16 tips to create more content for your blog with limited time

One of the main conversations I have with bloggers who want to grow their blogs is around creating more content. I’m a firm believer that the more content you have, the bigger and better your blog will be.

I know there are many bloggers out there who will argue that they have really successful blogs with just 20-30 blog posts, but they are in the minority. Not only is it rare, but many of these bloggers have previously had blogs with hundreds, if not thousands, of blog posts and it was through creating all this content that they’ve learnt what works.

With every post you write you’re going to learn something new – even if it’s something tiny! And every single post you write has the potential to attract a whole new audience and lead to new opportunities.

At the time of writing this post, I have almost 1,400 blog posts on The Travel Hack. Let’s say every single one of those got 100 views a day (which isn’t an unrealistic target!) your blog would get 4.2 million monthly pageviews. And when you’re regularly hitting a million monthly pageviews, well, everything gets so much easier!

Admittedly, it’s taken me over 12 years to write them all and 300 of them were written by other people, but your blog has so much more potential when you have more content!

But the main thing bloggers say to me is that they don’t have time to write more content. They have full time jobs and families, hobbies, friends, homes and a billion other things on their to-do list before they can sit down and write a blog post.

So I’m here today to share some tips to show you how to create more content for your blog.

I’m currently creating all the written content for my blog in about 7 hours per week. This is the only time I get to sit down and write when my youngest child is at nursery. Now I’m not saying I do ALL my work during this time because I’ll often be planning a blog post while I’m in the shower, taking photos during a family walk, researching ideas while I watch TV – but these are all things that can be slotted into your life without taking much time out of your day.

Here are my tips to create more content for your blog with limited time:

#1. Write what you know about

This is such an obvious one but it’s easier to write blog posts about topics you really know about. It’s easier, it’s faster and the internet will love you for it.

As a blogger, you want to become THE expert on a particular topic, and you will do if you’re regularly writing about something you know really well. Most bloggers try to write about a range of topics so they attract a wide range of readers, but you actually need to do the opposite. Write about something really niche and you’ll attract a small but dedicated audience who will turn to you for advice and inspiration. The internet is full enough with people voicing opinions about topics they don’t know much about so don’t be another voice making noise on the internet – be an expert offering information people can’t find elsewhere.

It can actually be surprisingly difficult to realise what we’re experts at. When something is a part of your daily life you can forget that it’s unusual or unique or interesting to others.
I avoided writing about buying a static caravan for years because I thought it was dull and boring and everything I had to say was obvious. I had no idea my static caravan content would be some of my most read posts on the blog! Not only that but I can whip them up really quickly because it’s a topic I know so much about!

Read more: How to find your blogging niche

#2. Don’t stop to check facts

If you need to check facts, don’t interrupt your flow by Googling something. Just leave a gap and come back to it. I usually write ‘xxxxx’ so I don’t forget about my gap and highlight it in red.

If I stop to Google it then there’s a high chance I’ll get sucked into my emails or Instagram or a billion other distractions on the internet and that blog post never gets written.

Read more: How to write the perfect blog post

#3. Turn one topic into multiple blog posts

Let’s say you went to Marrakech for a weekend. You could create:

1. A travel journal
2. A hotel review
3. Your favourite places to eat
4. Your top 10 favourite things to do
5. General travel tips
6. What to pack for Morocco
7. A story from your favourite activity

Not only will this encourage you to elaborate on each topic, but it’s also better for search engine traffic and easier for your readers to find the specific content they’re looking for.

I find it easiest to create all of these posts together (at least in the same week) while everything is fresh and your mind is on this topic and you’ll be able to create each post much faster!

Read more: How I plan my blogging editorial calendar

#4. Write your title and your subheaders first

I start each post by writing my working title and all of my subheaders in a list below. Then when I come to write all the actual words, the structure and ideas for everything are there for me.

Having plenty of subheaders throughout your blog post is good for SEO and most readers appreciate a long post to be separated into easily digestible chunks. And, let’s be honest, most people skim read blogs and will stop to read the bits they find interesting so subheaders are a vital way to tell people where they should stop skimming and start reading!

Read more: Is it worth starting a blog in 2020?

#5. Create your own stock image library

For me, I can write my posts fairly quickly but something that can take forever is finding suitable photos to go with the writing!

It’s really important for me to be able to access my images quickly and easily. Honestly, it took me YEARS to get the hang of this but now it feels like second nature and it’s made my whole blogging process so much faster.

