How to Write a Great Blog Post in One Hour

How long does it take you to write a blog post? If it’s taking you more than an hour, I’m glad you are here.

Many Virtual Assistants have a hard time writing efficiently, and this often causes them to waste more time than necessary when it comes to blogging.

When it takes you too long to do something, that task often gets pushed aside in favour of other things.

Blogging usually takes a back seat to everything else in a VA business, often because you just don’t feel that you have time to get it done.

What if I told you that you can write great blog posts consistently in just one hour a week?

The key to marketing is consistency.

Blogging is a terrific marketing tool because you can showcase your expertise regularly, and you can also repurpose blog posts easily to create other content.

By developing a proper routine to write consistently, you build a structure that helps you do it more efficiently.

Here is how it’s done:

1. Use a writing template

Create a writing template that helps you follow a process for your writing. I used to type my blog posts right into WordPress, but since I started using a template in MS Word, my blog writing is now a streamlined process that works much better. In your template, you should include things like the article title, publish date, formatting specifics, SEO and keywords, and of course what your call to action is.

2. Choose a few categories

Working with a specific set of categories is key to efficient writing. Choose 4 or 5 topics that you plan to write about on a regular basis. Rotate your articles through these categories so you can plan your writing ahead. To add variety to your blog, simply write in different styles – keeping your topics congruent and interesting to your audience.

3. Keep an organized swipe folder

The one thing that seems to slow VAs down from writing regular blogs is research. You can go down a rabbit hole of research so easily when you sit down to write. Avoid this by keeping a swipe folder of things that you come across in your regular online surfing. Organize it so that you can easily find what you need. If you find an image, quote, font, phrase or statistic you like, save it to model in your own blog. Don’t copy others, but keep your inspiration in one place.

4. Create a content matrix or calendar

When you know what you will be writing about, it is easier to gather the pieces you need to do it. You can use a content matrix (a 4×4 grid with 16 topic ideas in it), or a topic calendar that you use to plan what you will write. Sitting down and trying to think on the spot is hard. Plan for the month ahead and then when it’s time to write you will know the topic and have the pieces ready to go.

5. Set up image templates

Creating images is what slows me down in blogging. I write the articles easily enough but then I can take an hour to make an image. That’s why I suggest setting up a few image templates that make it easy to quickly create something that complements your article. Templates rule! And they save you SO much time.

6. Set a timer for 45 minutes

Once it’s finally time to write, set a timer for 45 minutes. It is a known fact that the more time we give ourselves to do something, the longer it will take. So you have to get used to writing faster and more efficiently. When you have all of the above pieces in place, that is easier. Strive to complete your article in that time. It may be difficult at first, but I promise you, you will get there with practice! (and give yourself 15 minutes to create the image – voila! – a blog post in one hour!)

7. Limit your blog post length

The final reason that VAs struggle with blogs is that they are too long. Logically, the longer your post is, the more time it will take you to write. Try to start with just 400 to 600 words. Write articles like ‘3 Ways to …’. That will help you keep your word count down and develop good writing habits.

A blog post is not meant to be a thesis. Don’t treat it as such. It’s meant to be a short article to share your expertise with your audience.

The more blog posts you write, the more content you will have for your audience.

And the search engines will love you too – by posting updated content regularly, you will be recognized higher in the searches.

It takes practice to get things working efficiently – try it for yourself.

Write a blog post a week for the next 4 weeks using these tips. I think you’ll see that habit developing much faster than you expected!

Note: this blog post is over 900 words and I wrote it in 30 minutes by using these tips. With practice, you can do that consistently too!

If time management is an issue for you, you may need some help with it. If you are running through your day, never taking breaks, or working after hours to complete the tasks of the day, check out my VA Training Vault to get training on time management and a whole lot more.