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Video Summary
Writing a blog post is not just about putting words on a page; it’s a strategic process that requires careful planning, engaging content, and effective optimization. And every writer faces moments when inspiration is lacking.
You may find yourself staring at your screen, unsure of what to put into words. So how can you overcome this writer’s block or a general shortage of ideas?
This is really important if you have committed to a regularly scheduled publication calendar. And since consistent publishing is very beneficial, there are always deadlines. And I know all about this. After all, I’m publishing a video every week, and the transcript becomes a blog post. Such pressure!
So here are 10 tips to boost your creativity…
Video Transcript
Hello, my name is Jeffrey Kirk.
Are you running out of ideas for what to write about on your next blog post? Maybe a little writer’s block going on?
Writing a blog post is not just about putting words on a page; it’s a strategic process that requires careful planning, engaging content, and effective optimization. And every writer faces moments when inspiration is lacking. You may find yourself staring at your screen, unsure of what to put into words. So how can you overcome this writer’s block or a general shortage of ideas?
This is really important if you have committed to a regularly scheduled publication calendar. And since consistent publishing is very beneficial, there are always deadlines. And I know all about this. After all, I’m publishing a video every week, and the transcripts become a blog post. Such pressure!
So here are 10 tips to boost your creativity…
1. Consider Current Events
One excellent source of inspiration is to view current events from the point of view of your business. To do this effectively, stay updated with the latest news on various platforms or set up alerts for specific topics related to your blog’s mission.
For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, bloggers found ways to relate this topic to their market. If you ran a parenting blog, you could have written about creative ways to spend quarantine time with your children.
A marketing blog might have explored strategies for businesses to maintain visibility during a crisis, while a food blog could have offered recipes using common foods everyone has in their pantry. Now hopefully, there’s not another serious pandemic anytime soon. But you can take inspiration from the idea of it.
Taking current events and tailoring the message to your business niche can provide timely and relevant content for your readers.
2. Find Ideas in Your Daily Activities
You can also come up with ideas by observing your daily work life. Consider writing about your daily experiences and how you navigate through them. Think about the challenges you encounter in your work or personal life and how you solve those challenges.
Sometimes your clients, colleagues, or friends might face issues that others can relate to. By sharing your insights and solutions, you can offer valuable content to your readers.
However, always remember to respect privacy; seek permission if you intend to use real-life situations involving others in your blog.
3. Change Your Environment to Spark Creativity
If you’re stuck at your desk and struggling to find inspiration, a change of scenery can work wonders. Step outside for a brief walk or, if that’s not possible, engage in activities that clear your mind.
Everyone has their preferred methods – whether it’s meditation, or crafting, or working out, or spending time with a pet. It doesn’t really matter. But taking a break and shifting your focus away from your screen can refresh your creativity. When you return to your writing, you’re likely to find your mind teeming with new ideas and perspectives.
4. Maintain a Running List of Ideas
On some days, the ideas for your blog posts will flow effortlessly, while on others, you might draw a blank.
To prepare for those uninspired moments, make a list of potential blog topics. This can be a digital note on your phone or in a physical journal; what matters is capturing those brief moments of inspiration when they happen.
Whenever you stumble on a potential topic, write it down. That way, the next time you hit a creative roadblock, you can explore your list of ideas. This ensures you will always have a backup set of topics to pick from.
5. Google It!
Yes, Google can be your best friend. If you have any questions, or need anything, just do a search. Search for keywords such as [blog ideas], [blog post ideas], or [what to blog about] and include your type of business in the search. For example: [blog post ideas for chocolate school], or [blog post ideas for digital marketers].
And, though Google is a good source, don’t limit your search to Google. You can do searches on social media sites or ask questions to a popular AI platform. See what kind of answers you get.
Of course, keep in mind that just because you get search results or answers from AI, that doesn’t mean you’ve got quality answers. You have to evaluate to make sure you get good information to inspire quality content.
