If the word "Blogger" conjures images of a techno-philosopher-wannabe in a basement somewhere typing "mad truths" at the stroke of midnight, you're not alone. Okay - maybe that was too specific. Apologies to anyone who fits that description.

Regardless of the specific type of negative connotation associated with the word "blog", it usually conveys the sense that the person doing the "blogging" is in some way an amateur. The problem is simple - literally anyone can write a blog. There's no peer review - it's not necessarily vetted material. Therefore, by definition, the vast preponderance of blogs that exist are going to be sloppy nonsense.

We're not here to dissuade you otherwise - quite the opposite!

Here's the simple truth: If you have enough of a discerning taste to realize that the vast preponderance of "Blogging" material out there is trash,  then you (yes, we mean you) are in the best possible position to write quality material that actually solves people's problems. It's the folks who don't understand what the difference is between a reddit diatribe and a novel by Dickens that shouldn't be allowed to create content.

But that's not you, is it? So quit your complaining and start filling up the world with the sort of writing you wish you saw more of.

You are a rock star at something. Probably many things, actually. Think about the subjects you're able to slam dunk, running laps around your peers, and then think about what your perspective brings to the table. Why are you better at doing whatever it is you do than other people?

Don't think in terms of ego-boosting qualities so much as objective reasons for why you're able to accomplish certain tasks so much better than others in the same situations. If you're a welder, and you're amazing at welding, it's likely you have a strong opinion on how to do it the right way.

There's nothing wrong with being right about something - while we may live in a multi-verse of many dimensions, that's just theory. It doesn't negate your own abilities to excel at whatever it is you do.

Simply think about what you're a champion at, and write about it.

We apologize if we pumped up your ego above. We want you to be confident enough to write, BUT (and this is a very big BUT) you need to remember that your audience doesn't care about you. They care about your ability to solve a problem they're experiencing.

So before you go writing a memoir about how you made the perfect omelette this morning, remember that the title should be something like "How to build the perfect omelette" - not "How I Built The Best Omelette In The History Of Egg Beaters".

Actually, that sounds like something we would write...just use discretion...is all we're saying...

Sometimes simply talking about a subject will get you from A to Z the quickest. If your goal is to ultimately write something that is easy to comprehend (and it should be), then record yourself talking about the subject first. Sit down afterwards with a strong cup of coffee and press play.

Now write down what you said.

You may be surprised at how effective this is if you've never done it before. We are so accustomed to talking and thinking about subjects that writer's block has more to do with not regularly using that part of our brains than it does with us being bad writers. If you're simply taking notes on what you said, you'll very quickly fill up an article's worth of content.

Of course, you'll want to give it a few scans to make sure you don't sound like a crazy person, but you get the idea. If you're having issues putting thoughts to paper, just whip out your smart phone and make a recording instead.

This is, perhaps, the most important bit of advice. Make sure you're solving an actual problem for people. It should be general enough that there is an interest in what you're writing about but specific enough that it's able to relieve a pain point for your customers or clients. For example - let's say you own a hardware store.

The next time someone walks into your store, pay attention to what they need and make a mental note. If it's a specific question that gets asked multiple times every week, it's definitely something worth writing about. Maybe people aren't sure of what tools they'll need for tiling their bathroom floor.

That's the sort of subject matter you can wax about and people will listen if you know what you're talking about. It's a real need.

It's not about you - it's about them.

First, try to do all of the above on your own. It's undeniably difficult, but as with anything, the more you do it the better you become.

Best case scenario: you can rock out all of your content marketing on your own! No need to ask us or anyone else for help. With every subsequent article, you'll become a wordsmith samurai - we really do believe in you!

Worst case scenario: you're too busy to deal with this, OR you need a bit more assistance.

Don't worry, this stuff is tough!

Content marketing is the single most effective AND difficult portion of any e-Commerce business (or any business with a presence online, for that matter).

Navigate to the Writing Resources page to see if we can help you get on track. While we do offer service packages for content marketing (like the Blog Me! package below), you're going to want to try to go this alone for as long as you can stand it.

Why the pain?

Because it will make you a better online marketer! Pain is an excellent incentive to learn - and who are we to rob you of that struggle?!