Earlier this year, we looked at a few ways to find blogs who welcome submissions from others, as well as the benefits you can receive by writing guest posts. But what about the other way around? Is there any advantage to inviting others to write for your blog?

©Johan Hedengran / Depositphotos

Fortunately, this is one of those situations that’s beneficial no matter which side of the table you’re sitting on!

For starters, hosting guest bloggers allows you to offer your readers a different viewpoint from your own as well as information over and above your own expertise.

When you’re too busy to write, guest bloggers can help you to keep your blog active and free up your time to work on your other projects. Even if time is not an issue for you, hosting guest bloggers will allow you to update your blog more often, which is great for driving traffic to your site and search engine optimization.

In addition, inviting other bloggers to guest post for you allows you to build mutually beneficial relationships. Most guest bloggers are eager to share their posts with their own networks, which exposes your blog to a lot of people who might never have known about it, many of whom may become regular readers or even clients!

I’ve hosted one or two guest bloggers per month for the last three years, and have experienced all of the above benefits.

There are a number of ways to find suitable guest bloggers:

• Ask bloggers from within your own network.
• Approach other bloggers whose work you admire.
• Do an online search for experts in a particular topic you’d like to cover in your blog.

Less labour-intensive approaches include:

• Post a notice on your site inviting readers to contribute to your blog
• Sign up for My Blog Guest and post a request in the forum. (You’ll also have access to a database of available articles and if you see one that’s a good fit, you can request to use it. Unlike publishing content from an article directory like EzineArticles, once you’ve accepted a particular article, it will not be available to others, so you don’t have to worry about the same material appearing on other blogs.)

Of course, you’ll still need to devote some time to corresponding with your guest bloggers and screening their posts to ensure they meet your standards of quality.

No matter how you find your potential guest bloggers, clearly communicating your wants and needs will make it easier for the blogger to decide whether they can fulfill your requirements. This may include:

• Description of your blog and its target audience
• Suggested topics
• Minimum and/or maximum post length
• Timelines
• Whether the author should supply images and, if so, how many
• How many links the author may include in their post and/or bio

Providing the above information up front will also reduce the number of emails back and forth as you hash out the details.

Organized Assistant® provides a range of blogging services to professional organizers, including the coordination of guest bloggers. Please contact me if you’d like more information about this service.

If you’re looking for a guest blogger, please feel free to post your request in the Comments section!

Please visit Your Organizing Business to read and comment on Guest Bloggers: Who, Why and How.

Last week I posted my answers to the social media questions that members of the Halton-Peel Chapter of Professional Organizers in Canada recently asked me. As promised, this week I’m posting the rest of their questions, along with my answers.

©Depositphotos / Vladislav Kochelaevskiy

Blogging

What would be the #1 Social Media tool you would suggest to start with?

The best social media platform for you is the one most used by the people in your target market. Regardless of which one you choose, I strongly believe that a blog should be the hub of all your social media activity. If you devote a lot of time and energy to developing great content for your Facebook page, but all of a sudden Facebook is no longer popular, or your page gets deleted due to some technical glitch, it’s of no value to you. Instead, put all your best content on your blog, where it can remain permanently, and post links to it on your social media accounts.

Is WordPress the best place to blog?

I am a huge fan of WordPress.

Do you post photos onto your blog as well?

Absolutely! Photos not only add visual appeal to your posts, but they make them pinnable on Pinterest. In addition, if there’s an image in your post, a thumbnail will appear when you share a link to your blog posts on Facebook, making it more likely that people will notice it and click on it.

Would you separate your blog from your website? For example, have your business website with your domain and then your blog on WordPress.com?

You can do that, but I highly recommend that you incorporate your blog into a WordPress site on your own hosting account. Because your blog is going to be updated more frequently than your website, that’s what’s going to generate the most traffic. Don’t you want those readers to be as close to the information about your services as possible?

Do you have to pay for using WordPress?

