What To Blog About
Previously we’ve covered why your nonprofit should blog and how to set up your blog.
But what should you actually blog about? If you’re going to try to write two or three blog posts a week, it’s important to have at least some idea what this blog is actually about.
Why Should Someone Read Your Blog?
The key point is that you need to do more than just post event notices and requests for donations. If that were the only thing on your blog, no one would read it.
Of course you want to put information about events and giving on the blog, but first you need to appeal to readers. So why should someone want to read your blog?
Are you providing useful and helpful information that will help people in their daily lives? Are you telling them something more about the history of the community they live in? Are you entertaining them with funny stories about the hijinks that can happen behind the scenes of a musical?
Tell Compelling Stories
Once you have an idea of what the blog is about, then it’s easier to start figuring out what each blog post is about. Generally speaking, blogging is like telling lots of little stories that—if someone read all the posts—would add up to one big one story: the story and mission of your nonprofit.
Those stories should be interesting, funny, inspirational, motivational, or touching. They can be about staff, volunteers, donors, the people you serve, or the people you used to serve (but have moved on to do great things).
You can tell those stories through photos, video, or just straight text posts. You can advocate for a cause, or share stats that make a reader think, or just post a link to something interesting a nonprofit like yours in another community is doing.
Other Tips For Good Blogging
Make a document of topics that are important to your nonprofit. Just spent a few minutes brainstorming and get a page of ideas, people, and places that you want to tell readers about. It will be good fodder later if you ever start to feel the well run dry for posts.
And finally, I strongly recommend reading some blogs before you start writing your own. Read some by nonprofits like yours in other communities. Read blogs unrelated to work that area about your favorite passions. You’ll notice very quickly what kind of posts work and what kind doesn’t. Apply it to your own blog post writing!
Recipe for a Great Blog Post
- Tell a good story.
- Use photos whenever possible.
- Spend time making the headline clear and interesting.
- Keep your post short.
- Use sub-headings and frequent breaks for longer posts.
- Call the reader to action (sign up for our newsletter is a good default call to action. Don’t post requests for donations too frequently.)
- Spell check!
Next week: How to Build An Audience!
Cross-posted from SalsaLabs.comPreviously we’ve covered why your nonprofit should blog and how to set up your blog.
But what should you actually blog about? If you’re going to try to write two or three blog posts a week, it’s important to have at least some idea what this blog is actually about.
Why Should Someone Read Your Blog?
The key point is that you need to do more than just post event notices and requests for donations. If that were the only thing on your blog, no one would read it.
Of course you want to put information about events and giving on the blog, but first you need to appeal to readers. So why should someone want to read your blog?
Are you providing useful and helpful information that will help people in their daily lives? Are you telling them something more about the history of the community they live in? Are you entertaining them with funny stories about the hijinks that can happen behind the scenes of a musical?
Tell Compelling Stories
Once you have an idea of what the blog is about, then it’s easier to start figuring out what each blog post is about. Generally speaking, blogging is like telling lots of little stories that—if someone read all the posts—would add up to one big one story: the story and mission of your nonprofit.
Those stories should be interesting, funny, inspirational, motivational, or touching. They can be about staff, volunteers, donors, the people you serve, or the people you used to serve (but have moved on to do great things).
You can tell those stories through photos, video, or just straight text posts. You can advocate for a cause, or share stats that make a reader think, or just post a link to something interesting a nonprofit like yours in another community is doing.
Other Tips For Good Blogging
Make a document of topics that are important to your nonprofit. Just spent a few minutes brainstorming and get a page of ideas, people, and places that you want to tell readers about. It will be good fodder later if you ever start to feel the well run dry for posts.
And finally, I strongly recommend reading some blogs before you start writing your own. Read some by nonprofits like yours in other communities. Read blogs unrelated to work that area about your favorite passions. You’ll notice very quickly what kind of posts work and what kind doesn’t. Apply it to your own blog post writing!
Recipe for a Great Blog Post
- Tell a good story.
- Use photos whenever possible.
- Spend time making the headline clear and interesting.
- Keep your post short.
- Use sub-headings and frequent breaks for longer posts.
- Call the reader to action (sign up for our newsletter is a good default call to action. Don’t post requests for donations too frequently.)
- Spell check!
Next week: How to Build An Audience!
Cross-posted from SalsaLabs.com
