Sometimes, it feels like you have to be a content machine to keep your blog filled with a steady stream of shareable articles. Even if you’re an expert in your field, there’s only so much you can write about before you feel like the well has just run dry. The internet is a crowded place, afterall, and no one needs more noise.
First, remember, writing a blog is hard work so you don’t want to waste your time writing the same stale content as your competitors.
Second, let’s start this brainstorm session with a little piece of advice: very few people read every post on your business’s blog. Most likely, they’re landing on your blog from suggested articles through your site, affiliates, emails, or social media reach. So, naturally, they just aren’t clicking through your entire site’s catalog of content. This little tidbit is actually quite freeing. Remember that each time you write an blog, you are writing to the same general audience, not a specific person.
Before you get frustrated at your lack of ideas, think about the posts you’ve created so far. Are they worthwhile enough to be repurposed, expounded upon, or updated new, relevant information? Think evergreen content.
That’s a great place to start. But, getting stuck is an unfortunate part of the content marketing process. So, what else can you do to get those valuable ideas flowing?
Look to the hashtags
Social media is a goldmine of information (not always truth, but certainly plenty of ideas). Try searching for general keywords related to your business in Twitter hashtags. The idea isn’t to see what your customers are saying; it’s actually to get outside of their scope. See what the industry is saying in real-time. So, if you own an advertising agency, for example, try searching for #digitalmarketing or #advertisingtips. You’ll often find up-to-the-minute social trends or stories that can spark your next headline in no time.
Reflect on your frustrations
Every industry has their pet peeves. Try channeling industry sticking points into a helpful blog post. So, let’s say for example, that you’re writing a blog on email marketing. A frustration point could be that you see a lot of large corporations that don’t know how to create responsive email designs that render well among the vast array of devices used in today’s market. So, you’d create a blog post that features tricks and tools to help with that issue.
Change your timeframe or scope
Maybe you’re just thinking too big. It’s easy to get caught up in the industry overall when you’re writing your blog. Instead of talking about, say, for example, the most notable trends in modern advertising, scale it back. Instead, talk about the most notable trends this year or this month.
The same can be said for scope. The most notable trends in modern advertising, even when you put the time frame down to a month, can be a huge undertaking. Split that topic up! You could instead focus on the most notable trends in PPC ads—or, even better, the most notable trends in PPC ads this month.
Write about what interests you
Sometimes, it’s just hard to get those blog post ideas flowing because you find them dry or boring. It’s okay to admit it. Blogging isn’t always a glamorous job. If you work in the industry you’re writing for, why not take some time to talk about an aspect of it that genuinely interests you? For example, if you’re part of a graphic design agency, talk about famous designers or inspiration that get your mind buzzing. The article you produce will most likely be passionate and engaging because you’re putting a lot of your own self into it.
Flip to an opposing viewpoint
Take a look at the blog posts you have on your site so far. Do you see a trend? You likely tend to skew to one particular viewpoint—normally positive. If you see a lot of articles that inform the audience on what to do or what is best, try to flip it. Write some articles that focus on what not to do or what doesn’t quite work and why.
Try a seasonal approach
Establish some blog posts that you always write on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis. These posts can be something like a monthly round-up or an annual review. They can take the form of best of lists, overall evaluations, or insight on trends throughout the year. Articles that feature a dedicated topic at a dedicated time are excellent to have on the schedule because, well, they’re always there! You don’t have to think too hard about the topic, you can just get straight to the research. Besides, topics like annual reviews or quarterly lists are helpful for your clients who might not see industry trends daily as you do.
Are the creative juices flowing yet? Take a second to hop up from your chair and get the blood flowing, stretch your hands, and prepare for the ideas to flow. You know your topic and your audience, now you just have to get to writing.