Having a blog means more than just owning a beautiful website. It also includes having to create content on a regular basis. But how do you do that consistently?
Writers block can sometimes be a challenge and trying to keep momentum with content creation can be tricky. A big tip would be to set yourself up for success rather than failure.
In other words, have a plan! A plan will help you stay on track as well as set goals that keep you focused and in constant creation mode.
First let’s start with why it is important to blog consistently.
The Importance of Consistency when Blogging
So why is it so important to be consistent when blogging? Creating consistent content is good for several reasons.
First of all, Google loves it! By continuing to publish quality content, Google begins to recognize you and your website as an authority and as a result, begins to rank you higher in the search engines.
Secondly, the constant creation of new content will keep your readers coming back for more. Once again, this results in more traffic. On the other hand, if you post only once a month, your readers will move on to some other blog in order to get their content. You don’t want this, obviously.
Finally, creating a habit of blogging on a consistent basis will only help you sharpen your craft. It will cause you to be a better (and faster) writer. In other words, the more you blog… the better you will be at it.
This may not seem like much, but if you think about it, most people struggle when it comes to actually writing content. If you can strengthen your skill by practicing, then you will outrun the competition.
Set a Daily Schedule
One great way to make sure you are consistently putting out blog posts is to set a schedule for yourself. Decide what hours of the day you will devote to blog research and what hours you will devote to just writing. 
By doing this, you will automatically have a set time to “clock-in” so to speak and this will keep you on track. I have certain times of the day that work better for me than others, so I like to plan for those less busy hours to be centered around my blog.
Keep in mind that something will almost always “come up” and distract you from your planned work schedule. That is ok if they are few and far between. Just don’t let that derail you entirely.
For instance, the other day I was supposed to write a blog post but I ended up spending half the day in the auto repair shop getting new tires because one of mine kept going flat. I didn’t intend to spend my day wasted like that, but sure enough it happened.
The point is there will be emergencies or things that are out of your control, but it is important to get right back in the saddle the next day and continue your progress.
Too many times, people just shut down all together because they missed one day of blogging. Don’t let this kind of thing discourage you and just realize it happens and move on.
Map Out Your Blog Posts
Another awesome strategy that I use is mapping out my blog posts beforehand. This is basically just deciding what your next 5-7 blog posts will be, creating titles for them, and then structuring/outlining the basic content of the post. 
I use a tool called SiteContent to do this. I start out by jotting down several ideas for topics. Then I do a little keyword research and decide on blog titles for each topic. If you are interested in how I do my keyword research, click here.
Once I have my blog titles written down, I create drafts for each post. Then I take one post at a time and structure the content. I make section headings about what I plan on talking about and sometimes even throw in a few bullet points that I want to make sure I include.
This skeleton style structuring process helps cut down on the amount of time it actually takes to write the blog post. So when I start writing the post, I already have my section titles in place and can just start talking about that particular topic.
Also, I keep a running list of blog post ideas and titles so that as I think of them (when I’m standing in line at the grocery store) I can just add them to the list.
I also make use of templates that I have created to help speed up the process. These are easily created through the SiteContent platform at Wealthy Affiliate (my back office).
Set a Firm Goal – 30 Day Challenge
If it’s consistency you are looking for, there is no better way to get started than to set yourself a goal and stick to it. A great goal to set especially when starting out is a 30-day challenge. 
In fact, I am in the middle of my own 30-day challenge right now. My challenge involves blogging every single day for 30 days straight. I’m on day 7 now.
What I love about this kind of goal setting is that it forces you to jump right in. By pledging to blog consistently for 30 days, I know that I will come out the other side with a huge stockpile of blog posts. My traffic will increase as a result as well as my Google rankings.
The other thing that a 30-day challenge does is create a habit in your business. After completing 30 days, you will have definitely developed a habit of blogging consistently.
I urge anyone who wants to be more consistent with their blog posting to take on some type of challenge. And then once you complete it, set up another one. It’s goal setting for go-getters. Most people set goals and never accomplish them, but when you set challenges, you have a much better chance of success.
Once again, keep in mind that there will be setbacks and there may be a day in there where you can’t write a post. As long as you don’t let that deter you from your main goal, you will do just fine.
