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10 Ways to Consistently Create Content Ideas
Content is the bread and butter of any online business – it helps you attract an audience, build a relationship with them, and ultimately sell them your products or services. The challenge, of course, is coming up with ideas for that content consistently. Nowadays, every small or large business needs content to market itself online, whether it is through a blog, social media, or even just a simple website. The issue comes in when trying to generate content ideas that will be engaging and interesting for your target audience day in and day out. You can’t simply rely on inspiration striking you at the right moment; you need a proper system for regularly coming up with new and fresh ideas. Here are the ways to make sure you always have content ideas when you need them:
Get Ideas
Great content starts with great ideas, so the first step is brainstorming and generating those ideas. Keep a running list of potential topics to refer back to when you need inspiration. This could be a simple document on your computer or a notebook you carry around with you. Whenever you think of something that could make for an interesting blog post or article, jot it down. You can also look for ideas in current events, popular culture, or your own life experiences. The right idea is out there; you need to find it.
Utilize Social Media
Social media is a great platform for staying up-to-date on the latest events and popular culture and seeing what others are talking about. See what’s trending on Twitter or Facebook, and consider writing about those topics. You can also use social media to your advantage by asking your followers what they want to see from you. Polls are a great way to do this; you can even offer a prize for the best answer. Social media platforms also offer great networking opportunities; you never know when you’ll come across someone with a great idea for a collaboration or guest post.
Keep an Eye on Your Analytics
If you have a website or blog, pay attention to your analytics to see which posts get the most traffic and engagement. These are the topics that your audience is interested in, so consider writing more on these topics in the future. You can also use Google AdWords Keyword Planner (browse CouponGot coupons to subscribe to these tools at a discount) to find out which keywords get a lot of searches; these are great topics to write about. Google Adwords offers other great features to help you create content ideas, like the Keyword Ideas tool. They also have a great blog with lots of tips and tricks for content creation.
Look for Questions on Social Media
Another great way to develop content ideas is to look for questions people ask on social media, like Twitter and Facebook. You can use the search function on each site to find relevant questions, or you can use a tool like Quora. Just type in a keyword related to your niche, and you’ll find tons of questions people have asked about that topic.
You can also look for questions in forums related to your niche. Search on Google for “forum + your niche” to find relevant forums, and then browse through the questions people are asking.
Keep a Running List of Ideas
Write it down whenever you get a great idea for a piece of content. It can be in a physical notebook or on your computer. I like to keep a folder on my computer desktop titled “Content Ideas” and then create a document for each month. That way, I can easily find my ideas when it’s time to start writing. Having a list of ideas to refer to takes the pressure off having to come up with a great idea on the spot. It also allows you to batch content creation, which can be more efficient and less overwhelming.
Set Up Google Alerts
Google Alerts is a free tool that lets you get notified anytime someone mentions a keyword you’re interested in. So, if you want to stay up-to-date on the latest news in your industry or are looking for blog post ideas, setting up a few Google Alerts can be helpful.
To set the Google Alert, go to google.com/alerts and enter the keyword(s) you want to track. Then, choose how often you want to receive notifications (as they happen, once a day or once a week), what type of results you want (news, web, etc.), and your email address.
Check out Quora
Quora is a Q&A platform with tons of great questions that people are asking in your industry. And, since most people don’t have the time to sift through all of the questions, you can be the one to provide them with answers – in the form of a blog post, video, or podcast.
To find questions to answer, type in a keyword related to your industry and see what pops up. For example, when I typed in “social media marketing,” I found questions like “What are some creative social media marketing ideas?” and “How can I improve my social media marketing strategy?”
Check Out the News
The news is a great source of content ideas; after all, it’s full of current events that people are interested in. You can find stories to write about in the traditional news and on sites like Twitter and Facebook.
To find news stories to cover, set up Google Alerts for key terms related to your industry. That way, you’ll be notified whenever a new story pops up. You can also follow relevant hashtags on social media, influencers, and brands in your industry.
Talk to People
Another great way to develop the best content ideas is to talk to people in real life and online. Ask your friends and family what topics they would be interested in reading about.
You can also reach out to experts in your industry and interview them for your blog or podcast. It is a great way to share unique perspectives with your audience.
You can also join relevant online communities and forums related to your industry. See what people are talking about and look for problems you can solve with your content.
Research Your Competitors
Keep a check on your competitors. See what kind of content they create and how they promote it.
You can also use tools like BuzzSumo (Use coupons to subscribe to this amazing tool at a discount) to see what content is popular in your industry. Just enter a keyword or topic, and it will show you the most popular content. Competitors also tend to share each other’s content so that you can get some good ideas from them. It also allows you to stay ahead of the competition and create content that is even better than what they are doing.
Summing Up!
Content is the fuel that drives the digital marketing world. It will help you attract new customers and engage your existing ones. Creating quality content can be challenging, but it is worth it. Following these tips, you can consistently create content to help grow your business.
Do you have any other tips for consistently creating quality content? Share them with us!
