At the outset, blogging can seem like a simple task. However, there are lots of jobs that come with running a blog. From writing blog content to promoting posts on social media, and even being a website admin, you must wear several hats to be a blogger. Blogging is a full-time job in itself, which means, if you have another day job, you’ll be working next to non-stop. The good news is, no matter how up against it you may be, there are many ways to be more productive and efficient. With that in mind, here are seven essential time-saving tips for a busy blogger.
Capture All Blog Ideas
Thinking of topics to write about is one of the biggest challenges of being a blogger. Nearly all writers suffer from writer’s block now and then. When ideas do come to you, it’s vital that you make a note of them. Either keep a notebook handy or use the notes app on your phone. Even if the ideas don’t seem great at the time, they could come in handy later. Unless you adopt this practice, you’ll waste a lot of time in front of your computer just willing ideas to come to you.
Have A Content Plan
As difficult as it can be to come up with ideas, deciding when to share those ideas is tricky too. For this reason, you should take the time to make a content plan. This will keep track of the types of posts you create and when you intend to publish each one. You should note the promotional strategy for each post in this plan too. By updating your content plan regularly, you will be more consistent with the types of posts you create and publish, as well as more productive writing.
Set Yourself A Deadline
Anyone could easily spend days writing and editing the same piece of content. If you allow yourself to do so, you won’t ever publish a blog post. This is why you should set yourself a deadline. The time you give yourself to write will depend on the type of article you’re writing, as well as your general writing skills. Regardless, the key here is discipline. Although you won’t always finish writing before the deadline, it’s crucial that you aim to or you’ll waste time.
Work From A Template
Many bloggers lay out their posts in much the same way every time. Having a template would make it easier to create content, as you would only have to fill in the blanks. If your current template system isn’t working, then look into Office 365 Template Management. This cloud-based solution is especially helpful if you have other writers working for you. Before you begin writing, you must also make sure you have a post outline to follow and work from.
Take Any Distractions Away
Trying to write while watching television won’t get you very far. Even if you claim to be a master multitasker, very few people can concentrate fully on more than one thing at once. This means that you’ll either miss parts of the show, which makes having the TV on pointless, or your writing will suffer. Either way, the distraction just isn’t worth it. Writing requires concentration, so make sure you have no interruptions. By removing distractions from the area, you can be more creative.
Shoot Images In Bulk
Shooting photographs for blog posts is a task many bloggers don’t have time for. This is why they instead download and use royalty-free images. If you insist on taking your own pictures, them make sure you set aside a block of time to do so. When you shoot images in bulk, you lessen the time you waste setting up scenes for shootings. Bloggers that prefer to use the pictures they find online should source them in advance and save them in well-organized files.
Back Up The Website
Every blogger’s worst nightmare is waking up, and their website is gone. This would cause huge problems, as well as be incredibly stressful. To avoid this tragedy, you must implement a back-up strategy. If you’re unsure how to go about this, then hire a professional. Don’t wait for your blog to be infected with malware or hacked before you take action. Being prepared for such an incident will save you time, money, and aggravation if it were ever to happen.
Blogging takes up a lot of time, which is difficult for people with full-time jobs. Thankfully, with the time-saving tips above, you can be more productive and efficient when creating content.