Reader Q&A: Can Basic Content Still be Useful?

A reader emailed me to ask for help understanding what sort of blog posts to write for a topic in which they have some expertise.

I know the topics I want to write about but I don’t know where to start.  I don’t want to seem like I’m just writing basic stuff that is obvious to everyone, but I also don’t feel like I have the experience to write the more advanced stuff.

The answer to this problem is in two parts.

1. Understanding your topic and target audience
2. Understanding your own level of skill or experience

In this case the topic is already understood.  So the remaining part of the solution is to understand where your own skills and experience fall within that topic area.

In most niches there tends to be a similar hierarchy of skill levels, with many people at the beginner or introductory level, and then fewer and fewer people as you progress upward to guru level.

There is nothing insulting or condescending about this, its just the way it is.  I’m pretty good at some things, and a total beginner at plenty of other things.  Its why I wrote this post on how to install WordPress plugins.

Sure it seems like basic information, but every time I write a post about using a particular WordPress plugin there will be a small percentage of readers who don’t know how to actually install one, and will appreciate a link to that post.

By the same token when you are starting a blog on a topic that you are already quite skilled at you can think about where you sit on the skills pyramid and then choose blog posts that will address the needs of people lower down than yourself.

A few techniques to consider:

• Think back to when you first started out, and write a series of posts on all of the things you needed to learn in that first week, month or year to become proficient.
• Write key posts that you will be able to reference frequently from other blog posts, like my WordPress plugins post, which will save you time in the long run as you avoid having to rewrite the info every time it is required.
• Use forums and social networks to listen out for people’s problems and questions.

And the best part is, as you continue your own upward journey through the skill levels for that topic, by continuing to focus on the needs of those less skilled than yourself you will always have things to write about.

Image Credit: Flickr