How to Come up with Killer Blog Post Ideas
As a blogger, have you ever struggled to come up with new blog post ideas?
If you are creating content for your business, are you always on the lookout for new topics to share?
When it comes to writing, one of the most common questions I get asked is,
How do you find so many things to write about on your blog?
While it takes practice to come up with new blog post ideas on a regular basis, I thought I would share some tips with you that will help you come up with more ideas to write about.
When I first started blogging in 2012, writing was a chore. I would sit at my computer, for what seemed like hours, and wait for inspiration to strike.
What I've found is I don't always find inspiration, but inspiration almost always find me when I'm willing to put in the work.
Over the past few years, I've developed a system that has allowed me to always have topics to write about it. While I'm constantly coming up with new topics, I often find myself relying on the tools that I'm about to share with you.
4 Ways to Come Up with Killer Blog Post Ideas
Books & Magazines
I get so many blog post ideas just by reading books. Both fiction and nonfiction books can be a great source of inspiration and ideas for you.
For example, in Kary Oberbrunner's book, Day Job to Dream Job, there's a chapter about timing and why now is the best time to start your own business. What a great topic for me to expand on!
Another example comes from the most recent Toastmasters magazine. There was an article about power postures that help you convey your message. Another fantastic topic for me to write about.
As a rule of thumb, consider this.
If you find it interesting, the chances are, your audience will find it interesting too. Just be very careful to not plagiarise, and giving credit where credit is due if you reference someone else's work.
Conversations
Almost every conversation you have about your topic of choice could be turned into a blog post. The chat about you had over lunch about what's working for your is a perfect starting point for a blog post.
The story of struggle you shared with your mastermind?
Another perfect launching pad for a message to share with your audience.
The more conversations you have with like-minded people, the more blog post ideas you can generate.
Blog Posts
If you're not reading, you are not learning. Blog posts written by other writers within your area of focus will be a virtually limitless source of inspiration for you.
You can write articles about why you agree with another writer's opinion, why you disagree, and even about why your opinion differs from theirs.
Putting a link back to your source of inspiration will also expose your audience to new and fresh ideas. It's also a great way to connect your readers with another resource they can learn from.
Podcasts
Every time I interview someone for my podcast I get new blog post ideas.
The same idea works even if you're just listening and don't have a show of your own. My guests share incredible stories with invaluable life lessons that are just waiting to be turned into a blog posts.
When it comes to finding inspiration for new content, get out there and live life. Learn from other people's experience and filter it through your own to create interesting content for your audience.
Now What?
If you are still struggling to find new ideas, expand your range of topics. The topics I blog about today is much broader than what I wrote about in 2012.
As you develop and grow as a person, your blog, and the topics you write about, should develop and grow as well. If you are writing about the exact same things you were writing about two years ago, maybe it's time to step further outside of your comfort zone.
Your blog, whether you're writing as individual or as a business, should reflect growth. And, if you are growing you have a story to tell. And my bet is your audience would be very interested in hearing about it.
One Last Blog Post Idea Tip
Don't try to remember every blog post idea that pops into your head. The best thing for you to do is to keep a running list in a convenient place. I use Evernote.
In my Evernote I keep a virtual notebook of every blog post idea I come up with. Whether it's a topic, a keyword, or a catchy title, I key it into a new note and save it for later.
If you start keeping track of ideas as they come to you, I can almost guarantee you'll have a list of over a hundred great topics before the end of the month.
Curious about blogging for your business? I teach about it in my course.
Question: How do you come up with blog post ideas? Where do you get your inspiration?