This must happen to all bloggers. You sit down at your laptop and think “What to blog about today?” And your mind goes blank.
I know. You’re a PRO. You have a plan and you always stick to it. Your blog topics are etched out months in advance…
But what about those weeks when life is determined to throw EVERYTHING it can at you. The weeks when you just need an easy topic you can quickly write about.
How do you find your blogging inspiration?
What To Blog About?
- Keep a notebook
- Go for a walk
- Keep on top of trends
- Write a list post
- Follow similar blogs
- Use Google to search for blog topics
- Engage with other people
- Become a spy
- Ask your readers
- Use a guest author
#1 Keep a notebook.
Having a notebook to hand means you can write down your idea as soon as inspiration strikes. I like to keep one beside my bed.
I’ve been known to wake in the middle of the night, scribble down an idea and down straight back to sleep. And yes, sometimes these middle of the night ideas are good ones!
#2 Go for a walk.
Getting some fresh air or a change of scene always helps my writing. It’s hard to think up new topics or get your writing to flow if you’ve been cooped up all day.
Sometimes you can just try too hard. There’s a lot of truth in the idea that less is more.
Taking a break, clearing your head, does make you a better, more focused writer.
#3 Keep on top of trends.
It doesn’t work being a blogger in a vacuum. You need to be constantly on the look out for trends in your niche. What’s hot? What are people talking about?
My lowdown of trending topics on Pinterest is the type of post you should be jumping on to make sure you stay up-to-date.
#4 Write a list post.
List posts like this one are quick to write. As soon as you have a topic to follow it’s easy to bang out a few ideas.
If you’re having a bad week and finding it hard to make time – stick to a list post.
#5 Follow similar blogs.
Keeping a check on other blogs in your niche will help you to come up with current topics. You can use these ideas for inspiration.
If you’re a Mom Blogger – follow a few other Mom Blogs. A Lifestyle Blogger – follow the top lifestyle blogs.
Just don’t copy. Come up with your own angle and explore the topic from a fresh perspective.
#6 Use Google to search for blog topics.
The best bit about using Google search? It will tell you what everyone is looking for.
All you need to do is enter a topic and Google provides a list of related questions.
Take this topic for an example: What to blog about?
If I enter this in Google Search I get:
Neat! Four new topics or different angles to write about.
You can do this for any chosen topic. Try it now for a topic in your niche.
#7 Engage with other people.
It’s all too easy with blogging to start missing out on life. You started your blog to create an independent income. Hopefully to make enough money to quit the day job.
You’re getting up at 6 am everyday to write before work. As soon as you get back from work you’re straight on the laptop and the last time you went to a barbecue with your friends was months ago.
If this is you – take a break.
There is such a think as getting stale. It’s okay to work hard. It’s essential to work hard if you want your blog to become your main income.
BUT you can’t write if you have nothing to say. Switch off, get outside and engage with other people. It will help you to write better posts.
#8 Become a spy.
No I don’t mean signing up for Her Majesty’s Secret Service. I just think there’s nothing wrong with a little bit of legitimate industrial espionage…
I did say legitimate.
These days you can find out most things online. There’s nothing wrong with finding out the topics your competitors are ranking for.
It’s just a little bit of harmless spying…
Sites such as Ubersuggest distinctly encourage it.
#9 Ask you readers.
A good way to come up with blog topics is to simply ask your readers. Send out a poll and ask them to choose or suggest topics they’re interested in.
It helps to build engagement and can be a terrific source of blog ideas. Some of my best blog posts have come from answering questions raised by readers.
#10 Use a guest author.
Sometimes s*** happens. Don’t fight it. Find someone to step in. Someone who’ll appreciate writing a guest post in return for a link to their blog.
It can be your saviour. Better to find a guest blogger than loose brownie points for failing to post regularly. A guest blogger can add value to your blog and the right person can enhance it by adding interest to your readers.
It’s not to be sniffed at.
Just make sure you find someone you can trust rather than selecting from the endless cycle of people just guest posting for backlinks. Find someone you know through a blogging group.
Conclusion – What to blog about?
Coming up with ideas for “What to blog about?” doesn’t need to be over-whelming. It helps to plan ahead. Rather than just a list of major blogging topics, compile a Plan B: topics you can write about easily on a week when you’re short of time.
It helps to keep a sense of prospective when you become a blogger. Yes you’re trying to create something great, but spending every spare moment on your blog may not help.
It’s impossible to blog effectively in a vacuum. Engage with people, follow blogs in your niche, keep updating your knowledge and the blogging inspiration will come…
