Did you start a blog six months ago, write three posts, and then quit? How about a year ago? Or three years ago? It happens.

Personally, I think most people fail because they are too ambitious when they start. They promise themselves they’ll post something weekly, or several times a week, or even daily.

For most small businesses, a schedule like that is unrealistic, undoable, and unnecessary.

Besides you can become annoying to your readership by posting too often. For example, I may be interested in subscribing to a blog about decorating a child’s room.

That doesn’t mean I want to hear about the topic daily! So come up with a realistic schedule.

I recommend starting out monthly. That may sound light, but if you haven’t posted in three years and suddenly you bang out 12 in a year, then you’ve improved big time.

Once you get monthly down, then you can increase to bimonthly and maybe even weekly.

To get ideas, pay attention to what your customers ask you over and over. Jot those questions down in a “Blog Ideas” notebook. It doesn’t matter how elementary or basic these questions sound to your experienced ear. If people are asking, they will want to know in a blog.

Also think about the things customers “aren’t asking” but should know. These are the items you find yourself educating customers about repeatedly. Jot those items down as well.

Soon you’ll have a dozen or so ideas. When it’s time to write your blog, go to your notebook and select the idea that jumps out at you. Be careful not to over-think it. Just grab it.

Next time, I’ll give you my method for painlessly writing a blog post once you’ve selected your topic.

Easy Web Tip #184: It’s easy to keep up a blog when you keep a notebook full of ideas and have a schedule.