Not exactly. WordPress.com is a free service, but you are limited to the design themes and features they offer. If you want to customize a theme or use your own domain name, you have to pay for a premium account.

Self-hosted WordPress (often referred to as WordPress.org) is free software, but it needs to be installed on a hosting account, which you have to pay for. It is much more powerful, allowing you to choose from a much broader selection of design themes, or even to have your own custom theme designed, and offers a lot more bells and whistles.

For a more detailed explanation, refer to my Website Owner’s Guide for Non-Techies.

What do you blog about?

The possibilities are endless, but here are a few suggestions:

• The organizing products you use most often
• Organizing books you’ve read
• Answers to questions people have asked you in workshops, emails, or consultations

For additional content ideas, check out:

• Blog Energizer’s Blogging Calendar & Planner (free download)
• Professional Organizers Blog Carnival monthly themes
• Blog Post Ideas plug-in for WordPress (free with any WordPress Package from Organized Assistant®

I don’t want to give away too much of my knowledge. What would stop people from using the information and  organizing themselves?

Don’t be afraid to demonstrate your expertise! Yes, people hire you because of what you know, but it’s not the only reason. Many people lack the time, energy, or interest to carry out a major organizing project on their own.

Michelle Shaeffer wrote an excellent post about this very topic: Overcoming Secret Blogging Fears: If I Give Away My Secrets and No One Will Hire Me

Email Marketing

Do you send out Newsletters?

I don’t do a traditional newsletter, but I do have a mailing list through which people can receive my blog posts by email.

What tool do you suggest?

I really like MailChimp. It’s free if you have less than 2000 subscribers, and you can email them as often as you like at no extra charge. It’s also one of the easiest email systems I’ve ever used.

How does  MailChimp make money?

They charge for people with 2000 or more subscribers. If you use the free service, you have to put the MailChimp branding in it, but if you get a paid account, you can remove it. There are also other features available for a small fee.

Can you set up both Newsletters and a blog through MailChimp?

Yes, you can. I have one client who sends out a quarterly newsletter in addition to a monthly summary of her blog posts.

How do you get people sign up for your Newsletter?

You can put a sign-up box on your website and on your Facebook page.

Do you help others to create newsletters?

Yes, I do. In fact, I started offering VA services when I was a professional organizer and another POC member asked me to set up a newsletter for her. I help by designing templates, setting up mailing lists, editing and formatting content, and setting up RSS-to-email campaigns.

Virtual Assistants

What do Virtual Assistants do?

This virtual assistant focuses mainly on blogging – including everything from WordPress installation and theme design (for both websites and blogs), developing an editorial calendar, proofreading and formatting posts, sourcing images, ghost writing – anything to help you promote your business through your blog!

How do you charge for your services?

For new blogs and websites, I charge by the project. For other services, I offer hourly packages which are good for up to a year.

Websites

Would you use Go Daddy for building a website?

I don’t recommend using any site building software that is offered by a hosting company. Aside from the limitations, if you decide to change web hosts, there is no way to transfer your site to the new service, so you basically have to start over again from scratch.

Do you know anyone who can help your website to be on the top in web searches?

I am very skeptical of anyone who claims they can get you top ranking in the search engines, as there are just too many factors. Furthermore, with personalization of search results, different sites come up for different users, depending on their browsing history. The best thing to do is keep adding new content to your site, using the keywords that your target market is most likely to enter in the search box.

Other

Do you find QR Codes useful?

I have very little experience with QR codes, but I follow Stephanie True Moss on Twitter, and that’s all she tweets about.

Would you have any comments of benefits and ways of using YouTube?

That’s also beyond my area of expertise, but I know that video is becoming more and more important as a marketing strategy. If you’re interested in speaking engagements, it’s a good way to let people see you in action. Many organizers use it to demonstrate specific organizing products or techniques.

