Blog Post Ideas: A Practical Guide to Never Running Out of Content
The excitement of thinking up new blog post ideas one minute and getting stuck in front of a blank screen wondering what to write about next the next can be very real for bloggers, marketers and all content creators. There are an abundance of different places to find blog post idea; it’s just knowing where to look for them, how to develop them, and what to do with them once you have developed them while creating high quality writing and engaging design.
In this article you will learn very real, practical, human friendly methods for generating compelling blog post ideas that are going to generate traffic, create trust, and help your blog grow over the long haul.
Why Blog Post Ideas Are Important
The success or failure of your blog (on the other hand) will be primarily impacted by the quality of your blog post idea. No matter how well written or designed the content may be, it will not overcome a weak or irrelevant topic. Good blog post ideas accomplish three key goals:
- They solve real issues.
- They attract a specific audience to your content.
- They create repeat visits from those who have visited.
Blogs that are written around meaningful blog post ideas become resources for readers instead of simply a website.
Identify Your Audience’s Pain Points
Do you want to know what to write about? Look for blog posts from people asking real questions. People have questions, so you must listen to them to come up with what topic would be interesting for the current reader base and provide value to the current reader base.
Here are four simple ways to find out what your audience is asking:
- Browse comments on your blog or social media sites.
- Look for questions on forums and community boards.
- Read product reviews in your niche.
- Ask your readers directly what they are most curious about.
If you own a fitness blog and have many readers asking about at-home workouts, then you have identified great potential blog post ideas.
Use Real-Life Situations to Generate Blog Post Idea
You don’t need to do extensive research or check new trends to generate new blog post topics. You may find that everyday life provides you with an abundance of blog post ideas.
Consider the following as potential blog post ideas:
- What you learned in the last week.
- What mistakes you encountered within the last week and how you overcame them.
- Tools that you utilize on a daily basis whether paid or free.
- What habit you are currently developing.
Authentic personal stories about your life provide great opportunities for people to relate since most people connect with real experiences.
Find Blog Post Idea with Keyword Research
One of the best ways to find blog post ideas that people are actually looking for is through keyword research.
Ways to do this include:
- Google Search Suggestions
- Keyword Planners
- SEO Tools
- “People Also Ask” boxes
For example, when you search for “budget travel,” you may find:
- Budget travel tips for beginners
- Cheap travel spots
- How to travel with little money
These phrases would each become their own separate blog post idea.
Why Lists Are Great for Writing Blog Post Idea
List-type articles tend to be liked by most readers because they are quick to read and easy to scan. Most successful blogs have been based off of list-style blog post ideas.
Examples would be:
- 10 Ways to Be More Productive When Working From Home
- 15 Healthy Ideas for Breakfast
- 20 Free Resources for Designers
These blog post ideas work well because they should have concise, organized information for the reader.
FAQs Are a Great Source of Blog Post Ideas
Generating ideas for your blog doesn’t have to be difficult when you use frequently asked questions.
Consider questions such as:
- How do I begin?
- What’s the best method for ____?
- What causes this?
- What is the better choice for ____?
Your blog can become a resource of knowledge by turning these questions into individual posts.
Create Guides for Beginners
Content written for people new to a topic will always be successful because every day there are new people entering each niche. Therefore, content having a beginner focus can provide significant value.
For example:
- A beginner’s digital marketing guide
- How to create a blog from square one
- Low impact home workouts for beginners
Creating beginner-friendly blog posts will introduce you to potential readers and establish trust with them.
Comparison Posts Are Popular
People love comparison posts because they help make decisions, so they are a good source of ideas for blogging.
Some ideas include:
- Which is better: WordPress or Wix?
- Freelancing versus full-time employment
- iPhone or Android for photos?
Comparison posts are an excellent resource to attract readers ready to make a buying decision.
Create Tutorials – Step by Step
One of the most practical blog post ideas is to create a tutorial. A tutorial provides a reader with a way to accomplish an objective.
Some examples of tutorial topics are:
- How to create a logo
- How to create a YouTube account
- How to write a resume
Providing real solutions to real problems through tutorials can generate long-lasting, continuous traffic for that blog post.
Repurpose Old Blog Posts into New Blog Post Idea
You don’t always have to come up with a brand new idea. There are ways to create new blog post ideas using content that has already been created.
Some examples are:
- Breaking down a lengthy guide and turning it into many short blog posts
- Updating an old blog post with new information
- Taking an old popular blog post and making a checklist based on it
- Adding more content to an old blog post and creating a detailed guide
By using repurposing techniques, you will be able to create numerous blog post ideas without having to start from scratch.
Look at the Competition for Blog Post Idea Inspiration
Competitor research is one way to find proven blog post topics.
The method is as follows:
- Find well-known industry-related blogs.
- Check out which blog posts the blog’s readers have viewed the most.
- Look for similarities in content.
- Then create your unique version based on the success of that blog post.
