As you look for ways to enhance your blog and increase engagement with readers, you should be exploring new blogging strategies and techniques. In particular, it would be wise to prioritize relevancy and publish more timely content that strikes a chord with readers in the moment.
5 Tips for More Timely Content
When it comes to blogging, there are two types of content that perform extremely well: evergreen content and timely/newsworthy content. And while each has its own benefits, timely content is extremely valuable when you’re looking to drive traffic and backlinks. But even more so, it increases engagement.
Even if you normally stick to evergreen topics, it’s not as hard as you think to switch gears and begin publishing timely content. Here are some tips you might find useful:
1. Understand Your Audience
Just because an issue or post is timely, doesn’t mean it’ll be effective for you as a blogger. In order for timely content to resonate with your audience, it has to also be relevant. And in order for you to publish timely, relevant content, you have to understand your audience.
Understanding your audience is critical to publishing content they want to read. Not only can you mine your website analytics to find out demographical information on readers, but you can also poll readers and study social media interactions to get a better idea of who you’re dealing with.
2. Have a Content Calendar
Every blogger can benefit from having a content calendar – also known as an editorial calendar. While it sounds super rigid and formal, it’s one of the best methods for staying on track.
“Creating an editorial calendar for your blog not only helps reduce the stress of coming up with a fresh idea on the spot, but it helps you think about your blogging efforts from a big picture standpoint,” entrepreneur Kaleigh Moore explains.
When you have a content calendar, you’re able to plan out your content strategy and ensure proper timing for maximum reach – as opposed to waking up each morning and thinking, “What should I write today?”
3. Don’t Over-Plan
While a content calendar is great, you want to avoid over-planning. Too much planning will kill your ability to respond to real-time issues as they emerge.
McCombs Supply is the perfect example of a company that has a strategic editorial calendar, but doesn’t over-plan. When newsworthy issues emerge – such as the recent hurricanes – they’re able to craft timely content and engage readers in meaningful ways.
4. Read Up on Current Trends
It’s important that you immerse yourself in current trends, especially as they pertain to your industry and niche. Even if you don’t tap into these trends, it’s nice to have a pulse on what’s happening so that you can relate to your target audience.
5. Try Newsjacking
One of the best strategies for creating timely content that’s also relevant to your blog’s core objectives is to implement newsjacking – a process by which you take a relevant issue in society and spin it in a way that relates to your product or service.
There are plenty of examples of newsjacking, but this article from MarketWatch is a classic illustration. It uses a popular TV show, The Walking Dead, to create a piece of content that fits into its content niche.
Make Reader Engagement a Priority
There are dozens of metrics you can use to gauge the efficacy of your blogging efforts, but nothing matters more than reader engagement. When you have highly engaged readers, everything else falls into place.
While there’s a place for evergreen content, make sure you’re also sprinkling in some timely and relevant content to engage your readers and move them to action. With the right techniques, anyone can do it.