Big thank you to Chapter Secretary Blanka Smetana of Tidy Corners for diligently writing down all of the questions, and to Program Coordinator Michelle O’Sullivan of Saving Spaces for inviting me to speak.

If you have anything to add to my answers, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment! And if you have a question of your own you’d like me to answer in a future blog post, I’d love to hear from you as well.

Please visit Your Organizing Business to read and comment on More Online Marketing Q&A.

In last week’s post, I gave you 6 Reasons to be a Guest Blogger. Now that I’ve (hopefully) convinced you that it’s worth your while, this week I’ll keep my promise of letting you know where you can find potential hosts, and how to approach them.

1. Your Organizing Colleagues

If you know other professional organizers who blog, ask them if they would be interested in having you as a guest – you can even offer them the same opportunity in exchange! If you’re concerned about sending potential clients to your competition, talk to someone in a different region or who offers different services than you.

To connect with other organizers who blog, see who has been participating in the Professional Organizers Blog Carnival or join the Organized Bloggers group on Facebook.

2. Just Google It!

You probably use Google to find information about everything from where to buy comfortable dress shoes to how to install shelving in a closet, and it can be equally useful when searching for blogs who welcome posts from guest bloggers. Simply enter “be a guest blogger” in the search box, and you’ll get millions of matches. To narrow it down, add another keyword to your search, e.g. “be a guest blogger” productivity or “be a guest blogger” organizing.

3. Sign up for My Blog Guest

It only takes a few minutes to sign up for this free service. Once you’re a member, you can search the database for blogs that might be a good fit for you, check out any blogs of interest, and get in touch with the owner through the private messaging system. There’s also a message board where you can let others know what you have to offer in terms of expertise.

This service is also useful if you’re looking for guest bloggers, but that’s a story for another day!

No matter where you find a potential host blog, take the time to check it out and make sure that:

• the blog is good quality and one you will be pleased to be associated with
• the audience is a good fit for you
• there actually is an audience – look at Alexa for traffic statistics, and check the blog itself for comments and other signs of engagement

Once you’ve decided that you’d like to write a guest post for a particular blog, there is a right and wrong way to approach the owner.  In some cases, you can submit your post through an online form, but in others you must go through a screening process first. Always check the blog for any submission guidelines, and follow them to a tee.

When contacting a blog owner about writing a guest post, introduce yourself but instead of making it all about you, focus on how your post will benefit their audience. Provide a link to your blog so they can get a sense of your writing style.

It’s a good idea to have a few posts pre-written before you make contact, and suggest some topics for them to choose from. Keep in mind, however, that in most cases guest posts should be original content, and not just a reprint of something you’ve already published on your own blog or that is readily available on article directories such as EzineArticles.

I have a number of guest bloggers lined up for Your Organizing Business, and look forward to welcoming my first guest for 2012 this Thursday. Feel free to contact me if you’d like to be considered as well!

Please visit Your Organizing Business to read and comment on How to Find Great Guest Blogging Opportunities.

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’ve probably noticed that once a month or so, I welcome a guest blogger. It’s usually a professional organizer, but may be anyone who is able to share some insight on a topic of interest to my audience, often one I don’t feel qualified to cover myself. In fact, guest blogging is quite popular throughout the blogosphere.

© Zsolt Biczó - Fotolia.com

Perhaps you’re wondering why someone would go to all the trouble of writing something, just to give it to someone else to post on their blog. Unless they’re being paid for their work, you might think they’d be better off publishing it on their own blog, but there are actually many benefits to guest blogging. Here are a few:

1. Reach a Broader Audience

According to one of our polls, attracting new readers is the biggest challenge faced by many bloggers. Being a guest blogger for someone with a similar target audience to your own is an excellent way to get your name and your expertise in front of a bunch of potential new readers.

2. Grow Traffic to Your Own Blog

As a guest blogger, you will normally be allowed to include a brief bio and link to your own blog, so those who find your post of value will often click through to learn more.

