So you know why blogging is important for small businesses, but you’re also unsure where to start. Coming up with ideas for content can be tricky, especially when you feel as though you’ve exhausted them all already. The good news is that there’s always more to write about. These tips and tricks can help you come up with new content ideas, pronto.
Think of a new angle
Straying from your regular blog posts to think up something a little more abstract can be a great way to get through “blogger’s block”. To come up with new angles, try combining things you might not have thought to combine before.
Start by listing things that relate to your business. If I run a cake shop, I might list things like cake, frosting, baking and recipes. Then start thinking about things less related to your business, such as travel, dogs, or gardening. Combining the two (totally unrelated!) topics can help you come up with new and interesting ideas. For example, I might combine dogs and baking to write a blog post about baking for your dog. Or I might combine frosting and gardening to blog about garden garnishes: five things you can eat straight from your garden.
Come up with content pillars
Content pillars underpin every good content strategy. When starting a blog, you’re going to need an idea of what you’ll actually be writing about. Chances are, you’ll be blogging about a couple of things. The main themes of your blog make up your content pillars.
If I run a blog for a bank, I may have four content pillars: investing, saving, success stories and community engagement. When I’m struggling to come up with an idea for a new blog post, I can simply turn to my content pillars for inspiration. They might inspire a case study on a successful start-up, or five top tips for saving for your first home. Having strong content pillars means that you always have a foundation to draw ideas from.
Stay on top of the trends
The news can be a great source of inspiration. Keeping an eye out for the latest news and trends is a great way to write interesting, topical blog posts – and it’s especially great when the news is tied to your industry.
Take a quick look through the trending topics on Twitter and Facebook to see if any relate to your business. Then commission your blog post pronto. The news cycle moves quickly, so you’ll need to be on top of your game (that’s why Shuttle Rocket writes your blog posts within 48 hours).
Get in the mindset of your customer
You know your business better than anyone, and that makes you an expert. Thinking about things from someone else’s perspective can help you get inspired, and help you come up with informative content ideas.
Think about the most common questions your customers ask, and how a blog post might answer them. Coming up with blog ideas this way can also help you improve your SEO. Writing blog posts that answer common Google queries can help bring in new traffic and inform your existing customers.
Interview an expert in your field
Interviews are the perfect way to get expert options, diversify your content and add personal interest. Think about who you admire and what questions you’d like to ask them. Actually getting an interview with the person you’d like to talk to can be tricky, but you’d be surprised by how willing people are to help you out.
Be sure to go into your interview with a clear idea of what you want to write about, and how you’re going to write it. Whether you write it as a straight interview, a case study, or a profile is up to you. There are many ways to fill your blog with expert opinions.
Ready to start blogging? Whether you’ve got an idea or still need a little help, our Blog Builder copywriting package is the perfect way to kick start your content.