6. Visit Other Blogs and Your Competitors
When in doubt, explore the content of bloggers who inspire you. Reading their posts can spark your own creative ideas. And if no one inspires you, then look at content published by competitors or similar businesses in different market areas. A little healthy competition can bring out your creative side.
You can also consider joining Facebook groups or blogging communities that are related to your business. Engaging in discussions and brainstorming with fellow bloggers can stimulate your own creative juices.
Of course, always remember to be respectful of others’ work and ideas. Never plagiarize. And give credit where it’s due.
7. Draw Inspiration from Your Readers
Your readers can be a valuable source of inspiration. If your blog allows comments, pay close attention to the feedback and questions you receive.
While many comments may be simple statements or expressions of opinion, some could contain insightful questions or requests for further information. These questions, particularly those that are slightly off-topic or require more in-depth answers, can serve as excellent starting points for your next blog post.
Any time there’s a new relevant question, add it to your running list of ideas as I mentioned in tip #4.
And, speaking of drawing inspiration from readers, how about from viewers? If you’ve got an online marketing topic you’d like to know more about, let me know in the comments. I’m always searching for more content ideas.
8. Utilize Google Search Console’s Performance Report
Google Search Console offers much more than just error reports. Check the Performance report to gain valuable insights into how your site performs in the search results.
One of the most valuable features of this report is the list of search queries that bring up your site. Take a moment to review this list and you might discover search queries that you’ve never considered as blog topics.
For example, if you run a chocolate blog and notice that someone searched for “chocolate avocado recipe” this could spark a new blog post idea. You might dig deeper and decide to share various recipes for chocolate lovers, adding a unique twist to a relevant topic.
9. Revisit Your Keyword Research
If you’re serious about SEO, you should conduct thorough keyword research. And your research should provide you with a variety of words and phrases you want your site to rank for.
While keywords themselves are not blog post topics, they can give you a starting point. Select one of your long-tail keywords and perform a quick Google search to see what content ranks for that specific phrase.
Assess the competition and evaluate whether you can provide a better, more informative, or more unique perspective on the topic. This can guide you toward creating a blog post that either complements existing content or stands out as a distinct contribution, all while aligning with user intent.
If you’re not sure what I meant by long-tail keywords, check out my video on the subject.
10. Return to Important Business Questions
Don’t forget to think about why you’re writing and what you want to achieve with a specific post. What is your goal?
Maybe you’re trying to convince people to buy your product or support your ideas? Or you want to engage and entertain your readers? Or are you sharing knowledge about a particular topic? Different articles on your website can serve different purposes.
What do you want your readers to get from your post? It’s important to consider the main message or take away you want them to have after reading your content.
And who are your readers? It’s good to remind yourself of the audience you want to reach with your website before you start writing. Always remember that you are writing to deliver value. You want to provide information that searchers are looking for.
Well, there you go, 10 tips to get you started with new blog post ideas. Inspiration is all around you. So don’t lose hope when you’re struggling to brainstorm new blog post ideas. Yes, coming up with fresh and engaging blog post ideas can be a challenge, especially when you’ve been blogging for a while.
But ideas can be discovered in various places, whether it’s on your website, across the internet, or in your everyday life. All it takes is a fresh viewpoint or a new strategy to get you started again. And if you’ve got a tip you’d like to share with others, go ahead and drop it into the comment box below.
Now a special gift for you because you’re still watching, you’ve made it this far… And if you’re putting all this effort into your blog, I’m pretty sure you would like to get more traffic, more people who find your site and read the content you worked so hard to create. Am I right?
So I put together a free blog traffic checklist for you. It includes 10 key tips to getting traffic to your blog, and each tip includes 3 action steps to improve your online results and drive more traffic to your site. You can download it by going to upatdawn.biz/blogtraffic.
Your business deserves to be seen online, and I will help you get there.
Thanks for watching and have a great day!