3. Grow Your Subscriber Base

Once those new readers have landed on your site, there’s a good chance they’ll become subscribers, provided that your blog is engaging. You’ll find lots of tips on Your Organizing Business to help you make sure your blog represents you and your business as effectively as possible.

4. Improve Your Search Engine Positioning

Although Google keeps changing the factors it uses to determine where your blog will appear in the search results, backlinks from related sites remain very important. Social sharing now plays a role as well. Since blog posts tend to be shared frequently on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sites, a guest post on a popular blog may benefit you more than a listing on an infrequently accessed directory site.

5. Build Relationships

Guest blogging is a type of joint venture, where both parties receive something of value. While the guest blogger receives the benefits listed in this post, the host has an opportunity to take a break from writing and give their readers another point of view.

6. Write About Something Different

Ideally, your blog is written for a specific audience – your target market – but you have a wealth of knowledge that goes far beyond what they would find useful. Guest blogging allows you to put on a different hat and explore another topic. Many of my guest bloggers have done just that, such as when Janice Russell shared her Secrets to Growing Your Organizing Team. I did the same thing recently when I wrote a guest post on Paper-based Tools for Organizing Your Job Search for Promotion Career Services.

I plan to talk about ways to find guest blogging opportunities in a future post, but for now, why don’t you consider writing something for Your Organizing Business? I would especially love to hear from someone who is actively using Google+ or Pinterest as a marketing tool, but would welcome other topics of interest to professional organizers as well. Please contact me and let me know what you have in mind and we’ll go from there.

Have you ever been a guest blogger? Did you find it beneficial? Please share your experience (and a link to your post, if you like) in the Comments!

Please visit Your Organizing Business to read and comment on 6 Reasons to be a Guest Blogger.

With 2011 drawing to a close, it’s time for something that’s become an annual tradition here at Your Organizing Business. For my final post of the year, I’d like to acknowledge the many professional organizers and other supporters who have shared their time and expertise with my readers in some way.

The following individuals contributed as guest bloggers or participated in a blog interview this year. Simply click on their names to read their posts.

• Linda Samuels
• Kerry Rego
• Michelle O’Sullivan
• Lelah Baker-Rabe
• Janice Russell
• Ellen Delap
• Julie Stobbe
• Lisa Montanaro
• Margot McClelland

The Professional Organizers Blog Carnival has continued to grow in popularity, with a total of 191 posts submitted by 61 professional organizers, including seven new Professional Organizers Blog Carnival Star Bloggers. A big thanks to:

• Ellen Delap
• Audrey Cupo
• Linda Samuels
• Ramona Creel
• Deb Lee
• Elaine Shannon
• Clare Kumar
• Jane Veldhoven
• Lisa Montanaro
• Tracy Hoth
• Jeri Dansky
• Julie Bestry
• Nancy Borg
• Geralin Thomas
• Janine Adams
• Lauren Giammarco
• Lelah Baker-Rabe
• Master Cruz
• Natalie Conrad
• Pauline Wiles
• Rivka Caroline
• Sue West
• Angela Esnouf
• Barbara Tako
• Jane Woolsey
• Janice Russell
• Jonda Beattie
• Leslie Josel
• Michelle Panzlaff
• Stephanie LH Calahan
• Debbie Pendell
• Hazel Thornton
• Heather Burke
• Hellen Buttigieg
• Jacquie Ross
• Janet Baker
• Laura Wittmann
• Paul H. Burton
• Shelley Molitor
• Alys Milner
• Ann Acquaviva
• Anne Blumer
• Deanne Kelleher
• Debbie Stanley
• Jacki Hollywood Brown
• Jennifer Crutchfield
• Jodi Granok
• Kate Brown
• Kimberly Eagles
• Krista Colvin
• Kristin Lindstrom
• Laura Lawrence
• Linda Vanderkolk
• Linda Williams
• Lurlene Anderson
• Margaret Lukens
• Margarita Ibbott
• MaryJo Monroe
• Michelle O’Sullivan
• Oksana Bellas
• Sheri Bruneau

With such a wealth of information and industry contacts at your fingertips, I hope you’ll spend a little time reading or re-reading their posts, leaving some comments, and expanding your online network.

