So you’ve got a blog, it's all set up but you keep struggling to find things to write about? It’s not uncommon. Most of us suffer from writer’s block at some point. Like this morning, I was thinking about things to write for Creative Boom and just hit a brick wall. That’s when I decided a put together a blog post on ‘Things to Blog About When You Run Out of Ideas’. So if you’ve reached a plateau with your writing and you need some ideas and inspiration, hopefully this list will help.
Read All About It
It’s an obvious top tip but if you’re struggling to find something to write about, ask Google News. Search within your field and pull out an interesting story that you could add your opinion to. We do this all the time for my own family business and find something great to blog about every day. As I work in the digital side of things, I like to keep on top of all the latest technology news anyway, so it’s great for me to pass on any news and updates to my readers.
Lists, Lists, Lists
Top tips or ‘list’ articles are stickers. They’ll be around forever because they’re timeless advice piece articles. People love using the Internet to search for information and they use search engines to find answers. Popular searches always start with ‘Top 10 tips…’ Like for example, ‘Top Five Marketing Tips’ or ‘Top SEO Tips‘ – these are posts that will be visited time and time again as people look for tips and advice online.
Write a Tutorial Post
Helpful information is key to the Internet. People are always seeking advice online. Share your own expertise by writing blog posts that teach people how to do things. For example, my business provides digital services, so we write about how to do various technical things. But speaking to some businesses, many worry this would be giving away all of their corporate secrets. Rubbish! By sharing knowledge and being open and transparent, you attract new clients because it shows you really know your stuff.
Find your Niche
Want returning web traffic? Keen to have a loyal audience? By finding your own niche, you will attract the same visitors to your blog every time. I personally love all things to do with social media and the web, so I talk about that the most. I try and aim to be an expert in this field, keeping people informed of any new updates in the world of social media and the Internet. Find your own niche and you’ll have people hanging on your every word.
Some Like It Hot!
Keep constantly updated on what’s happening in the world. Discover what people are searching about online. Dig out those hot search engine topics and then exploit them. What do we mean by this? Simply find out about trending topics within the search engines and write about what the people are searching for. So the X Factor is hitting the search engines again? Write about it! But make sure you write about subjects within your own context.
Note it Down!
Carry a notepad with you wherever you go. Ideas for blog posts can happen at any time. So it’s important to carry pen and paper everywhere. I’ve been stood in the queue at my local supermarket and suddenly thought of fantastic blog posts, only to forget them all by the time I return to my desk. If you haven’t got a notepad, buy one today. I carry one everywhere now and it really does work a treat.
Go for a Walk
Finally, if you’re still struggling to find ideas, go outside and stretch your legs. Get some fresh air. Do other things and take your mind off blogging for a bit. You’ll find that you’ll come back to your computer with a fresh perspective plus your walk in the fresh air might clear the mind and pop some new ideas into your head.
