Block or Ad Hoc? What’s your approach to your blog?
If you’re thinking, "OMG my poor old abandoned blog where do I start??", you're in the right place...
Blogs have become an integral part of our online experience, serving as a powerful medium for individuals and businesses to share information, express opinions, and engage with their audience.
When it comes to creating content, bloggers often face a crucial decision: whether to follow a structured approach through block blogging or take a more spontaneous route with ad hoc blogging.
In this blog post, we'll explore the benefits of both styles and delve into why block blogging might offer a more strategic and sustainable approach.
Block Blogging: Building a Foundation
What's the best thing about block blogging?? You get it all out of the way!! It's like building a library. A reference tool. Somewhere you can store answers to all those pesky FAQs - and direct customers to, in real time, in real life! Simples.
What does block blogging look like? Recent projects I've completed include a series of people blogs for a big tech company, which involved interviewing 25 of their people around the world and transforming those interviews into compelling career development stories. Another was for a design and branding agency who wanted to provide a useful resource for clients that guided them through the complexities of the marketing mix, from designing a logo through building a website to developing an entire brand.
Block blogging offers a range of benefits...
Consistency and Cohesion
Because block blogging involves planning and organizing content in a series of connected blocks or segments, the approach fosters consistency in topics, tone, and style.
Essentially, you're creating a series and providing readers with a cohesive and immersive experience.
Readers are more likely to engage with a series of related posts, as they can anticipate and look forward to the next instalment.
SEO Optimisation
Search engines appreciate well-organised content. Block blogging allows you to target specific keywords across multiple posts, boosting your blog's visibility and search engine rankings.
Internal linking within the series enhances the overall SEO performance of your blog, making it more discoverable and accessible to a wider audience.
Thoughtful Planning
Planning ahead is a key element of block blogging, allowing you to outline your content, ensuring that each block contributes to an overarching narrative or theme.
Thoughtful planning leads to more insightful and valuable content, as bloggers can explore topics in depth and provide their audience with a comprehensive understanding.
But what if you're more of a free and easy spirit? You like spontaneity and working on the hoof and being responsive? You want to build as you go in a dynamically changing landscape??
Ad Hoc is the way to go.
The clients I blog for on an ad hoc basis are responding to current events, operate in a seasonal market place, or they want to talk through recent projects. If your blog is a key part of an active social media strategy, ad hoc is perfect for staying current and relevant.
Ad Hoc Blogging: Embracing Spontaneity
Flexibility and Timeliness
Ad hoc blogging allows for flexibility and spontaneity, making it easier to respond to current events, trends, or breaking news. This style enables you to stay relevant and address timely topics as they arise.
The ability to publish content on the fly can also be advantageous in capturing audience attention and capitalizing on trending discussions.
Authenticity and Personality
Ad hoc blogging often reflects a more personal and authentic style, as you can share immediate thoughts and reactions. This spontaneity can help build a stronger connection with the audience by showcasing the blogger's genuine personality.
Readers may appreciate the real-time insights and unfiltered opinions that come with ad hoc blogging, fostering a sense of transparency.
The Sweet Spot: The Best of Both Worlds
Both block blogging and ad hoc blogging have their unique advantages, and the choice between them depends on your goals, preferences, and the nature of your content.
While ad hoc blogging offers spontaneity and real-time engagement, block blogging provides a structured and strategic approach that can lead to long-term benefits in terms of SEO, consistency, and audience engagement.
Ultimately, depending on your business area, a combination of both styles might offer the best of all worlds, allowing you to maintain a balance between planned content and timely, spontaneous reflections.