I know that many of you support this blog by leaving comments and/or sharing your favorite posts by email or social media, and your efforts are appreciated as well.

As you prepare your Blogging Plan for 2012, you may find the following resources helpful for generating content ideas:

• 2012 Blogging Calendar & Planner (free download)
• Professional Organizers Blog Carnival monthly topics for 2012

And if you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to Your Organizing Business by RSS or email for lots of ideas for your blog and other aspects of your business!

Have a happy and prosperous new year!

Please visit Your Organizing Business to read and comment on A Shout-out to Our 2011 Supporters.

I’ve heard a number of organizers say “I just don’t have time to blog,” but often, half the battle is planning ahead. Deciding in advance what you’re going to blog about will give you an opportunity to think about how you’re going to address a particular topic, and to write at least some of your posts ahead of time.

© Alexandr Mitiuc - Fotolia.com

The key to successful blogging is to continuously create compelling content, and with a new year just around the corner, now is the perfect time to begin working on your editorial calendar, so I’d like to share a few helpful resources.

Blogging Planner & Calendar

A great way to get started is to download your free Blogging Planner & Calendar from Blog Energizer. The 2012 planner has a full page for each week with a grid for you to schedule your posts as well as blog-related emails and promotional activities and other notes. Each weekly page also includes special dates that might inspire a blogging idea, such as Clean Out Your Computer day (February 13), Simplify Your Life Week (first week of August) and Procrastination Awareness Month (April), as well as a blogging tip, like

Improve your titles. Add specific info – like price, time investments, results – instead of generalizations.

Throughout the Blogging Planner & Calendar, you’ll also find full-page articles to help you with a particular aspect of your blog, such as “Growing Your Traffic.”

This has been one of my favorite blogging resources for several years, and I encourage you to download a copy.

Blog Post Ideas plug-in for WordPress

If you have a self-hosted WordPress blog (if you don’t, we need to talk!), you can install this plug-in, also from Blog Energizer. You’ll find it especially valuable if you like to draft your posts right within your blog dashboard, because each time you go to create a new post, you’ll be presented with a topic idea. You can configure it to display topics related to home, business, and/or health, depending on the focus of your blog.

You can purchase the Blog Post Ideas plug-in for WordPress for only $4.00, or receive it free with any WordPress Package from Organized Assistant®.

Other Sources of Blogging Ideas

There are entire blogs dedicated to inspiring bloggers and other writers. Here are a few that offer topic ideas:

• Daily Blogging Ideas
• For Bloggers by Bloggers
• The Daily Post
• Daydreaming on Paper
• Plinky

If you think about it, your daily life is probably filled with things you can blog about! Consider the following questions:

• What have people asked you in workshops, emails, and consultations?
• What have people in your target market posted in forums or on social networks?
• What organizing products do you use or recommend most often?
• Do you work with complementary service providers? Who are they and what do they do?
• What organizing books have you read lately? How about other books that might be useful or inspiring to your clients?

The possibilities are endless!

Still feeling overwhelmed? Contact me for a free consultation. I help a number of professional organizers with their blogging strategy, and would love a chance to speak with you to explore ways we can work together for your blogging success in 2012.

Please visit Your Organizing Business to read and comment on Develop Your Blogging Plan.

Do you sometimes feel like you’re just churning out articles week after week, looking for new ways to say the same old thing? Maybe you’re in a blogging rut! Although there’s a lot to be said for consistency, doing something a little different will spice things up for you and your readers alike.

