5 reasons your business blog has hit a wall

Creating business blog content is a top priority for over 50% of marketers. And with so many benefits, including the ability to reach, engage, and convert leads, you can expect that number to increase in the years to come.

The good news is that any business, regardless of size or industry, can benefit from a business blog. However, there is no guarantee of success. Your blog could one day hit a wall.

Here are five reasons your business blog hit a wall and what you can do to get back on track.

1. No content calendar

A content calendar should not be optional. It is best to make this a mandatory requirement within your organization. Without it, you invite issues like a streaming schedule or duplicate content posting.

A content calendar doesn’t have to be complex. It can be as simple as a Google Sheet with columns for Title, Keyword, Author, and Proposed Post Date.

2. Running out of ideas

In my years of advising companies on how to generate income and traffic from business blogging, I have found this to be the number one reason for failure. When you run out of ideas, one of two things happens: you stop blogging altogether or you stop sharing great content.

Before that happens, make a list of places you can turn to generate ideas:

• Brainstorm with other members of your team

• Check out competing blogs for inspiration

• Use a keyword research tool

Any of these ideas can be all it takes to clear your mind, get out of your funk, and create a topic list you can count on for months to come.

3. Not enough contributors

If you’re the only person contributing content to your business blog, it won’t be long before you hit a wall. This happens for many reasons, such as a lack of ideas (see above) or simply exhaustion.

Here are some places you can turn to find contributors:

• Colleagues (even if they are not part of the marketing department)

• Customers, partners, affiliates or suppliers

• External writers who are willing to submit guest articles

As your list of contributors grows, the amount of content you personally create decreases (or can) decrease.

Related: Here’s How Entrepreneurs Can Write a Powerful Blog

4. Too much focus on one type of content

Creating the same type of content – day in and day out – can lead to burnout and / or writer block. Not to mention the fact that it can get tedious for your audience to read.

Creating various types of content will keep your writing interest alive while keeping your audience coming back for more. These 10 ideas are a good place to start:

• Listicles

• Practical guides

• Interviews

• Infographics

• Personal or brand stories

• Industry news or current events

• Checklists

• Resources

• Quizzes, polls or polls

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

There are definitely specific types of content that you prefer to create. And it’s good. Remember to mix things up every now and then. It is beneficial for you and your audience.

Related: How to Grow Your Blog Like a Startup

5. Lack of time

Even though it’s your full-time job to create content for your business blog, that doesn’t mean time is always on your side. According to Orbit Media, it takes just over four hours to write a typical blog post of around 1,400 words. And that doesn’t take into consideration other tasks, such as searching and editing.

When time is tight, writers tend to take shortcuts. Maybe you reduce your word count. Maybe you skip the proofreading. Maybe you are turning a blind eye to optimizing your content for search engines.

Luckily, there are plenty of ways to combat the time crunch, like creating a rock-solid content calendar and accepting guest posts.

Let these pointers guide you on the path to business blogging success. If your blog hits a wall, stop what you’re doing and recalibrate your strategy.

Related: Why Every Brand Should Have a Blog