“Writer’s block” is a common issue for many small business owners. You want to focus all of your time and energy on working with clients and developing your services, but keeping up with your online presence is essential! How do you continually find content ideas that wow?
Content marketing is one of the best ways to reach your target audience and grow your business. Coming up with creative content isn’t always easy…but when you learn how to find content ideas, you’ll be set up for success.
How to Find Content Ideas That Will Engage Your Audience
In a world where interesting articles are in no short supply, you have to dig deep to keep things fresh. Take a look at these ten tips to find content ideas for your business website!
Dive Into Social Media Hashtags
Never overlook a good hashtag! Clicking on the hashtags that your competitors or clients have used is a surefire way to find content ideas relevant to your niche.
Bonus: browsing hashtags can also help you find new followers!
Related: Finding Content Ideas for Busy Professional Services
Check Your Comments To Find Content Ideas
You should be taking some time to read and respond to comments on your social media posts every day. Not only will your followers appreciate your attention, chatting with them can also help you find content ideas.
It’s easy to get caught up on the business end of your posts. But your clients and followers can offer an entirely different perspective… and voila! New perspective means new content.
Build On Your Best Posts
Tap into your content data to uncover what types of posts have received the most attention in the past. Expanding on your recent, successful topics is a great way to come up with new content.
Many businesses miss out on the opportunity to find content ideas from their old posts! Remember, just because you have discussed an idea before doesn’t mean that there isn’t more to say (or a different way to say it).
Give your followers what they want! Your data is like a roadmap to tell you what resonates so that you can repurpose content as needed. Bonus? Reusing your best content saves you time and energy.
Related: Delivering an ROI in Social Media
Flip Through Your Calendar
Calendars have a way of uniting businesses and their customers or clients. Everyone tends to think alike depending on seasonal changes, holidays, or even unusual weather.
Imagine the post possibilities when you consult with your calendar:
- Share humorous content that makes light of a long, unbearable winter.
- Design content around a time of year that everyone misses. (Such as beach content in the middle of a cold snap.)
- Drive engagement using the spirit of the holidays.
Face it! No matter what your niche is, a calendar is a smart way to find content ideas for your business.
Do a Daily Brain Dump
Sometimes the best way to create a strong content plan is to get the useless ideas out of the way first. You can do this by journaling or jotting down all of your ideas (even the really terrible ones).
Once everything is written down, you will have a nice list to find content ideas from. It is much easier to highlight your favorite ideas with an actual highlighter than it is to try and identify them floating around in your brain. Comparison makes it so easy to see what sticks!
Poll Your Audience To Find Content Ideas That Are User-Generated
Asking your audience for content ideas works for two reasons.
First, they will enjoy being asked questions. And secondly, you’re bound to find content ideas that work when you engage with your target audience.
You give your followers the satisfaction of selecting what they would like to see more of. And your followers give you inspiration for your next post. It’s a win-win strategy!
Related: 5 Powerful Tips on How To Do Content Analysis On Your Competition
Google To Find Content Ideas
Google is definitely your friend when it comes to finding quality content inspiration. And it’s always right at your fingertips.
What things can you type into your Google search engine to find content ideas?
- Your area of expertise
- Common industry phrases
- Broader content themes
Google is the very tool that you hope leads your clients and customers to you. So it makes sense that you check out the top results for inspiration.
Switch Out Pinterest for Google
Pinterest is the unsung hero of content generation! If you’ve never visited Pinterest while brainstorming content ideas, you should definitely try it out.
Sifting through images on Pinterest is a guaranteed way to find content ideas. You know that phrase “a picture’s worth a thousand words?” Just imagine all that you’ll have to say after a brief Pinterest search.
Ask An Outsider
Think outside the box to find content ideas. It helps to seek insights from people in other departments and niches. You can even leverage friends and family who know very little about your professional business for new ideas.
The advantage of asking an outsider for content input is that they are working from a clean slate of ideas. They aren’t swimming in data figures or fixated on your most recent round of posts. You may be surprised by what an outsider can come up with!
Search Your Competitors’ YouTube Channels
YouTube is a fun and easy place to browse for content because you can listen and watch casually— even while you do other things. If your eyes have had it with reading through endless articles or browsing through pictures, YouTube is the place to go.
Be sure to tune into your competitors’ most-viewed videos first. If they’ve experienced success with their content, odds are you will too.
If you’re exhausted from keeping up with your online presence, you’re not alone. All business owners tire from trying to find content ideas. Next time you fall into a creative rut, explore these ten avenues for inspiration!
You shouldn’t be struggling to come up with content ideas. That’s why a fractional marketing manager is the best solution for your business! Book a discovery call to find out what life could look like without the stress of strategizing your content each week.
