Brainstorming: easier said then done. By the time you’ve thought of one good blog is your trash bin is filled with crumbled pitches that just didn’t make the cut? If so, then you might be trying too hard. If you’ve given up on blogging because you can’t think of a topic, don’t throw in the towel quite yet.
Get a pen a paper and get ready to brainstorm a long list of ideas to get your blog rolling.
Ask Specific Questions
Without even realizing it, you probably come across dozens of blog topics everyday. So when it is time to brainstorm, look back and ask yourself these three questions:
- What questions do people ask you about your company?
- What makes you mad?
- What do you want to know more about?
Think about the most common questions you get asked about your company… it is likely that people are also searching for those answers on the Internet. So beat them to the punch and provide an in depth answer on your blog.
Now when you ask yourself what makes you mad, that does not refer to your neighbor that plays his music too loud (unless that relates to your company). Instead, what makes you mad about the industry, relevant news, technology, etc. Take that anger and write a constructive blog that your clients can relate to.
When you go through a typical day of work, what do you want to know more about? Think about what could help you better understand your company. Not only can you answer questions that you have, but it is likely that others will also want to know more.
“Steal” Ideas
Like Austin Kleon said in his book “Steal Like an Artist,” every idea comes from somewhere. No, that doesn’t mean you can copy and paste an entire blog. Instead draw inspiration from your favorite blogs. Take their content and put your own twist on it to make it your own.
Share Your Experiences
Tell a story! Some of the best blogs share an experience. Whether it is positive or negative, share a story that your audience can learn from. If you had a bad experience, share it. People love learning from other’s mistakes (instead of making them on their own).
Sharing your experience is easy, there is no research needed! Just make sure it is relevant to your company and interesting enough to draw your audience in.
Go Further in Depth on an Existing Post
If you feel like you have already written about everything possible, take another look. Go back to your old post and go further in depth. The easiest way to do this is to write about the opposing position.
For example, if you wrote a blog about the “The Best SEO Trends,” change it up and write about “The Worst SEO Trends.” Look at all sides of your post and expand off of them.
Write with the Season
Have fun with your blogs and tailor your content with the season. If it’s Halloween write a spooky blog, if it’s Thanksgiving rant about food, and if it’s Christmas talk about family and traditions. There is always a clever way to tie in the holidays with your next blog.
For example, this Halloween our blog featured fun fonts inspired by the holiday, and we gave tips for marketing during Thanksgiving in another post.
Use a Well-Tested Attention Grabbing Headline Formula
Follow Cosmos technique and start with the headline. Make it fun and attention grabbing. Some tips to get the best headline are:
- Use numbers
- Include a question
- Add a fact
Take some of Cosmos headlines (even if they have nothing to do with your company) and spin it to reflect your company. Just change up a few words (and the topic) and you can have an attention grabbing headline that has already been tested.
Go to Blog Topic Generator
You have tried everything and you’re still stuck… don’t worry Hubspot Blog Topic Generator is there to help. All you need to do is provide a couple of nouns that are relevant to your company and BAM, Hubspot provides you with a list of potential blog topics. If you don’t like any of the topics provided, it is sure to spark some new ideas!
Now your paper should be filled with ideas for you next blog. After you have a solid list and are ready to write, ask yourself: Is it relevant? Would I read it? Once you can answer yes to these questions with confidence, start writing!
