Small business blogging ideas for July
July is all about blogging for me, as my brand new course Blogging to Boost Your Business starts on the 28th.
I’m so excited to work in a small group with small business owners who want to use content to not only grow their businesses but also make their marketing efforts more effective.
So in the spirit of empowering small businesses to simplify blogging, I shared 32 blogging ideas for July on Instagram earlier this month. It was well received, so I thought I’d post it here, too (you know how much I love reusing content on different platforms!).
Here they are.
Rewrite a case study or testimonial so you can share the personal story of process behind the results. Not only is this an interesting angle for your audience, but it builds trust AND gives your client or customer something to share to their audiences - increasing your brand awareness.
Share the best lockdown lessons you’ve learned and allow people to get to know you a bit better.
Who doesn’t love being let in on a secret. Can you share anything from your industry? I remember when a hairdresser showed me some tricks of the trade about blow drying my fringe: I felt special and empowered! Do that for your audience.
Recommend your favourite podcasts or books - especially if they address specific problems with which you know your audience struggle.
Show your audience how they can solve some of their problems themselves. Imagine your favourite restaurant solving your problem of craving their food by sharing a recipe for an item off their menu. You will love them more for it, and it won’t mean you will stop going there to eat. Can you apply this in your business?
Rewrite the most popular landing page on your site as a blog post. This means taking something that is salesy or informative or educational, and rewriting it as a story, often with personal observations.
Rework one of your popular social media posts into a blog (basically exactly what I’ve done here!).
Expand on some of your FAQs to give a deeper insight, or - once again - provide your personal opinion.
What are your business (or personal values)? Apart from values being a powerful tool in attracting your ideal audience to your business. sharing what drives you can make people feel closer to you.
Give a shout-out to some of your favourite independent or local businesses. Last year I did a blog post about some of my favourite Marple businesses for Christmas shopping, and it still gets a steady trickle of visits.
Introduce yourself, a team member, partner or supplier. Interview them to showcase their knowledge and personalities.
Interview someone you admire. Use it as an excuse to dig into what you find fascinating about them, and share it with your readers.
Does your business support a charity or other good cause? Share why they matter to you and shine a light on their good work.
Ask a customer to share their top products from your shop. This works particularly well when you are a product-based business and people ask you for advice about what to buy (especially as presents).
What lessons have you learned about business over the last x years?
What do you wish you knew when you started out?
Have a laugh. Curate a list of funny videos, cartoons or memes related to your industry.
Tell the story of how you developed your most popular product or service.
Share a story of a time you failed or made a mistake - especially if you have learned good lessons from the experience.
Look at daysoftheyear.com to see if any of the weird and wonderful celebrations apply to what you’re doing in your business.
What special skills can you share with the world? Maybe you have amazing productivity tips or party tricks - the kinds of things that you find easy and others say: “Wow!”
Why would someone not buy from you? Pre-empt those in a blog post.
Turn your answer to a client into a blog post. I recently asked Camilla from Wardrobe Wellbeing a question about fast fashion via an Instagram DM. She sent me back a comprehensive answer, which she then reworked into a blog post. This is great content marketing!
List the people in your industry who inspire you. This is a nice way for people to understand what influences you, as well as a way to shout out those who inspire you. Not to mention that they may share your post with their audiences, who may then become aware of you for the first time.
Give a peek behind the scenes. People like to feel part of an inner circle, and we’re all nosy!
What does a day in the life of your business look like? Share your workspace, or how you structure your day.
Dig a little deeper into your purpose. Explain the story behind your “why” (aka the most important question you can ask yourself in business).
Got some productivity tips or can’t-live-without apps you rely on? List them for your readers.
How do you keep your skills fresh? Share the places where you go to keep at the forefront of your industry.
Listen to a webinar and share the key takeaways with your audience.
Ask 10 people in your industry the same question and collate their answers.
Share your opinion on something that has happened in the news (world, local or industry news - it doesn’t matter as long as your audience also care!).
Remember that if you are inspired to write about any of these topics, it’s important to keep the following in mind:
Write as if you’re speaking directly to a member of your ideal target audience. Think about their mindsets, interests and challenges they’re trying to overcome.
Pay attention to grammar and spelling, and don’t waffle on.
Be true to you. There’s absolutely no reason to be pretentious if that’s not what you’re like in business - pretending to be something you’re not is a jarring experience for your readers.