In my previous post, I discussed the advantages to having a blog on your website. It’s a great way to set yourself apart from other golf courses in your area. Telling stories about the events and activities taking place around your course helps to validate you and gives automatic characteristics to your golf course. It’s your online first impression.
When you first begin writing on your blog, you might experience a little writers block. That’s where I come in. I’m here to help!
The best way to begin is to record yourself having a conversation with a golfer, vendor or staff member. That will help you determine your voice. You are a human, so you want to write how you’d speak to your golfer when they arrive at your course.
COPYWRITING
Finding your voice is where you determine your copywriting style. If you’re having a hard time, then look at the type of advertising you produce. Is it formal with slogans? What is the stage that you have set for your first impression? Are you a casual greeter? Do you have a nickname you use with golfers?
Use words that convey that overall experience they might experience when walking through your doors.
When I write, I always pretend like I’m writing a letter to my mom or sister. I keep it casual. It is easier for me to write when I’m not forcing myself to write in a different manner from how I would normally speak.
TOPICS
If you’re struggling with topics, then you need to bring your staff on board to help you brainstorm. I previously shared my content calendar with you. This calendar is used to map out the year of blog posts and activities taking place around my golf course.
The best types of topics you can pick fall into these categories.
- Content Aggregator
- In this type of post, you will compile a list from other resources to write your blog post. Maybe you do a post on the Top Ten Golf Balls or Five Worst Pants Worn on PGA Tour or Seven of the Best Mustaches of Golf, maybe you find Three Ways to Grip Your Club or Five Reasons You’re Slicing the Ball. You round up information that is written by other bloggers and compile them into a list. Keep in mind, you want to give your fellow bloggers credit, you’re just the one who is assembling the list. Pick a subject of golf and find content on that topic.
- If you’re having trouble aggregating content, then go to a website like BuzzSumo which will help you find blogs on that topic. You can search up to five items per day with their free account. There is also a website called answerthepublic.com. On this site, you can put in a topic and find questions that others are asking on the internet about that subject.
- Promotional
- In this post type, you’ll write about what are your upcoming events. Maybe even include a calendar of what this month will look like for them to download. In the golf world, we have a short amount of time to get golfers on our course. It seems like we are always fighting the weather or seasonality of our business. Having a solid promotional post will give your golfers information, so they can make plans to attend all of the activities and events taking place on your course.
- If you are making some changes to your company, this is a good time to explain those. Are you planning a remodel? Fixing some grounds? Adding new features and amenities? Share them with your audience. Your golfers want you to succeed and they enjoy being a part of your success!
- Start a Conversation
- In some posts, you might just want to ask some questions or get insight into what your golfers would like to see.
- You could write a post about a controversial topic in the golf world. Belly putters anyone??
- You could write a “What If” post where you paint a picture of what could happen if these things fall into place and how it might affect the golf industry.
- Be Trendy
- Write about the trends in the market. What are the new clubs being introduced in the upcoming season? What advancements are happening in golf ball development?
- You could write about why you selected a certain style of clothing in the Golf Shop. Interview your vendors for more information.
- Help a Golfer Out
- There are many things that golfers don’t understand about golf. This is the type of post where you get to inform them of these subjects.
- You can provide a checklist of items everyone needs in their bag or what are the top five things they need to do before going to the first tee.
- Solve a problem by teaching them golf skills or basics.
- Define terminology. Recently, I had a golfer who had to google the definition of a mulligan. Golf has tons of odd lingo that is unfamiliar to a golfer. Here’s your chance to position yourself as the expert.
- Feature a golfer and explain how they got into the game. What problems they face and why they enjoy playing.
- Maybe you could provide an Ultimate Guide to Destination Golf Courses in different areas of the country. Feature a few of them and help them decide where they want to plan a golf vacation.
- Be a Human
- Blogging is the best way for your golfers to see who you are as a business. Be HUMAN! Write exactly how you speak. Are you from the southern? Type out ya’ll. Are you from Fargo? Provide pictures of woodchips grinders… Wait. That isn’t a good idea. You get the picture, though.
- Show what goes on behind the scenes. How do you set up for a golf outing? What’s a favorite recipe and how do you make it?
- Golf courses are notorious for putting up a front. Let your guard down and show people around.
- Have Fun!
- Create a few meme’s with silly golf quotes.
- Did a staff member fall in the water while digging a hole? Yeah. You need to share. Maybe someone got their mower stuck in the mud. Did they fall out of the canoe while fixing the water aggregator? Maybe someone knocked over a display shelf because they were backing up while talking to someone. Do these things only happen at my course? Maybe I’m weird.
- Maybe you have a budding artist on staff, you could have a monthly cartoon.
- Don’t be afraid to have fun in your writing!
FOLLOW UP
When you’re ending your blog post, always remember to ask a question of your golfers. This helps to get them engaged with you! It might also lead to being inspired to write more content.
Activity on your web page helps in your online ranking. Plus, it helps to make you be seen as an expert in your field. You can try many different ways to get golfers to engage with you online.
One of the most important things that providing good blog content does for your website is that it turns it into an interactive space rather than just a glorified brochure.
Let’s get started! No more blank page syndrome! You can do this!
What are you going to write about tomorrow?