There’s no rule that says all of your blog posts have to be in the same format. Here are 10 ideas for you to consider:

1. Create a game for your readers to play, like Geralin Thomas did in Hoarders Quiz: How Well Do You Know A&E’s Hoarding Experts?
2. Share one of your favorite quotes, like Monica Ricci did in Quote: Who are they?
3. Post a photo that speaks for itself, like Marcia Francois did in Wordless Wednesday – neat stack of clothes
4. Embed a video, like Elaine Shannon did in Admin Day – Dealing with the Dirty Dozen
5. Announce an achievement, like Lisa Montanaro did in Lisa Montanaro Chosen as Moderator of Golden Circle Ask the Organizer Panel for 2012 National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) Conference
6. Compile interesting content by others, like Julie Bestry did in Paper Doll Organizing Carnival: The Inaugural Edition
7. Ask your readers a question and share their answers, like Stephanie Calahan did in Creative Uses for 3M Post It Notes
8. Profile a colleague, like Krista Colvin did in The Organizer’s House… featuring Clare Kumar
9. Invite someone to be a guest blogger, like Heather Burke did in Monday Guest Post: Karen Donaldson
10. Host a contest, like Laura did in Menu Plan Monday – Oct 31/11 + Giveaway

If you’re stumped for topics to blog about, check out our new Blog Post Ideas plug-in for WordPress and get 540 ideas for less than a penny each!

Please visit Your Organizing Business to read and comment on Bored of your Blog? 10 Ways to Spice Things Up.

When we asked our readers to identify their biggest blogging challenge, the number one answer was “attracting readers.” It can be very discouraging to spend valuable time researching a topic and writing what you think is an amazing post, then to get no comments, retweets, or other indications that anyone even read it. Sometimes it’s enough to make you wonder why you’re blogging at all!

Before you throw in the towel, ask yourself the following questions.

1. Do you blog strategically?

Is your blog about you and your interests, or do you consider the type of information that your target market is looking for? When you answer your ideal client’s most pressing questions, using terminology they can relate to, you stand a much better chance of them finding your blog and sticking around to read it.

2. Do you read and comment on other blogs?

Do you know what blogs are popular with your target audience? If not, find out! If you do, make a point of reading them as well. Leave comments that demonstrate your subject knowledge, without giving a sales pitch. Most blogs allow you to include a link back to your own blog, and people who see value in your comments will often  click through to explore what you have written.

3. Do you take advantage of social media?

After you’ve spent time and effort to write a new blog post, don’t just put it up there and hope someone notices! Promote your blog posts on Facebook, Twitter, and any other social media sites that are popular with your target audience. Even if you only use Facebook to stay in touch with friends and family, it’s a great way to make sure they’re aware of what it is that you do and how you can help the people they know. Make it easy for others to promote your content by taking advantage of one or more of the many social sharing tools that are available.

I’ll be expanding on these strategies and more in my session on Blogging: Beyond the Basics at the POC 2011 National Conference in Toronto this November, and I hope to see you there!

In the meantime, please let me know how I can help you with your blogging strategy.

What is YOUR biggest blogging challenge?

Please visit Your Organizing Business to read and comment on 3 Ways to Attract Readers to Your Blog.

The more time readers spend on your blog, the more opportunity you have to make a lasting impression. To keep people on your blog longer, you need to ensure that they can find the information that interests them, quickly and easily. With that in mind, I’ve developed a questionnaire to help you determine how effectively your blog is organized.

© Tetiana Zbrodko - Fotolia.com

Do you use Categories to organize your posts? If yes, score 2 points.

Categories act as a Table of Contents to your blog. Unlike a book, where related information is organized into chapters, you might blog about a certain topic several times over the span of many years. Organizing your posts into clearly defined categories will help readers find those posts with little effort.

Do you have more than 12 Categories? If yes, deduct 1 point.

