You’re a business owner. Not a writer. Blogging for your company may not be a high priority; nor may it come naturally for you. However, you know having a blog on your website helps with marketing efforts and generating leads.

Here are five tips to overcome the blogging slump, with examples focused on the accounting field.

1. Create a blogging calendar before year-end that will take you through 2016. Write one blog topic per month on an Excel spreadsheet based on your clients’ needs and industry ebb and flow. For example, November and December would focus on tax planning. January would be about personal budgeting. Summer months could include topics about mid-year estate planning tips, gifts for grads, or financial planning tips for those getting marriages or having babies.
2. Use a formula to help you create blog titles. Here are some examples from Buffer Social:
   1. [Do something] like [world class example]. Example: Blog Like a Rock Star
   2. Interesting adjectives + unique nouns. Example: Can’t Miss Takeaways
   3. Who else wants? Example: Who else wants help with their taxes?
   4. Here’s a quick way to [solve a problem]. Example: Here’s A Quick Way to Export QuickBooks Reports
3. Keep the blog short and focused. An estimated 300 – 500 words are sufficient. That is about two or three short paragraphs. Use short sentences for easy readability. Finally, infuse the copy with keywords related to the topic.
4. Pay attention to current events. Ideas come from many sources, and current events help to drive blog topics. The more relevant your blog the more visitors are likely to read it. For example, if a high-profile person is arrested for fraud, write a fraud-focused blog. Leverage trends and conversations to demonstrate your firm’s attention to current events.
5. Keep the momentum going. Once you start a blog, it’s important to maintain it.

What’s your biggest challenge with having a blog on your company’s website?