We all know that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step; as a business owner, you’ve probably written the book on it.

But when it comes to starting a blog for your business, writing your first post can feel less like a single step and more like a mile-wide long-jump.

Maybe you’ve got a decent idea of what you want to say, but you’re not sure how to say it? Or you were halfway through writing when perfection paralysis struck?

Understandably “Start the blog” can easily fall further down the to-do list as client deadlines and business admin take priority.

Hiring a copywriter could solve the problem, but maybe you’re not in the position to do that just yet.

So, how do you start writing your first blog post?

You don’t need to start at “In the beginning…”

You may be writing The First Blog Post but your opening number doesn’t need to be a smash hit.

Pretend you’ve already got ten posts up on your blog and begin with a more general topic. You can always go back and add a ‘Welcome to my blog’-style post later.

Zoom in to find your point of view

When it comes to subject matter, it’s much easier to write about specifics.

E.g. Instead of a personal trainer writing about the ‘benefits of exercise’, they could focus on how endorphins released during exercise support good mental health.

Sod the minimum word count

A blog post doesn’t need to be War and Peace to make an impact. 150 words are infinitely better than zero.

Write about one thing you’ve learned that week, a reaction to another piece of content, or a look ahead to a new project you’re excited about.

Do not sod the maximum word count

Don’t sell yourself short by making your post too long. If it’s over 600 words, consider breaking it up into multiple posts or ask a friend to wield the proverbial red pen and help you trim the fat.

If in doubt, write a list

There’s a reason that listicles are always flitting across our social media dash; they’re fun to read, easy to write, and offer immediate value to the reader. Top tip: Write the list first and the opening and closing paragraph afterwards.

 

It probably won’t shock you to learn that I’ve applied every single one of these tips to writing this blog post – and hey, it’s turned out rather nicely.

And if you still need a little something extra to kickstart your copy, here’s a final, fool-proof tip: get someone else to do it for you.