A question we often hear from our clients is, “How do I come up with ideas for blog posts?” Some people want to create a blog, but never start because they are so concerned they will run out of ideas for topics.
Ironically, after writing a blog for a while, many people complain that they have too many ideas and not enough time to write about them. Deciding which topics to write about and prioritizing them is a separate subject that will be left for discussion at a later date. (Wow, we just generated another blog post idea.)
When people tell us they’re worried about running out of blog topics we ask them if they are likely to run out of the following: 1) questions from customers, 2) problems to solve for customers, 3) customers who use their product or service in a novel way, or 4) interesting new products or ideas in their industry. The answer is always a resounding “No.”
The simple truth is that in the course of running your business, ideas for blog topics tend to fall like apples from a tree – you just have to keep any eye open and pick up the good ones. A helpful way to capture topic ideas is to keep a notebook (or smartphone app) with you to write them all down as they occur. Later, when these ideas are revisited, some will remain good, while others will have lost their glow and can be discarded.
A word of caution when deciding on a blog topic – remember your audience. Business blogs are usually written for the benefit of the company’s customers (either current or future). Customers are interested in ways your products, services, and ideas can help them. It is almost certain that your customers are not interested in your cat’s antics, no matter how cute they appear to you. Our advice: stay away from religion, politics, rants, pets, and kids – unless, of course, one of those happens to be your business.
In regard to where to look for ideas, we’ve mentioned four likely sources. To help you improve your idea generation process, we’ll examine these areas in a little more detail:
1. Answers to Customers Questions
Questions generally fall into two categories: frequently asked questions and unusual questions. Both types provide good sources for blog topics. A blog post that answers a commonly asked question is helpful to existing customers (and may lower your customer service overhead). Potential customers may also be served by reading answers to these common questions, and it may prompt the reader to become your customer. Answers to novel questions may not be immediately applicable to customers, but such answers help establish your expertise in the reader’s mind.
2. Solutions to Customer Problems
Sometimes you are able to help a customer solve a unique problem in an innovative way. Other times you may simply have a tried-and-true method for solving a common problem that customers face. In either case, both types of solutions provide wonderful material for your blog, as they provide useful information for your readers, reinforce your expertise, and help promote solutions you can offer customers.
3. Novel Customer Applications
Businesspeople often say that customers are their best R&D departments. Customers often invent or inspire new product ideas or applications. Writing about some of your customers’ innovations accomplishes two things: one, it promotes new uses for your products, and two, it shows you appreciate and listen to your customers. (Remember, for privacy purposes don’t use customers’ names or identifying information without their permission.)
4. Interesting New Ideas
As a businessperson, you are constantly bombarded with new products and services that you could provide for your customers. They range from the indispensible to the ridiculous. What better way to determine if that pneumatic cheese grater you saw at the trade show is a gag gift or next year’s best selling product? Write about it in your blog and see what people say. Readers’ comments on blog posts can provide invaluable insight into what your customers are thinking.
There you have it, coming up with blog ideas doesn’t have to be hard and can even be fun. We bet that in the course of reading this post, you thought of at least one new idea for your blog. Well, don’t just stand there – get blogging!
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