Blogging is an integral part of building your brand, and therefore business; don’t overlook it as irrelevant to your industry or too time consuming. For 2016, we’re predicting an organic, tailored, and personal climate, and as a new blogger, you just need these 6 tips to adapt. Make blogging a game-changer instead of a grind – the results will surprise you.

Write What You Know

…but know you’ll keep learning along the way. You know your line of business, you’ve started a brand, so keep it tight and focused. It’s tempting to stray into other territory – and by all means experiment – but hone in on your industry’s news, business updates, how-to’s with your products, and anything else your audience might need to know. No soapboxes here. Keep the tone authoritative, and as your knowledge of your industry grows, funnel that into new material.

Define Your Audience

On that note, keep community-minded, in the same way you think of product development. Although you’re not up on a soapbox, you are still using the blog to humanize your brand and put a megaphone to your voice. With each editorial calendar you create and post you write, imagine that your consumers are listening intently. Are they bored? Need links to further their knowledge? Want to be left with reactions and questions to ask in the comments section? Always invite interaction via conclusion, not only through your blog, but social media platforms.

Create An Identity

Now that you’ve narrowed your audience and put yourself in the right mindset, think of how the blog will be an extension of your business – will it be your personal voice, a cheeky version of it, or an all-around even-keeled boombox? Most businesses call for a blog that errs on lighthearted, fun, and entertaining, but experimenting will lead you to which strings to pull.

Map Your Goals, From Small to Big

Again, blogging is part of your content marketing strategy, which supports your business goals. Just like your business, your blog needs a plan; that means baby steps leading to big steps, and then, success. You didn’t just magically have a storefront one day, did you? The pulsing traffic won’t get to your blog in a blink of an eye, either. List goals that you know how to attain now, like setting up a domain, and those that might not have a clear path, but are must-dos, like reaching X amount of email subscribers.

Schedule – And Stick to It

We said this wouldn’t be a grind, right? It doesn’t have to drain and drag you, but it needs structure. It’s easy to let one week pass, and then 7, and then your blog become a barren wasteland of undeveloped ideas. To avoid a meltdown, set aside time for brainstorming, and get the creative juices flowing. Themes, topics, FAQs, pop culture references, everything – write it down. Don’t confuse this with blog vomit. A schedule doesn’t mean an overflow of content creation: as you know, quality over quantity.

Know the Nit and Grit

You have the creativity, but you also need to know the technicalities of it all. And we don’t mean just knowing how to push ‘Publish.’ For content backed with the best, your blog needs credible sources, rich visuals, graphics, and video. Two crucial must-haves that will bring it to the big leagues are optimization for SEO and mobile friendly, always.

Just like starting a business, the integration of a blog into your content marketing strategy takes time, effort, elbow grease, and lots of coffee to really make it work. Don’t be afraid of the uphill climb. Experiment, make it yours, and you will thrive. Got tricks up your sleeve? Share below.