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What to blog about...

by Bonkers
8 replies
I opened up a video game ecommerce site (direct download), and I'm trying to develop a good blogging and content strategy.

I'm used to selling individual products, so blogging was incredibly easy - just writing content related to or loosely related to the product.

But now that I have a catalog of products, it's not that easy, and I'm a bit puzzled about what to blog about. I don't want to create just generic "gaming" content... because no one really wants to read that. Additionally, it wouldn't be that targeted to my products, if it isn't too specific.

Any suggestions?
#blog #blogging #seo #topics
  • Profile picture of the author larryboy03
    You could review products against each other if you understand what I mean?
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    Do you have a website making money and want to sell it? Contact me, I'm looking to buy sites monetized by Amazon and Adsense!!
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  • Profile picture of the author Andy Money
    Go to the Google keyword tool, look for keywords related to video games and see what people are looking for. I'd say write general content about anything game related really (while using good keywords that are getting searches).
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve B
    Originally Posted by Bonkers View Post

    I'm used to selling individual products, so blogging was incredibly easy - just writing content related to or loosely related to the product.
    Just because you have more than one product is no reason to change your writing strategy. Continue to write about each product as if it was your only one. Get your writing out onto the web so you'll get back links to every product you own.

    You are right - readers want content on specific things - so give it to them. Don't dumb it down or turn it into generalizations. Do what you've always done, just do lots more of it.

    Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author Bonkers
      Originally Posted by Steve B View Post

      Just because you have more than one product is no reason to change your writing strategy. Continue to write about each product as if it was your only one. Get your writing out onto the web so you'll get back links to every product you own.

      You are right - readers want content on specific things - so give it to them. Don't dumb it down or turn it into generalizations. Do what you've always done, just do lots more of it.

      Steve
      Great response, thanks! I'm a little hesitant here though, because I don't want to clutter my site with dozens of categories (using a wordpress blog). But I guess that doesn't matter too much from a user perspective... as long as they easily get their content.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by Bonkers View Post

    I don't want to create just generic "gaming" content... because no one really wants to read that.
    Ah - is that right? (Have you asked them?).

    I was just about to suggest exactly that, until I read your comment.

    This niche may well be different from all of mine, of course, but it's always struck me that my readers, visitors and subscribers are more interested in reading "generic content" than "information about products" (and they say so, too), partly because that's all readily available elsewhere anyway, and partly because writing that mentions specific products can only ever be something of a disguised sales-pitch anyway, when you're incentivized to sell the product, and of course people are well aware of that, so "generic content" tends to carry much more weight and credibility? (And that still helps sales, because when you come across as a person who informs and educates, your product recommendations indirectly gain weight and credibility, too).
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    • Profile picture of the author Bonkers
      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      Ah - is that right? (Have you asked them?).

      I was just about to suggest exactly that, until I read your comment.

      This niche may well be different from all of mine, of course, but it's always struck me that my readers, visitors and subscribers are more interested in reading "generic content" than "information about products" (and they say so, too), partly because that's all readily available elsewhere anyway, and partly because writing that mentions specific products can only ever be something of a disguised sales-pitch anyway, when you're incentivized to sell the product, and of course people are well aware of that, so "generic content" tends to carry much more weight and credibility? (And that still helps sales, because when you come across as a person who informs and educates, your product recommendations indirectly gain weight and credibility, too).
      Thanks for the response! Good point, I haven't surveyed this opinion at all.. or even tested it out. I guess it's my personal perception.

      But I'm not writing articles about the product itself. In my other markets, I always wrote great blog posts that were basically technical guides related to the product.

      So there wasn't much of that content available. What I meant by generic content would be like "Game reviews" when there's TONS of that already out there.

      I want to try to find something unique, but still captures the attention of the gaming market.
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  • Profile picture of the author nicholasb
    the best thing to do is to find common issues or problems your market is facing, then create a solution to that problem then blog about that, you really need to be in your niche.

    This means reading others blogs, hanging out in forum, reading related news articles. If your not writing about your niche you should be reading about your niche.

    I sat down with someone yesterday and in under an hour we had taken note of over 60 different content ideas, 7 different product ideas, and compiled a list of about 25 of the most common problems and questions the niche was facing.

    In one hour we mapped out an entire content strategy for the whole year.

    You should be checking gaming magazines, gaming websites, going to gamers trade shows, staying up to date with the current new releases, frequenting forums, and blogs.

    Don't just be a ecommerce store owner but live the gamer lifestyle and share it with others.
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  • Profile picture of the author writeaway
    Step 1 Go to Twitter search

    Step 2 Enter your product's name

    Step 3 Get a general idea on THREE key issues people talk about regarding your game

    Step 4 Write one blog post per issue-mention the product's name in title

    Step 5 Write in a DRAMATIC way (almost trolling)

    Step 6 Send @ tweets to the dudes talking about the issue

    Step 7 Post comments on the top 10 blogs that discuss the game

    Rinse and repeat

    Why does this work?
    I am a professional writer. I've written TONS of video game news and drama pieces. I know what I am talking about.
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