A couple weeks ago we looked at ways for travel businesses to keep their Facebook page updated. It was aimed at hotels, but all travel businesses could find a few nuggets of info in that post.
The process for finding content ideas for your Facebook page is similar to find ideas for your blog.
Today, we’re going to show you the process for writing blog posts for your restaurant’s blog and website.
Why is blogging important?
Blogging can increase traffic to your website through search and social media. You need content on your website in order for search engines to send you traffic. And you need content to share on your website if you want your social followers to visit your website.
Blogging also keeps your website looking “alive”. You don’t want your website to look like it hasn’t been touched in a decade.
You can also use blog content in regular email newsletters to keep customers and subscribers engaged.
Blogging can be a challenge so we’re going to focus on quick posts you can write that are still helpful for your customers. This will earn their attention and trust. That will earn their business.
Here are the steps to take.
Step 1. Brainstorm 100 Ideas (60 minutes)
One of the challenges with blogging is coming up with ideas. I see it all the time, business owners set aside some time each week to blog, but they sit there trying to think of something to blog about.
The best way to get past this barrier is to make brainstorming a separate task. Brainstorm 100 ideas for blog posts right now. Bring an employee into a room with you and start writing down ideas.
At this point, no idea is dumb. Focus on the questions your customers have asked over the last month. Providing quick answers to those questions make great potential blog posts.
Also focus on fun things you can write about your community. Share 3 of your favorite spots to spend your free time or where you eat when you eat something that’s not on your menu.
Find ways to mention complementary business. Mention your favorite newspapers in the area. Mention your favorite place to go see live music.
You probably have a few ideas already. Then you’ll get to 10 and 20. Keep pushing until you have 100 ideas. Use holidays and regular events for inspiration. Look at what others are writing on their blog. Look at what they’re writing on social media.
You can get to 100.
Then find 52, one of each week of the year, and prioritize them.
Step 2. Create A Basic Content Calendar (30 minutes)
Once you have your 52 ideas, put them in a content calendar. This is a basic spreadsheet that really has three columns. You have the Title, Notes and the Publish Date.
You can add more like the day you’ll write the post and who will write it. But you can keep it simple too with just three columns.
Prioritize the ideas, but also put the event or holiday themed posts in the appropriate spots. For example, publish your Christmas post a week before Christmas or even a month before. That means you’ll be writing it two weeks or a month and one week before Christmas.
Step 3. Set Aside Two Half-Hour Blocks Of Time Each Week (60 minutes)
Now set aside some time each week for blogging. Don’t schedule it during times that you’re likely to get a phone call or another distraction that you have to get done. I’ll be watching you.
Schedule it first thing in the morning on a Tuesday and a Wednesday. It will only take 30 minutes to write each post. You already have the idea.
However, you’re only going to schedule 1 post per week. If you write it this Tuesday, schedule it for next Tuesday. If you write again on Wednesday, schedule it for the next Tuesday after the one that already has a scheduled post.
Crazy things do happen so this way you can work ahead and if you’re busy one week you probably will already have a post written. But don’t get into the habit of skipping days. Work ahead of you can.
Again, these are quick blog posts.
Let’s say customers keep asking you where you get your fresh fish each week. Answer that question with about 5 paragraphs or 200-300 words. Tell the story of where it comes from.
That’s a good blog post and shouldn’t take you too long.
Step 4. Delegate The Blogging Task (0-30 minutes per month)
Now, if you really don’t have time to write then you’ll have to delegate the blogging. Ask around your staff to see if somebody on the team has a blog of their own. Chances are you have somebody that is interested in blogging or social media.
Ask them to help you with the weekly blogging. Give them the ideas. Ask them to help with the brainstorming of ideas. Get a calendar setup. Allow them two regular times each week to write and get them started.
They’ll probably have questions and you’ll want to check the posts especially early on, but once they get rolling you might not have to spend much or any time on the blog at all.
Step 5. Share The Posts On Social And In Email
The last step is to share the posts on your social media channels and in your email newsletters. For example, if you have a Facebook page share the post about fresh fish by posting this lead:
A few people have asked where our fish comes from each week. Here is the story:
That will get people curious about what the story is and they’ll clickthrough to your blog.
Conclusion
Hopefully these steps and ideas can help you get the ball rolling with your restaurant’s blog. I really think it is a great way to bring in new traffic and potential customers to your restaurant. My goal here was to provide a quick way to make blogging easy. I know you’re busy and blogging often gets pushed down the priority list.
But for a couple hours each month you can really get some good content and some good engagement.
Give it a try!
Image: John Loo
