Keeping your blog running over the Christmas period
If you have a personal blog, how do you keep things ticking over Christmas? This is a common question amongst bloggers that comes up as the holiday season approaches.
So, should you keep blogging? And if you do, what exactly do you write about? In this post we’ll try to answer these questions and give you examples of how other bloggers are keeping their personal online spaces running over the Christmas period.
So, is it worth keeping your blog updated over Christmas?
Christmas is the time for family gatherings, festivities and good food. But it’s also a time when people flock online to search for recipes, music, home décor ideas or just to relax and read about what their favourite bloggers are doing over Christmas.
So, if you’re thinking about putting your blogging on the back burner over Christmas, don’t. Instead, plan and create your content now so that you can kick back over the holidays knowing that your most loyal readers can check in for new updates, and actually find them.
What type of content should you post during holidays?
If you’ve decided to continue blogging over Christmas, here are some tips on what to write about, and how to best manage and get your seasonal blog posts out of the way now so you can put your feet up when Christmas comes.
Schedule your posts in advance
Now’s the perfect time to create a content calendar and write your heart out before you get into that lazy holiday mode. So, figure out what you want to write about, then write the posts and schedule them so you have a constant stream of content published on your blog.
One thing you can do to get organised is to create a blog editorial calendar that’ll help you keep a consistent publishing schedule. There is a section on creating a content calendar in our free blog and content marketing course. The course also covers the blogging platforms to choose from, what to write about on your blog and how to measure its success.
Do round-up posts
A great way to get content on your blog with minimum effort is to do round-ups where you publish a list with your most popular posts from throughout the year. This allows new readers to check out blog posts they might not have come across otherwise. At the same time, loyal readers will again get the chance to enjoy some of your best writing.
Here are two examples of how you can do this on your blog:
Another thing you can try is doing a round-up of fun and interesting articles that you’ve stumbled across the web, like Heidi from foodiecrush.com has done in this “Friday faves” article:
In her blog post, she lists her favourite articles, videos, recipes, music, movies, all related to Christmas.
Write on fun but relevant topics
What would your readers enjoy reading about on your blog? How to decorate your home in preparation for Christmas? Gifts to get loved ones? How to relax and enjoy time off? Or what games to play with your children?
Whatever your blog is about, whether it’s a daddy blog, a kids’ chess club or a cooking blog, figure out what your readers would most like to read about, and give it to them.
For example, this mum blogger shared a few DIY tutorials to help readers make their own Christmas games and pine cones:
DIY or how-to posts are always a good idea, as they make for great resources that people will return to again and again. So, depending on the theme of your blog, come up with relevant posts you can cover. They can be anything from how to prepare a Christmas dinner to how to best manage a budget during the holiday season.
Tell a story
As humans, we are fascinated by stories. So, what story can you tell?
Maybe it’s the story of what Christmas was like for you as a child, the fun gifts you received, the music you listened to or the movies you watched, or maybe the special food that your parents prepared for the family.
Here’s an example of a blog post where a dad shares memories of how he and his family have celebrated Christmas over the years.
Nostalgia is a powerful emotion. So, go and have a rummage in the attic and find a great story that will provoke a shared nostalgic moment with your readers.
Christmas fun = content
Going on a family trip? Blog about it. Decorating your house and the Christmas tree? Write about that. Going horse-back riding with friends? Take photos and share them on your blog. Taking a wine tour? Interview the tour guide and write about him or her. Running or attending a special event like a bloggers party, a fashion event or a cooking workshop? Cover it on your blog.
Bottom line: everything you do over the Christmas period can be an opportunity to get content for your blog. So while you’re enjoying your holidays, you can also get fresh content to post on your blog while also giving readers ideas on activities they might enjoy over the break.
Feature a charity
Christmas is a time for giving, and that includes volunteering, donating and supporting a good cause. So why not get in touch with the causes you want to support, and see if there’s someone you can interview to help spread the word about that cause? This can help drive some traffic to your blog, and hopefully some donations too.
Here’s how this blogger used his personal online space to encourage his readers to do good:
What if you don’t feel like writing?
What if you just don’t feel like writing but you also don’t want to neglect your blog? There are many options you can try to keep your blog active.
For example, you can try doing a vlog (also known as a video blog):
Or a podcast, like in this example:
If you’re not familiar with podcasts or vlogs, this article on blogging, vlogging and podcasting explains what each one is, and with lots of examples so you get a better understanding of how they work.
Have a guest
It’s Christmas. People invite guests all over the place so why not have a guest come over to your blog as well? So, interview or feature a guest post from another blogger and make it look like it’s a Christmas treat. Just make sure that the content is relevant to your readers.
Don’t forget to decorate your blog
Dress up your blog and social media profiles to get into the Christmas spirit. Whether you add a Christmas banner in the header, a subtle background image of twinkling lights or a few falling snowflakes, find a way to show that you’re embracing the magic of Christmas.
Summing up
Your loyal readers will feel like they have a relationship with you, so don’t leave them to stew over the Christmas period! Taking a break from your blog, even for just a week or two, might disappoint your regular visitors. Make sure you keep blogging, even if it’s just some scheduled posts while you get on with relaxing.
These are a few ideas you can use to keep your blog running over the Christmas period. Which one will you take on? Let us know in a tweet @123Reg.
