too. You’ll probably find, though, that you can edit your blog post down to match the style of the online magazine, then go about the submission process as I’ve described above.

  1. Guest post on others’ sites

Unless a site specifies that all content must be original (as mine does) there’s nothing to stop you from submitting your blog post to an appropriate website for consideration. Always be honest and tell them it originally appeared on your site, and offer to alter it according to their guidelines. As long as your content is absolutely right for their audience, they may well look favourably on it.

As before, it’s polite to send them a query email before submitting the whole blog post. Make sure you do your homework – unlike many of the spammers who email me offering me articles that would be absolutely perfect for my readers. Most are way off beam and the funniest one said all that, accompanying a title that read “20 Ways To Get The Best From Your Garden Hose.”

  1. Basis for podcast

Increasingly people only have time to learn about new things, techniques, or even enjoy some fiction while they’re doing something else like driving their car, sitting on a train or doing the ironing. Audio is easy to produce and even proper audiobooks are coming down in production costs, so think about converting your blog post into a podcast. This can be available on your website, social media page, etc.

  1. Basis for live streaming video e.g. FB live

If you prefer to talk to your phone or video camera, your blog post often will make a very good subject for a live video. You may not want to read it out, but you can talk around it – perhaps having pared it down to bullet points to use.

You can then include the written version as a post to accompany the video so people can choose whether to read or watch.

  1. Create a white paper

White papers are often thought to be a little old fashioned now but they are still valued in the more “serious” and technical areas of business. Especially if you have written a fairly long and detailed blog post, you can repurpose it into a downloadable white paper that people can access from your website. You can also send it out to your mailing list.

  1. Series into eBook, free download for promotion or to sell

A series of blog posts – or even a collection of your best ones on a given topic – can easily be turned into an eBook you can offer as a download, or even to sell.

Much as people know they could search around and find each of the blog posts on your site and so read them for free, most are too lazy or time-pressed to do that and would prefer to have the whole lot in one or two clicks even if there is a cost.

  1. Longer series into book, Kindle ebook, audiobook

A long series of blog posts can be gathered together, with some editing, into a full-length print and Kindle book, and also now as an audiobook. I have done this with my own book “How To Write Brilliant Business Blogs” which I self-published, and which then got picked up by an American publisher and so is now on sale (in two volumes) under their brand as well as my own. Two other guest columnists on my website have turned their series of posts into books, too.

If you’d like to do that eventually, you’ll need to plan ahead so the blog posts run in a logical order – although of course you can always re-edit them when you’re compiling your book.

  1. Serialisation of book as blog posts

Turning # 9 on its head, if you have written a book you can serialise it in a series of blog posts. As mentioned above, although in theory people could read all the posts on your website so getting a free book, the reality is people will still buy the book rather than plod through your search box looking for every post in order.

A few years ago I serialised a book about writing for job search on my website, and it helped to boost the book’s sales quite considerably.

What other uses can you think of for your blog posts?

Please share your thoughts in the comments!

This article first appeared on the award-winning website, How To Write Better with Suzan St Maur

 

Canadian author, blogger and marketer Suzan St Maur lives in the UK for about 10 months of the year and the rest of the time in Ontario. Born in Kingston but with relatives and friends from Ottawa to Collingwood, down to London and across through Toronto, she spends a lot of hours driving on the 400s! She has had 35 books published (mainly nonfiction) so far with four more coming up and now works mainly as an author coach, helping new authors write their books and make their literary dreams come true. As a former copywriter and content marketing advisor she also speaks on marketing communications of all types and gives some lively workshops on blogging, personal branding and her rather ferocious “So What?” test! Catch her on her award-winning website, https://howtowritebetter.net/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suzan St Maur with one of her latest books

Six Degrees of Separation

Sheralyn

Many years ago Will Smith, prior to his Men in Black days, starred in a movie called “Six Degrees of Separation.” I remember at the time thinking it was a pretty good movie and memorable. In a pre social media world it was a social commentary on how small the world around us really is and how we are all connected. After two recent incidences involving people with whom I was interviewing or working with, it struck home once again how connected we are. In one, I interviewed a woman who it turned out, actually knew the publisher of the magazine for whom I was working. In the other, the mother of one of my daughter’s besties invited me to attend an event featuring her old high school buddy – whom it turned out I’d had the pleasure of meeting to discuss business with just one week prior.  In the words of a song “it’s a small world after all.”

What these experiences emphasized to me is the ongoing theme of the importance of networking. It seems to be something universally loved or hated.  For some it’s intimidating, others see it as too “salesy” and still others both love and embrace the challenge of walking into a room full of strangers and starting a conversation.  Regardless of where you stand on the issue, if it’s of any comfort to the haters, invariably I would argue that within just a few minutes at any event, chances are you will connect with someone who knows someone who knows you. It makes having a conversation easier as you discuss your mutual common interests. It also means we truly are all connected and that’s why the value of networking and a willingness to act as a referral source for one another, cannot be overstated.

What six degrees of separation also means to me is that more often than not, networking often doesn’t take place at a networking event at all. Rather, it is when you are “out and about” in the world at large, conducting business, working, or attending a charitable event. Heck, it even happens in hockey arenas and over the bleachers at your kids soccer game. Networking is about relationships. Period.

