Blog posts comes in many shapes and sizes, but as I’ve shown in two previous posts there are some mainstay categories you should understand.

Type 1: Opinion blog post

Type 2: Profile blog post

Type 3: News relevance blog post

I’m a huge fan of a company blog because it’s a space to show your team is living, breathing and out there doing cool work. Without a blog, the site would likely be static with nothing new to share or report. In other words, it looks like no one’s home!

That’s why, alongside opinion columns and profiles of team members, you should relate the work you do to the day’s headlines. It shows you’re current, “with it” and thinking about how your services apply to real-world issues.

My blog is called “News To Live By” so yes, I use the news as a teaching tool or reference point in every post I write. The good news is any business owner or marketing team (in any industry) can employ the strategy too.

Here’s an blog post example for Acme Daycare, which runs a chain of daycare centers in Seattle. A few days ago (fictitiously), the national news reported on a flu outbreak at 47 daycare centers across Texas and Louisiana. Now, Acme’s corporate team wants to post a blog to ensure parents its facilities are clean and germ free.

Blog Title: Happy, Healthy and Germ Free: Why You Shouldn’t Worry About the Recent Flu Outbreak

Opening section: Reference the news item right away to put the blog post in context

By now, many of you have seen the news about the dozens of daycare centers in Texas and Louisiana with a flu outbreak. Health officials believe the flu began at a daycare in Dallas but has since spread and impacted hundreds of children.

Note: Link to the news item so the viewer can read further.

Second section: Explain why the news item is relevant to your business

Certainly, at Acme Daycare we are monitoring the situation closely. We also want parents to know we have not seen any traces of the flu in our facilities and are working diligently to make sure that remains the case. We know your child’s health and safety is priority #1 — for you and for us. And while we always maintain the strictest standards of cleanliness in our centers, we’re now being extra cautious given the outbreak in Texas and Louisiana.

Third section: Provide the reader with tips as they pertain to the topic in the news

To help us keep everyone safe at Acme Daycare, please follow these health tips before and after your child attends one of our centers:

• Tip 1
• Tip 2
• Tip 3
• Etc…

Fourth section: Call to action

If you have any questions or believe your child may exhibit flu-like symptoms, please call your Acme location and detail the situation with the on-site nurse. He/she will determine if your child should come in or stay home.

Thanks for your cooperation.

Breakdown

I chose a news example that involves sickness so the topic has a bit of an “emergency” feel. Keep in mind you could relate all kinds of news stories back to your business that aren’t time sensitive or don’t threaten someone’s health. Examples:

• Viral video that has everyone talking
• Court decision, government act or recent election
• Local community initiative or program
• Impassioned opinion column in the newspaper that has people riled up

If you keep close watch on the news, you will find topics that impact or relate to your business in various ways. Always look to the news as a relevant to share useful info or an interesting perspective about your company.

Again, blog posts with news relevance make your website a place worth visiting. And that’s a great reputation to have in the minds of consumers.

Other questions on the “news relevance” blog post?

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Featured photo: zoetnet (Flickr)