Inevitably, one of two things happen:
- You give up and start mindlessly surfing the web, getting no work done or
- You crank out an uninspired, filler post.
Neither of these is really an acceptable option in my book. You need to provide your audience with fresh content, and you have to maintain the quality of your blog or you’ll start losing readers.
Blog Post Ideas
But what are you supposed to do? How are you supposed to blog when you’re fresh out of ideas?
• Keep a running list of ideas—
The best thing you can do is to avoid running out of ideas in the first place, and one of the best ways to do that is to build a list of ideas that you can draw from whenever you need to write a new post. Keep a running list of topics that you’re adding to all the time.
I don’t know about you, but ideas pop into my head throughout the day at different times and places. Maybe an idea comes from a post I’m reading on another site, or maybe I get an idea for a post from a conversation with a friend or colleague. Always be on the lookout for these ideas and capture them so you don’t forget.
Until you have your own list, you can borrow someone else’s:
- ProBlogger: The Only Blog Post Idea List You’ll Ever Need
- Copyblogger: Brainstorm Blog Topics
- 101 Blog Post Ideas
• Check out other blogs in your niche—
You should be subscribed to at least a few other blogs in your niche. Don’t wait until you need to write a new post to go see what everyone else is writing about. You’ll just end up writing a rehashed version of someone else’s post if you do that. But if you’re reading other blogs on a daily basis and taking time to reflect on them, they can become a launching pad for your own original ideas. Come up with your own take on these topics so you can write a post that’s truly original.
• See what people are tweeting about—
What are your followers and other people in your industry tweeting about? The great thing about Twitter is that it gives you instant insight into what people care about right now at this very moment. As a blogger, this is a powerful resource, because it allows you to create content that speaks directly to what your audience is talking about at that very moment. And if your followers aren’t talking about anything relevant at the moment, you can always talk to them and ask them what they want you to write about. What better way to create content that your readers want to read?
• Interview someone from your field —
Interviews can make for compelling blog posts. And what’s more, they’re easy to write. All you really need to do is identify someone in your niche to interview (you’re sure to know plenty of great candidates), think of some compelling questions to ask, conduct the interview, and post it. Interviews can add a personal touch to your blog, and the content of your interviews could even stir up some new ideas for future posts.
• Write a follow-up to an old post —
Take a look back at your blog. Read through some of the older posts. Are there any posts that need to be brought up to date? Are there any posts that deserve a follow-up? I’ve found that looking in my blog archive is a great way to generate some ideas for new posts.
• Predict the future—
We have a tendency to blog about things that are happening right now and things that have already happened. Instead of looking back, try looking forward. What’s the future of your industry? Where are things headed? What big trends do you see on the horizon? Looking forward will help you think of new topics to blog about.
What are some other ways to generate new ideas for your blog?
Share your best tips by commenting below.
