Even copywriters can lose their mojo for their blog

I’ve a confession: this is my first blog post in six weeks. And only my fifth this year.

I know that doesn’t exactly sound like a heinous crime, even for a freelance copywriter. And I very much doubt if anyone has even noticed!

However, when I decided to take the plunge and start my own blog back in May 2014, I set myself the challenge of blogging once a week.

Amazingly I managed to achieve this for the best part of 12 months. But then the slippery slope began…

First it went down to three a month. Then often only two.

So far in 2017 I’ve published a paltry four posts, meaning that my average rate has dropped even further.

Why a blog should be consistent

Apart from my own feeling of failure to meet my personal target, you may well be wondering what’s the big deal?

Well, it’s widely accepted that Google (other search engines are available) rewards regular blog updates with increased exposure in the search results.

Apart from anything else, adding fresh content is a sign that you – and your website – are alive and kicking. It boosts your SEO rankings through the addition of relevant keywords. And it demonstrates your subject knowledge, making you a go-to person in your sector.

Basically, it’s good for SEO and for showing customers that you know your stuff. Plus it’s a great opportunity to show off your writing skills.

So what’s my excuse then?

Even though I know all this – and I’m constantly telling existing and prospective clients about the value of regular blogging – I seem to have lost my mojo for my own blog somewhere along the way.

I could use the excuse that I’ve been:

• Too busy doing paid client work (including blogging)
• Tied up with meetings with prospects and pitching for new work
• Distracted by other stuff (including a family bereavement)
• Out and about networking with other local businesses

These are all contributing factors, but they’re not the reason. If I’m being honest, I’m not entirely sure what is.

Reconnecting with my blog

But I want to get back my mojo back for my blog. And I already feel a bit better having written this one.

I’m certainly not short of ideas for future posts. But they need to be things that I’ll find interesting to both research and write about (as well as hopefully interesting for others to read). So I’m going to revisit my list of blog topics waiting in the wings and cross off any that don’t jump out at me. Quite simply, if they don’t appeal to me, then I know that I’ll find excuses not to write them.

I also need to remind myself that it’s OK to skip a week here and there. Or even a month, if life gets in the way.

And, last but not least, that “done is better than perfect” (Facebook’s oft-quoted motto). This is quite hard for a perfectionist like me to accept, yet I’m going to give it a try…

(image courtesy of Stuart Miles via Freedigitalphotos.net)