Blog posting ideas, or the lack thereof, are a constant source of anxiety for many bloggers. Post topics are especially difficult to find for many business and professional bloggers. If there is no news in the industry in general, or the company in particular, blog posting stress raises its less than pleasing head.
At moments like these, it's time to write a throwaway post.
I can see everyone already recoiling in absolute horror. The very thought of sullying their beautifully written and almost award winning blogs with less than ideal posts is simply too much to bear. Let's pause for a moment while the woe is me swoon phase passes, and we can return to blogging business. Throwaway posts are not what they appear at first glance.
What we are seeking is a post that is within the blog's regular range of topics, yet doesn't require a major committment of time and research to complete. We want a post that almost writes itself in a short period of time. Consider the post a sedative for your blogging anxiety, and something light and tasty for your readership. Note that the concept is already displaying a few surprising benefits. I'll bet you thought it was all about typing a few lines about the appearance of your office doorknobs, or the contents of your lower right hand desk drawer.
While those options may possess some merit, we're seeking something a bit less esoteric. Think in terms of three ways to make your job easier, or why a tidy desk is important to productivity. In other words, look outside of the box. For a business blogger, a discussion of of anything business or workplace related is ideal. It doesn't even have to be a weighty concept, unless you're writing about the importance of paperweights or office door stoppers. The key is to be helpful, interesting, and a bit lighthearted.
One of the most surprising aspects of blogging is the response to your various posts. Some of your thought to be masterpieces of thought, research, and wisdom receive nary a notice. On the other hand, your post about bringing your dog to the office for the day becomes your most linked writing of the year. Predicting post popularity (some gratuitous alliteration there) is not an exact science. I'm not even sure that it is a science, but give the government time and they just might create a grant to cover the research. In any case, the throwaway post might be one of your most popular efforts.
Write about something interesting in your life or workplace. Whether it's the time you forgot your umbrella in a deluge of near Biblical proportions, or how to survive the day with no internet access, your readers will welcome your stories.
Throwaway posts are more personal in nature, and definitely not stuffy or laced with stilted prose. No wonder they are so popular with blog readers.
When out of posting ideas, consider the throwaway. It may catch an entirely new readership for your blog, while easing your sense of blogging anxiety.
