Keeping blogs constantly updated with new content takes work, but you’ll be surprised at how quickly it becomes second nature. City magazine staffs are accustomed to longer-form writing and monthly deadlines. Blogs, with their short posts and quick turnaround time, require writers to switch gears a bit.
Blogging Best Practices
With these tips, you’ll be blogging like a butterfly in no time…
1. Launch just one or two blogs first.
It helps to start out with blogs that correspond to popular sections of your magazine, like Dining or Arts & Entertainment. Once your writers get into the rhythm of keeping up one or two blogs, it’s very easy to branch out and start additional blogs on other subjects.
2. Don’t be afraid of short posts.
The web is best suited to short-form writing—readers surfing the web will lose interest if a post is too lengthy. It’s easy to come up with ideas for blog posts if you think small: a standout dish that you just ate at a new restaurant justifies a post on a Dining blog; a short concert recap is a great post for an Arts blog.
3. Recurring features are your friend.
Weekly features are a great way to keep blogs constantly updated with new content. For example, for a Dining blog, you could run chef interviews every Wednesday or a “dish of the week” feature every Friday. A Shopping blog could feature a “deal of the week.” Weekly features are especially helpful during busy deadline periods or when you’re just low on ideas.
4. Get readers involved.
Encourage comments and run polls and contests on your blogs. Online readers love to contribute and share their own opinions—it’s what makes the Web different from a traditional print publication. Inclusiveness keeps readers coming back to your blog.
5. Be casual.
It is certainly very important to retain the integrity of your publication, but blogs have an inherently different tone than a print magazine. It is appropriate to be more conversational, to write in the first person, and to outwardly ask readers for their opinions and feedback. Online readers expect this more casual tone and are often turned off by blogs that are written too formally.
Sample Blog Schedules
Some blogging should be spontaneous—when there’s news to report, blogs can publish it before anyone else. But to keep a blog constantly updated, it helps to have weekly features planned ahead of time. One recurring feature for each day of the week assures that there’s always new content published on the blog, even on a slow day. View a slideshow with weekly content schedules for three sample city magazine blogs.
Dining Blog
- Monday – Dish of the Week: critics pick a standout restaurant dish to highlight with a photo.
- Tuesday – Q&A with a local chef, restaurateur, sommelier, etc.
- Wednesday – Recipe file: seasonal recipes from local chefs
- Thursday – Dining Deal: highlight a restaurant special or happy hour promotion
- Friday – Wrap-up of the week’s food news
Shopping Blog
- Monday – Sale Alert: Rundown of the week’s shopping sales and specials
- Tuesday – Stores We Love: spotlight on a local boutique
- Wednesday – Splurge vs. Steal: Highlight two similar items at different price points
- Thursday – Local Fashionista: spotlight fashionable individuals on the street with short Q&As about their fashion inspirations
- Friday – Weekend Shopping Trip: Outline a great shopping itinerary for the weekend, spotlight a different neighborhood each week
People/City Blog
- Monday – Where to See and be Seen: Rundown of the week’s best events/parties to attend
- Tuesday – Q&A with a local blogger
- Wednesday – City Photo: post photos of city scenes submitted by readers
- Thursday – Power Player: spotlight an individual making waves in the city
- Friday – Wrap-up of the week’s local news
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