After a trip or a photoshoot, I organise my photos into folders by date and then by activity. I then create a new folder with the best photos and I edit them, rename them and resize them so they’re ready to go on the blog. I store them all on an external hard drive so I’m able to access them wherever I am. 

Read more: How to organise, store and share your travel photos

#6. Do things in batches

Let’s say you were writing all five of these blog posts above. For me, I’d spend one chunk of time writing them, a day taking and editing photos, and then a day uploading them and making sure the SEO is all good for them all. It’s easier to get into the flow of each activity and make better use of your time.

It’s also going to mean you work at the ‘right time’. You don’t need to be sat indoors writing a blog post during daylight hours, you can do that in the evening and use your daylight hours to take all your photos!

Read more: How to continue travel blogging after having kids

#7. Write with a notepad and pen

If you’re struggling to get started then try writing with a notepad and pen. I often do this when I have a half-formed idea in my head but I can’t quite get it down. I’ll write a few paragraphs the old fashioned way and then I find my flow and can move to my computer.

Read more: My travel blogger Q&A

#8. Turn the WiFi off

If you’re constantly getting distracted by social media, notifications and all the shiny things on the internet then here’s an idea….turn the internet off!

Read more: 10 tips for new travel bloggers

#9. Block out an hour a day

If you have lots of responsibilities and find that your blog is always at the bottom of your to-do list then try blocking out an hour each day for your blog. You may need to get up an hour earlier every morning, or go to bed an hour later if you’re a night owl, but try and make it a routine.

If you like the idea of blogging for an hour each morning, check out Power Hour: How to focus on your goals and create a life you love. It’s a really inspiring book about getting the most out of your morning. 

Read more: My blogger office and why it’s more than just an office!

#10. Set a timer and don’t stop working until it rings

This is something I used to do at uni to get my essays written. I don’t need to do it now because I have such limited spaces of time to write anyway! But if you’re struggling to concentrate for long periods of time while you’re writing, try setting a timer where you need to keep writing until the timer goes off. 

Don’t set the timer for too long, just 15-20 minutes is fine. Then reward yourself with a 10 minute break before you begin again. 

Read more: How to be more efficient and get sh*t done

#11. Find your perfect writing place

We all have places where we feel comfortable, creative and relaxed – but it can take a while to find your space!

I’ve moved my desk around our house so many times to find my perfect space! I tried an outside office, in my bedroom, in one spare bedroom, and then a different spare bedroom, I’ve worked in the kitchen, the living room and numerous cafes and office hubs. It’s taken a while but I now have my perfect writing space. 

I like to work at a clear desk in total silence with lots of natural light.

Read more: 4 monetisation strategies to make more money from your blog

#12. Stop making excuses

This can sometimes be a difficult one to accept but often the reason we’re not doing the work is because we’re holding ourselves back and we keep making excuses. Do you not have time or not you not want to make time? There is a difference. Think about which category you fall into.

Read more: The secret to a great blog post

#13. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks

A big one that holds many of us back is fear of what other people will think – especially when creating for online platforms where the whole world can potentially see what we’ve created! We often stop ourselves creating anything because we worry what others will think but once you get over that fear, you’re unstoppable.

Read more: How I’m managing the work/life/blogging/babies balance

#14. Done is better than perfect

If you’re a long time reader of The Travel Hack then I’m sure you will have spotted numerous typos, spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and HTML issues! I’m a firm believer that done is better than perfect and, while I do my best to avoid silly mistakes and correct anything I’ve done wrong, I accept that I’m only human and I will make mistakes. 

If I waited for each and every blog post to be perfect then I’d never publish anything!

Read more: How and why I started travel blogging

#15. Remember, you can always go back and change it

Following on from ‘done is better than perfect’ remember that you can always go back and change things. If there’s a photo you’re not sure about, don’t avoid publishing your post, just publish the blog and change the photo when you get chance!

Read more: How to keep up with your travel blog while you’re actually travelling

#16. Ask yourself what you’re aiming for and make a plan to get there

If you always want blogging to be a fun hobby with a few benefits, then keep it that way and don’t put too much pressure on yourself. 

If you want your blog to potentially become a side hustle or even a full time career then pageviews will be your best friend. The way to get lots of pageviews is, quite simply, to have lots of blog posts so go back to the top of this blog post and read it all again. Let is all sink in, stop procrastinating and get stuck in with creating new blog posts!

Read more: A week in the life of a travel blogging mum