Here’s what I mean: In the example of the subject of my magazine article, not only did she know the publisher (helping cement our burgeoning business relationship) but the more I chatted with her, the more it became clear how we could be of service to one another.  I knew several people that might be in a position to help the organization with whom she was working and she in turn was able to put me in contact with a great potential opportunity for my future development. That’s networking in action and we weren’t even at a networking event, just having a coffee while she shared her story with me.

Networking isn’t about handing out as many cards as you possibly can – it’s about fostering a relationship with others, getting to know them on a personal level and even if you aren’t in a business that is mutually beneficial, you might know or be connected with someone who is. If you’ve taken the time to develop that one to one connection – your referral is guaranteed because you know, like and trust the person and in this world – that’s very valuable.  Not to mention, just like in the movie – you never know who might know whom! It’s a small world indeed. Business can come from anywhere and we are all just six degrees (at most) of separation away from one another. Make sure you are always acting with integrity and not just with your own, but with others best interests at heart too. Then you can sit back and watch how opportunity will come your way!

As Owner and Principal partner of “Writing Right For You” Sheralyn is a Communications Strategist – working together with entrepreneurs to maximize profit through effective use of the written word. Looking for web content that works, blog articles that engage or communications strategies that help you get noticed?  Contact Sheralyn today. Sheralyn is also the mother of two children now entering the “terrible and terrific teens” and spends her free time volunteering for several non-profit organizations.

Sheralyn Roman B.A., B.Ed.

Writing Right For You

Communications Strategies that help you GET TO THE POINT!

416-420-9415 Cell/Business

writingrightforyou@gmail.com

The Importance of Research

Sheralyn

The importance of, and the reliance upon, good, old-fashioned research should never be underestimated.  Whether we grew up using the Dewey Decimal system and Encyclopedia Britannica or more recently, rely on “Dr. Google” and “Wikipedia” – the simple fact is, research can support your thesis, or give your website credibility and it fosters the viability of your business.  So whether you are creating a website, starting a new business, contributing to a magazine article or blog – make sure you do your research and always site your sources. It might sound kind of obvious but fewer and fewer people seem to be doing it these days.

In starting a new business venture research is critical. You are going to want to complete a market analysis, scout locations, survey your potential customer base and thoroughly investigate financing options.  Each of these steps requires research and further, requires you to produce written documentation that you can present to potential backers, even if that backer is your spouse or mother in law. Reliance upon cold, hard facts with supporting documentation is what’s needed when considering investing in business so the research step is important. Ensuring the use of credible sources while on your fact finding mission is also paramount.

When it comes to websites, often this is the first place your customer finds you. Websites with lots of “jazz, pizzazz and razzmatazz” will only take you so far if the product or service you are selling is represented inaccurately.  With websites, not only are you seeking accuracy in the description of your product or service, you also must ensure that whomever designs your site has also spent time researching SEO keywords for your industry, knows and understands the function of font and colour scheme to best attract the type of customer you seek and can provide you with information on where your website is likely to place in Google rankings. You better darn well hope they have also done their due diligence when it comes to logo design and other potentially proprietary information. I write website content for clients and a significant amount of my time should be spent on conducting research to ensure accuracy, avoid duplication and create content that both resonates and ranks.

If you are looking to drive traffic to your website and/or just have an interest in writing once again, whether blogging or submitting articles for publication, research to clarify content and guarantee accuracy is not just important but ethical too.  From a legal standpoint you want to be sure your claims about products are defensible and true and if you are writing about a person, quoting facts is the only feasible option. Writing an article or blog that compares two types of services, (perhaps comparing Naturopathic and Western medicine for example) requires extensive due diligence on the part of the author and research, verifying the accuracy of sources and interviewing key people in the field is what you MUST do. Too many irresponsible people with easy access to the Internet are presenting what amount to opinion pieces that have no solid foundation in fact.  Blogging for business is not the time to share your opinions.

It is incumbent upon us to be sure that whether we are offering information or searching for it, we take the time to verify its accuracy. If you are responsible for content, make sure it is well researched, accurate and sourced appropriately. If you are looking for information apply the same due diligence to your search.  Look for the source, is it credible? Apply the scientific principle – is it replicable? You probably want to place a higher degree of reliability upon a medical site hosted by the Mayo Clinic than one hosted by Facebook, curated by “Tom” and called “Free guide to pain free Home Dentistry!”   This might all seem like common sense but the unfortunate fact is common sense appears harder and harder to come by.  Our reliance upon the web to present factual and credible information and to discern fact from fiction has taken the place of the old-fashioned legwork that used to be involved in going to library, hauling out books and comparing their content or searching through microfiche for factual references in newspapers. I know I’m dating myself and I am not a Luddite “anti-internet” gal by any means. It’s pretty darn convenient. Just don’t forget that the old principles: research, accuracy, credibility, source citing….still apply!

As Owner and Principal partner of “Writing Right For You” Sheralyn is a Communications Strategist – working together with entrepreneurs to maximize profit through effective use of the written word. Looking for web content that works, blog articles that engage or communications strategies that help you get noticed?  Contact Sheralyn today. Sheralyn is also the mother of two children now entering the “terrible and terrific teens” and spends her free time volunteering for several non-profit organizations.

Sheralyn Roman B.A., B.Ed.

Writing Right For You

Communications Strategies that help you GET TO THE POINT!

416-420-9415 Cell/Business

writingrightforyou@gmail.com