How and Why Basic Content Can Boost Your Blog

I don't know about you, but when I was in school, the first week back always killed me. It was never the early mornings, my friends always made those worth the pain, and it wasn't that I didn't enjoy being in school, I pretty much loved learning new things everyday, sponge-like creature that I am. What pained me was that every time I was away, I would always have to find my feet when I returned, and blogging has a way of reminding me of that feeling everytime the holidays are up and I come back to blogging.

It's like taking a two week holiday, returning to work and not having a clue what you're doing there.
It's like living in another country for three months, coming home and wondering why the food is blue.
It's like returning to your most favourite hobby, taking a seat, and forgetting to pack your mojo beforehand.

It's painful.
It's stressful.

It's the reason you sit there for the hours, a million post ideas within your grasp and not a single word to say.

It doesn't have to be that way. I'll let you in on a secret; when Nanna says that nobody makes them like they did back in the day, she's actually right. Well, most of the time. When it comes to blogging, going back to basics can really make the difference between getting back on the saddle and getting stuck in the mud. Not only can it be your saving grace, but it can also boost your blog, and that's never a bad thing.

So, what are the basics?

Be Passionate

Passion is a bit like personality in that it sells. Some comedians make their big break by being really funny, but most of them sell their humour alongside their personality, and nine times out of ten, that's the deal breaker. The same works with blogging.

The most passionate bloggers tend to put a lot of themselves into their blog, and not always their face. For example, Cait over at Paper Fury is extremely passionate about books and writing, and it shows in her haphazard style of writing throughout her posts, in her enthusiasm and excitement for sharing all things books, and in her beautiful photography wrapping up her entire brand. Her blog screams personality and passion, and because of this, she can sell her content is almost anyone, and it's always very Cait.

If you blog about something you absolutely love, do not be afraid to be narrow down your focus and be passionate about it. If you love to blog, but love designing blogs more, pour your passion and your attention into that one topic. Not only does this give you the motivation and effort to keep your blogging mojo up to speed, but it can also make serious changes to your blog in the long term. Narrowing your topics of interest and being able to share in depth information can easily put yourself out there as an expert, as the go-to guru for a certain problem, or answer, or thought to poke, and the greater established you are in one field, the more people will flock to buy your fool.

Share Your Knowledge

I once wondered whether sharing all our secrets was really a great and grand idea, and once upon a time, I believed that saving some secrets was always the best bet, but having looked at my most popular posts over the last 6 months, it's safe to say I've changed my stance on sharing.

Of ten, six of my top posts of last year involved sharing my skills and knowledge. Some were tutorials, others where just tidbits of my experiences, of things I've learnt and wanted to share. They were my most viewed, most commented on, most shared and most loved posts ever written, and there's a reason that sharing your secrets is actually one of the best things you can do for your blog. Everyone's a gold digger for information, and you my friend are a sugar-daddy.

I know a fair amount about customising Blogspot blogs so they don't look like a 'Blogger Blog' I know a fair amount about creating and editing photography and blog graphics which carry my content and my brand around the internet for me. I know a fair amount about growing, developing and boosting my blog, my statistics and my presence online and in real life, and I share the knowledge with others because I love to teach. You could say I'm pretty passionate about it. Sharing your knowledge, no matter how little, is always a great move in terms of boosting your blog, and it's always a great and grand idea.

Be of Assistance

How many times have you stumbled across an issue and had somebody else be kind and help you out of a tough spot? Maybe you've been short of a few coppers while shopping and somebody has helped fit the bill, or maybe you've had your blog go down and your host provider has had you back up and running in no time, and even showed you how to troubleshoot some of the possible problems yourself, saving you time and stress, and skilling you up the process.

Either way, someone somewhere has helped you at some point, and you've been grateful. Imagine how it would feel to be on the other end, to help somebody in a sticky situation. Maybe they're looking for ways to create beautiful looking graphics for their blog posts, to share on social media and beyond, or their trying to find out the truth behind their blogging statistics and can't get the figures to match. A helping hand can go a long way, and that hand could be yours.

If you know something, and you've got a pretty strong feeling somebody else would want to know it too, then you should type that baby up and share it to the masses. Somebody somewhere is going to appreciate and time and effort you took to solve their problem, and they might even remember you when another problem arises and could check out more advice, more problem solving, more answers. Being somebody knight in shining armour will always boost your blog, and being a helping hand is always a good deed done well.

Draw Attention

The internet has a funny way of being able to direct your attention to numerous places all in one moment of time. Whether it be articles just begging to be clicked on, or promotions encouraging you to check out something, buy something, be a part of something, something somewhere is always vying for your attention, and one of the best things a blogger can do is draw that attention to something else.

No matter your follower count, you can inspire people, you can educate people, you can introduce people to things they never thought possible, but you can also draw their attention to things beside your blog through your blog, and it's one of the most powerful tools you have at your disposal.

For example, I have a Free Blog Planner available for download. 96 pages of blogging organisation, all in one happy, good-looking little bundle, complete with additional book blogging pages, just for that little extra wow factor. It's not a part of my blog, although it is associated with my blog, but with the help of my content, with my internal promoting and linking on my blog, I can draw attention to the product, and boost my blog..

It's one of the reasons I follow some of my favourite bloggers, especially the book bloggers. They draw my attention to books I may have forgotten I loved, or have forgotten I need to read. They might have drawn my attention to a new and upcoming book I would never have found if not for them, or they may have drawn my attention to a series I've been eyeing for a while but never taken the plunge to try. No matter what it is, no matter how they do it, they draw my attention to something, and it's the most easiest, and best way to get your blogging mojo back. Find something you love that you want more people to love, and shout about it, politely.

It's worth remembering that some of the best content can be some of the simplest. You don't have to know everything about something, just one little detail that makes life better for you can make all the difference to someone else. You don't have to know the ins and outs of something, but it doesn't mean you can't promote what you know and how you know it. Now you don't have to feel lost for post ideas or content when you remember to be passionate, share what you know, help out others and draw attention to things. Bet you didn't think it getting back on the saddle would be as easy as that, did you?

Do you struggle to create new content after a break away?