This post originally appeared on tBL member Joshua Lyon’s blog Joshua Lyons Marketing Blog and is republished with permission. Find out how to syndicate your content with theBrokerList.
Upon first starting your blog, you might have a few topics in mind that you want to cover. This can be anything, from how your business started to a cause that you care about. It can even be overwhelming when deciding what to post first! But, as time goes on, things may start to feel a bit stagnant or repetitive. Let’s face it; no one wants to read stale content! If you are feeling stumped when it comes to thinking of new content, you’ve come to the right place! Sometimes, all you need is a little push. In this blog post, we discuss some great tips for brainstorming blog content!
Brainstroming Blog Content: How to Do It
Running a blog can be the very thing your business is missing! Blogging is a great way to connect with your audience in a unique way. It’s also the perfect opportunity to open up a conversation about a new topic that might be essential to your brand. By creating intriguing content that informs and entertains your readers, you will have the opportunity to show them exactly what you stand for! This can also be an added bonus for creating return customers. Remember, customers will always be more likely to return if they feel a connection to the brand. So, when brainstorming blog content, consider the following tips.
Do What Works Best
One of the best features of blogging, or any form of digital marketing, is the ability to track its performance. Compared to other forms of marketing, digital forms allow you to analyze this information almost instantly. Any great marketer would tell you to take advantage of this!
If you already have several blog posts, see what has worked the best so far. By taking note of what blogs have the most traction, it can lead you in the right direction for new content. If your audience likes a particular topic over another, you will know! The analytics, in this sense, does not have to be overly complicated either. By just noting what has the most reads or clicks can go a long way.
Are you finding that some topics are getting much less activity? That can help steer you away from making the same mistakes over again. Take into consideration what your readers like!
When it comes to seeing what works best, here are a couple examples from our own blog:
Based on the two examples above, we know topics related to integrated marketing communications, and marketing budgets are popular. Therefore, it would make sense to write more content that’s related.
Write What You Know
If you are having trouble coming up with new topics, it might be because they are out of your bandwidth. So stick to what you know! No one can be expected to be an expert on everything. By sticking to your niche, you are able to dive deeper into details and really inform your readers about all aspects of what you know.
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You wouldn’t check a travel blog to learn about how to cook your favorite dish, just like you wouldn’t check a food blog to see how to get a cheap flight to a new destination. By knowing what you know, you can better curate content. Then think about the details!
By going into further details, you can curate a well-thought-out blog. Having a niche will really allow you to build up that following. This will keep the blog posts flowing, and you may never run out of content.
To build your niche, you can ask yourself some of these questions to get started:
- What am I good at?
- What is it that I am passionate about?
- What do my readers trust me with?
- What knowledge can I share that will be beneficial to others?
Be Up to Date
No matter what industry you are in, things change! To run a successful blog, keep this in mind. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic altered the way people do a lot of daily tasks. Take a travel blog as an example. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, this may have been full of information on how to get the best deals traveling and where to stay in your chosen destination. As the pandemic spread, this information was no longer relevant. To keep readers constantly engaged, it was crucial for these bloggers to find a different angle. They had to change up a lot of their advice!
By always staying up to date on the news and what is happening in your industry, you can always have something to talk about. While I always recommend planning out what you are going to blog about, changing when needed is important.
Open Up the Conversation
If you have a corporate blog, it might be a good idea to allow comments. When you post an interesting piece, others can respond. This may open up the conversation further than you anticipated. You may have thought you hit all of the points, but by hearing what others have to say, you may reconsider. This can give you ideas for what else to put on your blog and how to curate it for the future better.
Again, always listen to the readers! Keep an open conversation about hot topics, and see where the conversation goes. For future planning, you will know exactly what information your readers are looking for. Did you write a “how-to” blog but get loads of questions about something else? You will then know to add that content in for your next blog.
You can also open up conversation by sharing your blog posts on social media, which is a very good idea.
Blog at All Times
Now we don’t mean this one literally… But, one of the best tips for brainstorming new content is to take notes during the day. We recommend keeping a note list (either on your smartphone or on paper) that you can access at any time. If you think of something midday when working on another task, write it down and save it for later. By having this list, it can take the pressure off of turning on your “blog-writing brain” only at certain times. Never miss out on ideation.
This can also help if you have a meaningful conversation that would be a great blog. If a customer you are with asks a great question, you can jot it down. Go back later and use it to guide a new blog post.
Let’s face it; no one wants to read stale content! Not sure what to blog about? Read this blog post! #blogging #contentmarketing #JLM Click To Tweet
Get Topic Inspiration From AlsoAsked
If you do a Google search on a topic you’re interested in, you’ll often see a section that shows other related questions that have “also” been “asked.” Wouldn’t it be great if you could enter a topic and then see a massive list of highly related topics, similar to what Google shows? Fortunately, you can. AlsoAsked.com will provide an excellent list of related topics.
If you’re stumped on what to write about, go to that website, and write in the topics of your favorite blog posts you’ve already written about. Then see what similar topics appear. You can then plug in those topics into your editorial calendar.
When in Doubt, Write Anything!
If you are still feeling a little lost, write anything! Remember, you can always go back and edit your posts and review them several times before posting. Write down a stream of consciousness, and see where it takes you. You might surprise yourself.
As a business, try to write about what you are going through with your business. Maybe write about some common questions clients ask you. Or, write about the current state of your industry. But, if you have a chance, we recommend brainstorming blog content.
If you need any help brainstorming blog content, our team is here to assist you! Contact us through our website and we’ll be sure to reach out. Otherwise, good luck with your brainstorming and content writing!