Instead of being a helpful guide to your blog, a lengthy list of categories can be overwhelming and make it difficult for readers to decide where to go next. Categories should be fairly broad with minimal overlapping. If a post fits under three or more different categories, you probably have too many.

Do you use Tags to organize your posts? If yes, score 2 points.

If Categories are your Table of Contents, think of Tags as your index. Here’s where you can get really specific. It’s not unusual to have hundreds of tags on one blog, so you probably won’t want to display a list as you do with Categories. What’s more customary is a tag cloud, or a list of tags on each post which are linked to other posts with those same tags, as seen on this blog.

Do you display your Blog Archives by date? Sorry, you don’t get any points for this one.

Archives by date have very little value to the reader. How likely is it that someone will go to your blog wanting to read that post you published last May? Unless it’s related to a specific event, it’s not likely at all. Do you even remember when you wrote your own posts?

Do you show a list of Related Posts on each of your posts? If yes, score 2 points.

WordPress and other popular blogging platforms offer a number of options for displaying posts which may be similar to the current one. The nRelate plug-in, which I use on this blog, allows you to customize how and where your related posts appear, in a number of different ways.

Does your blog have a Search function? If yes, score 4 points.

This, in my opinion, is the most important feature of all. People today are very busy and have very short attention spans. If someone is looking for specific information, they don’t want to have scroll through pages of your archives just to find out whether you’ve ever covered that topic in your blog. A search box will let them locate wherever you’ve used a specific word or phrase, regardless of how you’ve categorized or tagged your posts.

How did you do? What steps might you take to improve your score?

Please visit Your Organizing Business to read and comment on Is Your Blog Well-Organized?.

The world is full of ideas and information you can use on your blog, but you don’t always have to work hard at coming up with a topic, and then spend even more time researching it. If you’ve ever completed any of the following projects, take a look at them – you just might be surprised at the wealth of material you have on hand!

© gunnar3000 - Fotolia.com

Articles

If you’ve written articles for your own newsletter or for other print or online publications, you may be able to re-use them on your blog. A short article can probably be reproduced as is, or with just a few updates, whereas longer articles can possibly be split into two or more separate blog posts with minor revisions to add an appropriate introduction and conclusion to each.

Seminars, Workshops and Presentations

If you do any public speaking, you’ve already spent many hours researching your topics and preparing your speaker notes. If the information is of interest to a live audience, it’s sure to be equally useful to your blog readers. A short presentation contains enough material for at least one blog post, and longer sessions might become the basis for an entire series, spread out over a longer period of time.

Any handouts that you’ve created can likely be crafted into blog posts as well.

Books and E-books

If you’re the author of a book or an e-book, why not share an excerpt on your blog? In addition to providing your readers with some valuable information, you may find that people are more inclined to make a purchase when they have a good feel for what to expect.

Videos

Watching video is becoming one of the most popular online activities. According to comScore, Inc., 172 million U.S. Internet users watched online video content in April for an average of 14.9 hours per viewer. If you’re taking advantage of this trend by creating how-to videos and posting them on YouTube or other video sharing websites, there’s no reason you can’t post those same videos on your blog.

Video Showcase, a component of the Display Buddy collection of premium WordPress plug-ins, allows you to display thumbnail images of YouTube and Vimeo videos on your blog, which are clickable links to the videos themselves. If you’d prefer to embed videos directly in your posts, check out the VidEmbed plug-in.

Not all readers will be willing to take the time to sit and watch a 10 or 15 minute video, so you might consider including a text version in your post as well.

Audio

Have you ever delivered a teleclass or been a guest on someone’s podcast? Do you have a recording of it? That could also be great material for your blog, whether you use the whole recording or a selected excerpt. As in the case of video, you may want to include a text version for the benefit of those who prefer to read than to listen.

These are just a few sources of material you’ve created that you may be able to repurpose for your blog. What others can you think of?

Please visit Your Organizing Business to read and comment on 5 Sources for Blog Content You Already Have at Your Fingertips.