If you've been in the content marketing game for a while, you know the struggle is real when it comes to cooking up new blog post ideas. Some days your creative juices are flowing and the topics pour out. But other times, you're drier than the Sahara and can't think of what to cover next.
As someone who has experienced major blog block over the years, I feel your pain. However I've picked up a few solid tactics that help me generate content ideas when I need them. In this post, I wanna share what's worked for me in hopes it helps spark some inspiration for your blog!
Dive Into Your Audience's Head
This may sound egregious, but one of the stylish ways to induce applicable ideas is to really understand who you are creating content for. What are their pretensions, questions, and pain points? What kind of information is gonna actually help them?
A while back I decided to get clear on my target followership and created a full buyer persona for them. I delved into what they watched, where they spent time online, and what issues they dealt with diurnal. It was eye-opening and gave me so numerous angles for helpful content.
I'd recommend creating 2 to 3 core buyer personas for your blog if you have not formerly. Indeed, conduct checks and interviews to get real data straight from your compendiums ' mouths. The more you can empathize with your followership, the easier it will be to produce content that resonates.
Look to Trending Topics and News
I do not know about you, but I love writing posts tied to trending news or motifs in my assiduity. It feels instigative to ride the surge of commodities that people are buzzing about.
I make a habit of checking assiduity hashtags on Twitter, setting Google cautions, and covering forums to see rising exchanges. also, I communicate ways I can give a precious take on what is hot right now.
For example, when that big acquisition happened in my niche, I quickly wrote a post with an analysis of how it would impact customers. It ended up being widely shared because it was timely and useful.
So keep tabs on trends and news events. They often spur ideas for posts that hit the mark.
Repurpose Existing Materials
Generating new content from scratch every time is straight-up exhausting. That's why repurposing existing materials is a lifesaver for me.
Take old blog posts that still perform well and give them a refresh. Turn webinars and podcast interviews into long-form posts. Re-promote evergreen content that continues to serve readers.
You can also expand on partial ideas that never became full posts. I keep a running doc of snippets and outlines I can later develop into more robust articles.
Repurposing saves a ton of time while still providing value to readers. Definitely take advantage of content you’ve already created when ideating.
Scroll Through Forum and Social Discussions
Some of my stylish content ideas have come from exploring questions and exchanges passing in online communities. I keep tabs on applicable forums and hashtags to see what people are asking about.
When I notice the same questions popping up over and over, that is a clear sign there is demand for information I could cover in a blog post.
To get into the habit, spend 15 minutes a day browsing forums and social media discussions in your niche. Look for common questions and brainstorm helpful responses. It's a treasure trove for useful content angles!
Get Brainstorming Buddies
While I love single brainstorming, I also lean on my associates to help induce ideas. lately, I started a Slack channel for content ideas where folks can partake in motifs as they come up.
I also love bouncing ideas off my responsibility chum who knows my followership well. Or I will ask platoon members what questions they get from guests that warrant a blog post.
Recruiting others gets those creative juices flowing from different perspectives. Try setting up a system to collect ideas from coworkers and friends. It can take your content creation to the next level!
At the end of the day, generating blog post ideas is a skill that improves with practice. Try out different approaches to see what works for you. Don't be afraid to get experimental! As long as you deeply understand your audience and industry, the content will flow.
What about you? What tactics do you use when you need fresh blog post ideas? Partake your secrets with me in the commentary!
0 Comments