How to write blog posts for your activity business

You don’t need to be a writer to run a good blog. You already know your activity, your area and your customers’ questions better than anyone. This guide covers how to plan your blog, the main types of post, how to write them and how to turn readers into bookings.

Not sure a blog is worth it? Read why your activity business should start a blog first.

Plan before you write

A simple plan saves you time and stops the blog going quiet after three posts.

Know who you’re writing for

For an activity business, three things about your readers matter most:

• Interests: people who want your activity, and people close to it. A paddleboarding school can write for people into fitness, wildlife or wild swimming as well as paddleboarders.
• Location: where they live or are visiting. People search for things to do in a place, so name your area.
• Experience level: beginners want reassurance, while regulars want new places, kit and skills. Write each post for one level.

Brainstorm ideas

Write down the searches you think customers type into Google, and the questions your team answers every week. Each one is a possible title. A surf school in Lincolnshire could write about why its coast suits beginners. An archery centre in London could pitch archery as an after-work hobby. Don’t judge the ideas yet; aim for ten or more.

Build an honest schedule

Look at your diary and pick a pace you can keep, whether that’s one post a week or one a month. Posting regularly matters more than posting a lot. Write a few posts when you have time, often in the off-season, and schedule them to go out over the following weeks. Most website builders, including WordPress, Wix and Squarespace, let you schedule posts.

A simple spreadsheet with each title, its publish date and whether it’s done is enough to keep track.

Choose the type of post

Most blog posts fit one of five types. Knowing which one you’re writing keeps it focused.

Lists

Easy to read and quick to write. A paddleboarding business in Cardiff could write “5 reasons to try paddleboarding in Cardiff” for beginners, and “7 of the best places to paddleboard around Cardiff” for people who want to hire a board and explore.

Explainers

Go deeper on something you know well. A ski centre with a workshop could explain why ski boots need servicing and how often. It brings in workshop bookings and shows the centre knows its stuff.

Kit reviews

Review the kit you use and say who each item suits. A dive centre could write short reviews of its masks and fins, noting which suit first-timers and which suit experienced divers. Keep it practical: the aim is to help people choose, not to criticise your own gear.

Instructor profiles

Your instructors are who customers spend the day with. Send your team a few questions, including some fun ones, and turn the answers into short profiles. Parents booking for children especially like to see who will be looking after them.

News and opinion

Share what’s new at your centre, or your view on your activity. A mountain guide could write “Why January is my favourite month in the mountains” to reach people looking for a winter challenge in a quiet month.

Writing tips

• Just start. Get a first draft down, then tidy it up. The blank page is the hardest part.
• Plan the structure. Note an intro, three to five sections and a closing line before you write. At 100 to 200 words a section, you can write a post in stages.
• Write like you talk. Plain English, short sentences and no jargon a beginner wouldn’t know.
• Be helpful, not salesy. A post that answers the question properly builds trust, and trust leads to bookings.
• Add great photos. Show real people enjoying your activities, ideally your own customers. Our guide to using images to inspire and engage has more tips.
• Use the words people search for. Put the activity and the place in your title and first paragraph, for example “paddleboarding in Cardiff”.

Link every post to your booking widget

Every post should end with a clear next step, and longer posts need one near the top too. Use plain link or button text such as “Book a session”, “See available dates” or “Buy a gift voucher”.

Link to the page on your website where your eola Book now button sits. If you’d rather link straight to your booking widget, copy the direct link from Toolset > Widget > My widgets, under Website integration. Our help article on adding your widget to your website explains both options.

Link related posts to each other too, so readers keep going. Once a post is live, share it on your social channels. Our guide to using social media to get more bookings has ideas.

See eola in action

Want to see how this could work for your business? Book a demo or get in touch with our team.