“Here are 3 more blog posts to add to our site.” And so, in a matter of 15 minutes of my formatting, setting up the SEO meta verbiage, and cropping the images, my client had new posts to share with the world about their business.

Confession: It doesn’t always go that quickly. If a site doesn’t already have a blog implemented, it can take time to create a custom configuration of the elements. Once done, however, regular posting can be a breeze.

No Time?

That’s all of us these days. That’s why Claude or ChatGPT can be your new, best, non-human employee. Use AI to assist you in tasks—not replace you or another employee.

I didn’t have either AI platform write this post for me. But I did ask it to embellish and expand on a few ideas so that I wasn’t stuck in writer’s block. And in a nanosecond, it spit out a dozen ideas.

AI’s also great for proofreading and making suggestions. (“Act as an expert editor, redline this article and explain your recommended changes….”)

Sounding Like You

If you use AI’s output verbatim without reviewing its work product, undoubtedly it’s far more likely to sound like a ‘bot than you. But you can take steps to ensure your voice comes through:

• “Write a blog post in my voice about [XYZ] using what I wrote [pasted in below] as a guide to mimic my writing style…”
• Ask AI to prepare a detailed style guide about your writing style. Then copy ‘n’ paste the style guide into the prompt every time you need its assistance in writing.

Keeping It Fresh

Writer’s Block is the most common excuse besides lack of time for not having a blog.

“What should I write about?”

Rule of thumb is that you want to be demonstrating your expertise. But there can be legitimate concerns about boring your audience in the process. (Can you say, “Unsubscribe?”)

That’s where you need to get creative. Keep it fresh.

You need a good mix—material that covers authority, curiosity, and some play.

Here are some content forms that can stretch the voice and pacing of your blog catalog:

• Top 10 – David Letterman’s Top 10 Lists kept viewers entertained for decades.
• The Countdown – Launching a new product or service? Map out a series of posts teasing about release day and what’s going on in your preparation.
• Q&A – A question and answer session with yourself, ying and yang. A Q&A with a client. A session with an expert. Make it a game, like Family Feud or Hollywood Squares.
• FAQs – What do clients ask over and over? Turn these queries into a series of frequently asked questions. Use humor!
• Dialogue Scene – Write your post from the point of view of a dramatic scene on stage or in a movie, complete with stage directions. (“The client looked hesitant to buy my explanation, turning away from me, then looking out the window…”)
• Press Release – Have an announcement? Won an award? Repurpose that press release as your latest blog post.
• Historical Characters – Ever wonder what Steve Jobs or David Ogilvy would say about your business strategy? Or marketing plan? Ask AI to help you craft a fictional conversation you could share as a blog post. Even some of Shakespeare’s characters’ opinions may make for a highly entertaining read.
• Quiz – Beef up the interaction with your readers by converting your content into a fun quiz. How many different ways can you [XYZ]?
• Myth vs. Fact – Make quick hits that correct assumptions.
• Behind the Scenes – Great opportunity to process pieces that feel confessional or cinematic.
• Before & After – These are transformation stories, visual or conceptual.
• Case Study (w/ Personality) – one-part data, one-part human—all make for engaging stories.
• Rant with a Resolution – Need to vent? Then pivot to your insight.
• “A Day in the Life” – Use it to convey experience through the eyes of a person, product, or idea.
• Letter to ___ – Personify the message: “Dear Innovation…”
• Timeline – Track company or product evolution or milestones.
• Prediction List – Channel your inner psychic with crystal-ball tone, even if tongue-in-cheek.
• Micro Interviews – Profile different customers with the same five questions to multiple people.
• What If… – You could [XYZ]? Get speculative but rooted in truth.
• Challenge or Experiment – Document a 7-day or 30-day test.
• Mini Manifesto – Short and fiery. Remember Jerry Maguire’s manifesto?
• Recipe / Formula – Share a metaphorical or literal blueprint.
• Confession / Lesson Learned – It’s storytelling in hindsight.

Summary

You may not be trying to become the Great Library of Alexandria online. But if you’ve no online repository of your expertise for clients and prospects to peruse, you’re missing out on a tool that works for you 24/7.

What if a blog post convinced your next, big client to pick up the phone for an appointment?

Have you challenged your assumptions about the time involved? Potential outcome?

Let me know if you’d like to add a blog to your site to begin expanding your reach to prospective customers.