I have a group of friends who meet to brainstorm (now virtually) monthly. Several make their living writing, and nearly everyone in the group writes. One of the writers has written scores of posts about… beans. I’ve written 40 blogs about sunglasses, and another has written about the insurance industry for several years. How do we keep from running out of ideas? Here are 6 ways to never run out of blog post ideas.
6 Ways to Never Run Out of Blog Post Ideas
1. Use an Editorial Calendar
I post six new blogs per week on three sites. Between guest posts and freelance, I write eight or more blogs on an average week. Some of my friends write or edit this many in a day. How does anyone keep track of this? By using an editorial calendar. When you have a plan, it’s much easier to concentrate on specific topics. I schedule my calendar one month to one quarter in advance. I use Google calendar, Microsoft Teams, and Outlook for different blogs, but it doesn’t matter what you use if it works for you.
2. Create a Blog Idea Log
I keep idea logs by topic in folders on my desktop. Others use pen and paper. It doesn’t matter how you create an idea log. It’s that you create it. I have subheads, which include topics covered by the various blogs, I also have specific subheads, such as customer questions, industry news, and more. You can store ideas under every subhead as they come to you. You can also create your subheads by reviewing previous blog topics. What do you write about, and what could you write about?
3. Keep Your Comments
I comment almost daily on other blogs. When I comment, I copy and paste the comment and the URL of the blog. When I’m stuck for ideas, I’ll review the comments, which help generate new material for more posts. Simply reviewing comments can get the creative juices flowing.
4. Understand Your Creative Cycles
When I’m stuck, I take a drive; this seldom fails. I think of a blog topic, and I’ll have several ideas after 10 or 15 minutes of driving. One of my friends gets her best ideas on the edges of sleep and keeps a notepad by her bed, while another gets ideas in the shower. According to a Lifehacker article, How to Find Your Creative Sweet Spot, “It’s thought problem-solving comes most naturally when you’re unfocused, and you allow your brain to wander.” What are your creative cycles?
5. Get Ahead of the Game
This is a no brainier. Seriously, write posts in advance. It takes the pressure off and allows you to be more creative. I’ve been on both sides of this fence, and, believe me, being ahead makes a huge impact. I advise people to get six to eight weeks ahead of your log. So, if you’re starting a blog and plan to post one new blog a week, write eight before you publish your first one.
6. Everything You Write Could Be a Blog Post
OK, almost everything. Keep in mind that emails, press releases, answers to inquiries, presentations, meetings, and web content may all be possible blog posts with a little adjusting. Always consider what may be sensitive material and what may require permission to make public.
There you have it — five easy blog topic generating ideas. If you’re reading this post, you probably run out of ideas now and then, so take it a step further; don’t just read this — DO it. If a writer can write scores of posts about beans? What can you do?
How Can I Help You?
Let me know if I can offer any help or advice. If this post struck a nerve, you might want to check out my book, How to Stay Ahead of Your Business Blog Forever. The book is full of action plans to create a blogging/writing system that works for you.
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like, How to Defeat Writer’s Block.
