by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
It happens to us all. It’s the night before a blog post is due, and it seems like all our creative juices have run dry. Do we just bail and skip that post, or is there something constructive that can help us out?
Don’t panic. There are some specific things you can do and places you can look to find, not just something to fill in with, but something truly creative to blog about.
7 Ways to Find Great Blog Post Ideas
- First, look no farther than your last blog post, or more specifically, the comments your last post brought out. Your subscribers and readers are your best source of inspiration. Their questions and comments can spur you on to ideas you’d never have considered otherwise.
- Second, take a look at the blogs you follow. What are some of the questions you’ve asked your favorite bloggers? What are some things you wish you knew? Just because you don’t know the answer, doesn’t mean you can’t right about it. Trust me, the best way to learn something is by researching it thoroughly
- Third, investigate social media. Do you see any trends, or notice a subject everyone is talking about? There’s a blog post in there!
- Fourth, have you recently solved a problem that has to do with your blog’s topic? Don’t be stingy. Share your secret with the rest of us. If you had an issue or challenge with something, chances are you aren’t the only one. You could end up being the blogging hero of the week.
- Fifth, notice what day it is. Not just the day of the week, but the month. Did you know that today, June 26, is International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking? Also, in the same vein, what season is it? The calendar opens up an encyclopedia of possibilities. These are some great sites to help you see the holidays that are out there:
- Sixth, at a loss for words? Post a picture or a video or even a cartoon instead. (Just make sure you’re not violating any copyright laws).
- Seventh, post a question or a rant about something that truly irritates you.
The point of your blog is to open up the lines of communication—to get the conversation going. Digging your posting topics out of things you’re interested in can grow your blog in ways you never imagined.
Keeping Track of Blogging Ideas
I keep a file on my laptop of all my ideas for blogging. If I’m not around my laptop when the idea appears, I’ll make a note on my phone and transfer it to my file.
As I use ideas from the file, I don’t delete them, I strike through them. This way they’re still there to spur more ideas. For example, I had a post idea for A Checklist for Things to do Before You Publish Your Blog Post. I used this idea and then, a few weeks later when I was looking for a new idea, I came up with A Checklist for Things to do After You Publish Your Blog Post.
These are my best ideas for blogging ideas and how to keep track. I’d love to know where you get your blogging inspiration and how you keep up with your ideas. Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Don’t Forget to Join the Conversation!
Blessings,
Edie
*Excerpt from Blogging for Today's Writer, Reprinted with permission from Bold Vision Books, Inc.
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Featured Image: Photo by Daniel Thomas on Unsplash
These are really good ideas. I keep a collection too but you are thinking more broadly than I. Note, I caught the homonym slipped into item number 2. Good one!
ReplyDeleteExcellent ideas, Edie! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you DiAnn for the parallel and the encouragement!
ReplyDelete