I’ve hardly blogged at all in 2025. Ok, that’s not strictly true. While there hasn’t been much demand for website copy this year, my done-for-you, long-form content creation service has been very popular. Every month, I’ve been writing at least 10 blog posts for my retainer clients, helping them slowly and strategically build a library of high-quality, effective content. It’s a shame I haven’t managed to do the same for myself because they’ve had some incredible results!
‘I just wanted to let you know I had a client enquiry from literally the other side of the country. I asked them how they found us and they said they just googled ‘trauma therapy’ and my website came up. This has to be the blog and its impact on SEO. How awesome is that, thanks to your amazing words!’ – Shelley Bradley-Scholey, Fortitude Psychological Therapy
So, Where Have I Been?
There are a few reasons I’ve struggled to show up here in 2025. My working routine has had to shift and change a lot this year. Supporting Jesse through his GCSEs was more demanding than I thought it would be. Once we’d made it out the other side, he began the longest summer holiday of his life so far! Since starting college in September, he’s only out of the house two and a half days a week. Granted, it’s not as disruptive as having small children around, but it’s definitely had an impact, and I feel like I’m still finding my feet.
On top of this, my physical health has been even ropier than usual this year, and I’ve also been navigating some mental health challenges. Sometimes the best business decision you can make is to remove certain tasks from your to-do list. I’m never going to let a client down, but I can give myself permission to press pause on my own blog when I need to.
Why Blog for Your Small Business?
After all these years, I still believe blogging is one of the most powerful marketing tools at our disposal. It allows you to connect with existing and potential clients in a much deeper way. You can only say so much via things like an Instagram caption or a 60 second reel.
When you write and publish a blog post, you’re multi-tasking. You’re simultaneously updating your website, giving people a reason to visit, and working on your SEO by including relevant keywords in your posts. You’re also providing social proof for potential clients, building the Know/Like/Trust factor with your audience, and positioning yourself as an expert in your industry.
Blog content is content with longevity. There are posts I published many years ago that continue to send traffic to my website. I can’t say that about anything I’ve shared on Instagram. It’s one of the reasons I felt comfortable taking a break. My blog is still working hard for my business, even when I’m resting. You’re also creating content you can repurpose and repromote indefinitely on multiple platforms.
Why Are Blogs So Easy to Neglect?
Intentionally pressing pause is one thing, neglecting your blog is another. It’s easily done though.
Blogging is a long game. It takes time to create content and see results. I think we’ve become so used to receiving instant feedback and validation on platforms like Instagram, blogging now feels… less exciting maybe? Blog posts rarely go viral and they’re unlikely to give you the same kind of dopamine hit as a popular post on social media.
Publishing long-form content also requires more focus, concentration, and headspace. Even the most accomplished writer would struggle to produce 1000 words while cooking dinner or bathing their children, but we’ve all managed to pen an Instagram caption under similar circumstances.
Can’t AI Just Blog for Me?
Technically, yes. But that doesn’t mean it will be any good. High quality, long-form written content feels authentic and human. It’s written how people think and speak. It’s also engaging, accurate and inclusive. For now, AI still struggles with these things.
Creating content is about connecting with your audience. They want to know what you think, not what AI thinks you think. As more and more people come to rely on AI for content creation, the best way to stand out online will be to make sure your personality and unique perspective shines through in your writing. We want personal anecdotes and lived experience, not generic information in the form of word salad!
Personally, I still enjoy using my own brain to create something from nothing. However, if you’re not in a position to outsource blogging to a copywriter like me, I can understand the appeal of AI and the time it can potentially save. For now, if you want AI to play a part in creating content for your blog, I recommend using it to brainstorm ideas or create a rough outline to work from. I promise you can do the rest, and your content will be better for it.
How to Get Back to Blogging for Your Small Business
I’m determined to get back to blogging once a month. Here’s how I intend to do it…
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Make a Plan
Whether you’re writing for a blog, your mailing list, or a Substack publication, I’d always encourage you to create a content plan. Make sure it’s achievable. Be realistic about the type of content you can create and how often. Commit your plan to paper or use your preferred digital planning tool to stay organised.
When you’re coming up with ideas, use what you’ve already created as a jumping off point. Maybe you’ve got old emails or digital resources you could repurpose. If you’ve been showing up consistently on Instagram, perhaps you could expand on a popular post, including extra information to add value. You rarely need to start from scratch. In the process of writing this post, I’ve revisited an old episode of the podcast and mined some workshop slides for ideas.
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Keep it Simple
Blogging is actually lots of little tasks. Some elements are more time-consuming than others. It can be helpful to break these down and batch the work involved. For example:
1. Photography/image sourcing/graphic creation.
2. Research and planning
3. Writing and editing
4. Uploading/formatting post
5. Promoting and sharing your post on social media/your mailing list
Organising your ‘raw materials’ is another way to keep things simple. This might look like creating a dedicated folder for potential blog photos, creating templates in Canva so you can easily produce a graphic, or keeping a running list of content ideas in your Notes app.
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Make it a Priority
Outside of my recent blip, the only way I’ve been able to blog consistently for my small business is to treat this marketing activity like client work. I add it to my monthly list of tasks and allocate time in my schedule accordingly.
This post contains over 1200 words. That doesn’t just happen! I had to set the intention, come up with an idea, carve out time, and concentrate on writing. Now that I’ve done it, I’ve remembered just how satisfying it feels to sit at my laptop and write something I know will benefit my business. I love Instagram, and you can catch me on Stories almost every day, but long-form content has my heart.
- Love Audrey xxx
