I rarely create a “must-follow” Twitter list that doesn’t include Arik Hanson. (After all, he was one of the first people I really “met” through social media!) Arik is a brilliant PR pro and industry blogger, so I asked him to share a few of his go-to tips on finding, curating and promoting blog content:
•••
You’ve been blogging for over five years (and we love your posts!). What are some of your best practices for keeping content fresh and relevant?
Damn. Five years? Has it really been that long? I’m not sure I do the best job of keeping content “fresh and relevant”, but here are some simple tips I employ. 1) Take advantage of current events. I write a lot about items that are in the news. Jeff Jones (Target) and his employee-focused post on LinkedIn, for example. Fallon’s Arby’s PR stunt. I write about items in the news all the time. That keeps me relevant and timely. 2) Profiles. From my PR Rock Stars series to case study posts to lists, I always slot at least a few posts a month in this bucket. Beautiful part is these are usually minimal work on my end, as the interviewee ends up doing most of the work 3) Trends and tools. Final bucket and the “meat and potatoes” group. I blog about new tools and trends I see occurring fairly frequently. Could be social media-related. Could be employee comms-related. Could be media relations-related. I try to touch on it all.
Any tips for someone looking to start a blog (or revamp an existing one)?
Don’t do it unless you LOVE to write. I get this question a lot from students. And, that’s what I tell them. Don’t start unless you love to write. And if you don’t love to write, find a different major/profession, because PR is not for you 🙂 Blogging is really just all about writing at the end of the day. If you love to write, you’ll love to blog. I think that’s why I’ve been able to keep my blog going so long. I don’t see it as my “web site.” I don’t see it as “creating compelling content.” I see it as writing. Plain and simple. It’s a creative outlet for me.
How can PR bloggers be smarter about using LinkedIn to promote their content?
I’ve been experimenting with this lately–and watching closely what others do, too. To be honest, all I’ve been doing is cutting-and-pasting my blog posts into LinkedIn using their new publishing tool. Initially, I wasn’t sure how that would be received as I was just copying my blog over to LinkedIn. Why would I do that? Why not just provide a link and get people over to my site? But, I’ve discovered there are a TON of people who want to read, comment and like your posts ON LinkedIn. And, it’s a whole new subset of people. The great thing for me, personally, is it gives me an opportunity to follow up with people via LinkedIn Direct Messages, which can lead to coffee, which ultimately, can lead to a lead. So, a couple months in, for me, LinkedIn Publishing has been a huge new blogging tool.
Lastly, when you get writers block (or just need a brain break!), where do you go to find creative inspiration?
Everyday life, mostly. When I’m blocked, I just make a concerted effort to be more mindful of my surroundings and my day. That sounds kinda weird, but if you pay attention to the details in your day, blog posts emerge pretty easily. Pay attention to the conversations you have with clients and coworkers. Pay attention to the articles you read online. Pay attention to the podcasts you listen to. Pay attention to the discussions you’re having with your friends and family. You might be surprised where inspiration strikes. For example, in the past few months, I’ve found inspiration at: soccer games, in airports, and on a beach in St. John.