Social Media: What’s on your blogging menu?

Blogging for business is both important and challenging. Google's Zero Moment of Truth data reminds us that people are now consulting twice as many online sources before formally “shopping” online and off.

At the same time, studies from the Content Marketing Institute and Marketing Profs on the state of content marketing in both the business-to-consumer and business-to-business sectors consistently rank “creating enough content” among marketers chief concerns.

And while 60 percent of businesses have blogs, only 35 percent update them at least once a month while another 65 percent haven't updated their blog in a year or more.

If you are looking to feed your readers on a more consistent basis, you might consider borrowing some tactics from the restaurant business.

As with a diverse menu, your blog shouldn't rely too heavily on one type of blog post. As Iowa City restaurateur and blogger Kurt Michael Friese notes, “Different people like different things, same as with food, and that's a good thing. Imagine a world where we all ate the same food!”

Just as you need variety on a restaurant menu, you also need to ensure that you're serving up variety on your blog as well.

Here are a few different types of blog posts you can add to your blogging menu:

Instructional Posts

People love reading blogs to learn. Take this opportunity to offer your readers insightful “how to” pieces (such as this one!) that they can read through, bookmark and use to help them through a challenge.

Keep this style of post focused with quick and simple instructions. These pieces are great for numbered headlines, such as “8 Ways to Winterize your Home.”

Opinion Posts

The opposite of a focused instructional post is a long opinion piece. This is your chance to take a contrarian stand on an issue that matters to your industry.

These posts can be longer and should get your attention with bold, edgy headlines, such as, “Why Social Media Sucks.”

Thought-Provoking Posts

Channel your inner-Seth Godin and look for an opportunity to turn convention on its side. Take some time to hone your idea so you can lay it out in a few paragraphs for a medium-sized post.

Not too short but not so long that you say it all. The idea here is to get your readers thinking, too.

Likewise, your title shouldn't let the cat out of the bag, either. Try something cryptic like “The One Thing.”

Comparison Posts

Easy to write and easy to read, this type of post uses the framework of something in pop-culture - a move or TV series - to impart an important lesson. Use this to draw the reader in with a headline such as “What Game of Thrones Can Teach Us About Sales Training.”

Interviews and Guest Posts

Remember, you don't have to do all the work yourself. Change things up and get a blogging break by soliciting guest posts from your community.

If you're afraid of losing your brand voice, you also can accomplish this by sending someone interview questions to answer.

Remember, your blog - like a restaurant - has many different types of visitors. Make sure you have a variety of items on your blogging menu to satisfy the appetites of as many guests as possible.

Bon appetit.