You will not be alone in this, as you are using existing successes to inspire more original ideas for blog posts.
Blog Ideas on Trends or in Regard to the Season
Some subjects get hot for the time of year that they are being discussed. If you’re coming out with seasonal blog post subject matter, that might bring in quick visitors.
For example:
- Goal setting for the New Year
- Where to travel this summer
- How to get organized for back to school
- How to find gifts at the holidays
When you have trending subjects that you’re able to write about when they are hot, you can also create incredible blog posts around those subjects.
Blog Ideas That Are Stories
People remember stories. If you’ve learned something and can convey it in a story manner, you will share your lesson in a way that is more entertaining for your readers.
You can write about:
- An obstacle you have overcome
- Your client’s success
- Your own transformation
- A lesson that surprised you
By writing about a specific event and invoking emotions within your readers, you create a stronger connection with them.
Blog Ideas That Include Expert Opinions
A very popular idea for blog posts is to create content that includes the expert opinion of someone else.
For example:
- Ten experts’ productivity tips
- Interviews with entrepreneurs who have been successful
- Top designers’ advice
Creating blog posts that include expert opinions lends credibility and offers a variety of different points of view.
Blog Posts About Mistakes
Readers are drawn to content that teaches them what not to do. Therefore, blog posts focusing on mistakes tend to be very popular.
Some examples:
- Seven blogging mistakes to avoid
- Common beginner SEO errors
- Freelancing mistakes that are costly
These types of blogs are quick to deliver value and have practical meaning.
Blog Posts with Data-Driven Ideas
Using statistics and research to back your content can give authority to a blog.
Some examples:
- Marketing statistics every business must understand
- Blogging trends for the upcoming year
- Statistics from social media usage
Data-driven ideas tend to see a lot of shares because they provide information that is credible.
Keep an Idea Bank of Personal Ideas
Creating a list of blog post ideas is a great habit for any blogger.
Ways to keep ideas:
- Notes application
- Spreadsheet file
- Calendar for content
- Notebook or notepad
Keep your ideas stored until you’re ready to use them. After some time, you will have hundreds of blog post ideas ready to be written.
Creative Blog Post Ideasby Combining Multiple Topics
Creative blog posts can come from putting two or more blog ideas together.
For example:
- “Beginner’s guide” + “budget” = The beginner’s guide to budget travelling
- “Mistakes” + “social media” = Social media mistakes small businesses make
- “Tools” + “productivity” = Productivity tools for students
Putting two ideas together generates an endless supply of creative blog post ideas.
Learn and Experiment
Not all ideas will perform as well as others—and that’s okay. Blogging is a long game.
Keep track of:
- Posts that receive the most visitors
- Posts that get the most comments
- Posts that are most shared
You can use this data to help develop more creative blog post idea in the future.
FAQ
What is the best way to develop new ideas for my blog posts?
The most effective way to develop new ideas for your blog posts is by keeping an idea journal or digital list. Whenever you come across an idea that you would like to write about, make a note of it in your idea journal/list, and eventually you will have a continuous stream of ideas to draw from so you are not stuck looking at a blank page.
How can I create successful blog post ideas?
In order to create successful blog post ideas, you need to create ideas that will have real value to your readers in relation to their needs. In order for an idea to be successful, it needs to be relevant to your niche and relevant to your target audience. Once you create an idea that is of value and is something your target audience cares about, it will attract many readers and increase engagement with your post.
How many blog post ideas should I come up with ahead of time?
You should aim to stick to 20—30 blog post ideas, ideally at all times. This allows you to effectively construct a solid content calendar and if you stick to a consistent publishing schedule. Having an effective backlog of ideas, also relieve a fair amount of stress and allows you to make more informed decisions about which topics you will write about rather than being rushed to generate new content at the very last minute.
Can I use old blog post content to produce my new content idea?
Definitely! Repurposing your old content would already be one of the quickest way to develop new blog post ideas. Uploading outdated content, creating posts, using longer articles and breaking down longer guides into smaller pieces or compiling shorter posts into one good resource can definitely assist you in both saving time and receiving yet another value from a content source you produced previously before date.
How often should I publish new blog posts?
Your publishing schedule should take into account both your time and effort; however, consistent posting is more impactful than frequent publishing. Each post may be made weekly or bi-monthly, as long as you can maintain a regular schedule. Regularly producing content gives your audience reasons to keep returning to your site, while also showing search engines that you have an active value-based blog.
Conclusion
Generating lots of creative, engaging blog posts should not be stressful. When you take the time to understand the problems of your audience, then listen and learn from them, you’ll naturally generate many creative blog post ideas.
Remember:
- Identify the needs of your audience
- Conduct keyword research
- Share real-life stories
- Create an inventory of ideas in a common area
- Analyse what worked and what didn’t
With the right approach, you’ll never again run out of creative blog post ideas. And as you continue to create helpful, honest and useful content, your blog will be established as a resource for visitors to return to.