21 Tips to Reduce Blog Risk: Don’t Put All of Your Eggs in One Basket

When it comes to your blog, take a cue from the saying “Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.”

Translation: Don’t concentrate all of your efforts and resources on one project.

OR you risk loosing everything!

To reduce blog risk, use a mix of options for each major element of your blog. Here are 21 tips to help you reduce blog risk while improving your blog offering.

21 Ways To Reduce Blog Risk: Don’t Put All Of Your Eggs In One Basket

The best way to reduce blog risk is to improve every aspect of your blog. It diminishes your dependence on any one resource.

1. Reduce Blog Risk: Expand your blog content offering

Unless you’ve got a blog like List25, vary the types of content you offer to maximize audience reach.

Use an editorial calendar to plan posts and content creation. Ideally, include your blog content in your annual content calendar.

1. Align blog topics with search silos. (Hat tip: Bruce Clay) Track blog posts and link internally to related posts.
   

   Content siloes help you to align your content marketing topics – Image

2. Offer different types of content. Use the 5 core content types to keep your calendar filled while achieving multiple goals.
   

   5 Core Types of Content Your Audience Needs

3. Include other media formats. Use different content formats such as photos, videos, presentations and podcasts to add diversity to your blog.
4. Add blog content curation to your content mix. Content curation supports your thought leadership while adding other voices to your blog.

2. Reduce Blog Risk: Include other voices on your blog (START HERE)

Spotlight different people and perspectives on your blog. This broadens your blog’s appeal reducing risk.

5. Create a group blog. Work with  others who have similar points of view on your blog’s topic.  This relieves the pressure to consistently create all of the blog content yourself. For business blogs  it spreads the workload across a few team members.
6. Get influencer input. While this is NOT a guest or influencer post, it adds credibility to your post with authoritative commentary. As Orbit Media’s Andy Crestodina says, “A partner in content creation is a partner in content distribution.” 
   
   “A partner in content creation is a partner in content distribution.” @Crestodina #blogging #contentmarketingClick To Tweet
   Here’s my input for Orbit Media’s Blogging Survey.
   

   Where bloggers blog – Orbit Media Blogging Survey-2017

   

   Influencer input on key question adds expert opinion -Heidi Cohen weighs in on Orbit Media

7. Invite guest bloggers to share their content. If they have blog followings, guest writers attract new readers and give you a respite from publishing deadlines.
8. Tap into the power of your audience. Gather post ideas from your readers for the questions they need answered. Also, use reader generated content as blog posts or input for blog posts. Gini Dietrich gets input from her community for her Gin and Topics column.
   

   Spin Sucks Content Curation gives contributors a shout out and links to them.

   

   Include a request for audience contributions to your curated content in your blog post

9. Interview influencers, authors and customers. Give them the spotlight on your blog. For example, Actionable Marketing Guide interviews authors.
10. Create roundup posts. Done well, roundup posts not only create crowd pleaser content, but also attracts new visitors. For example, Shane Barker got input from 90 influencers.
    

    Example of Influencer Roundup

    

    Example of Heidi Cohen’s Influencer Input in mega roundup

3. Reduce Blog Risk: Extend Your Blog Offline

Use offline options to broaden your blog’s audience to reach people who may not be part of your online following.

11. Write guest columns and articles for offline media. Ideally offer another spin on your subject so that you’re not creating duplicate content.
12. Collect blog articles into a book. Many writers start by testing their key ideas on their blog and add new information such as examples and checklists. Also cite your blog in your bio.
13. Use information from your blog posts in webinars. Use content from your blog in a webinar and cite your blog as a source.
14. Include key points from your blog posts in your public talks and presentations at live events. Present information from your blog in your talk. Include a link to your blog in the presentation footer to drive traffic and credibility.
15. Format and print key posts for distribution via sales, retail or packages. This works best when your content answers questions about your products.

4. Reduce Blog Risk: Keep your blog content up-to-date through content reuse

One of the most effective strategies is to update your existing content to make it the most relevant piece of content on your topic. The beauty of this approach is that it requires less content creation resources.

16. Develop audio (aka: podcast) versions of your blog content.  Expand your reach to people who prefer to get information aurally especially during drive time. Podcasts continue to gain popularity and can be posted on other sites like Apple.
17. Create videos. Become a director and expand your blog reach. Post this content on YouTube to expand reach and searchability. Alternatively only vlog like Amy (Schmittauer) Landino.
    

    Offer videos or blogs like Amy Landino. Tap into the power of YouTube

18. Write guest blogs posts. Expose new readers to your writing. Andy Crestodina recommends the “Evil Twin” blog post to avoid creating duplicate content that is penalized by search. Get involved in your post’s conversation and respond to comments.
19. Take advantage of long form social media like LinkedIn Publishing and Medium. Again don’t post duplicate content.

5. Reduce Blog Risk: Amplify and Distribute Blog Content Over Time

Get the most out of each blog post. Focus on amplifying your reach during the first 3 days and keep it visible over time after that.

20. Make social sharing easy. Include social sharing buttons in your content. I use Social Warfare and PinThis.
21. Use every option to maximize content amplification during the first 3 days post-publication. This sets the bar for later distribution.
    

    Here’s an example of BuzzSumo’s initial amplification

22. Continue to promote your blog posts over time. Vary content distribution methods and presentation to keep it fresh.

The How To Reduce Blog Risk Conclusion

While there’s no one way to develop a successful blog, you can improve your blog’s chances of success with these 21 tactics to reduce blog risk.

When it comes to blogging, attract a broad audience by offering a variety of post types and media content on your blog.

Also allow your blog content to extend beyond your owned media, online and offline.

The bottom line: Reduce blog risk by taking advantage of every opportunity to expand your blog reach.

This includes your blog content and blog post distribution.

Do you have other suggestions to add to this list? If so, please include them in the comment section below.

Happy Easter to those of you celebrating the holiday!

Happy marketing,
Heidi Cohen

Note: While there are bloggers who have or contribute to multiple blogs on a regular basis, this post is focused on what a blogger can do with one blog to diversify his risk.

Photo credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/43o1KVbOWXA cc zero via Annie Spratt