Sometimes blog ideas take a little work. Here are a few suggestions for finding them when the going gets rough.
- Keep a notebook of ideas (or the digital equivalent). When something strikes you, write it down.
- Consider your conversations with customers. What questions do you answer a lot?
- Read a lot. Every day. Both inside and outside of your industry. Consider reading a book a week.
- Evaluate your artwork first. What stories can you tell if you explain your photos or graphics?
- Network. What do your colleagues in the profession have to say?
- Separate yourself from your work with small, regular breaks. You’ll be surprised how taking out the garbage might help.
- Check out LinkedIn Questions, Yahoo Answers, or other answer forums. Write a blog answering a question, and post a link.
- Interview an industry expert. Or interview a client. Both may have stories to tell that could benefit your readers.
- What standard advice in your industry is B.S. and why?
- Review one of the many books you’ve read.
- Scour blog comments. There may be ideas in there.
- Use Google’s blog search to find more blogs. Read as many as you can.
- Respond to others’ blogs with posts of your own. Try and add something to the conversation.
- Experience. What’s happened to you recently that your readers should know about?
- List the important resources or people for your niche.
- Look at your most popular keyword phrases in analytics. Can you do a related post?
- Do a product review. Write about the newest products in your industry.
Matt Brennan is a Chicago-area marketing writer and copy editor. He is also the author of Write Right-Sell Now.
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