When running a business, it isn’t uncommon to feel like you have run out of ways to keep your audience engaged. In terms of social media posts and blog topics, there is only so much you can write about, right? Not necessarily. It may seem like the creative well has run dry, but there are several helpful steps you can take in order to find engaging topics to cover in your next blog post.
#1- Rely on Your Audience
One of the best ways to come up with content that your audience will love is to ask about what they’re interested in. This can be done in a number of creative ways, and if you play your cards right, you’ll not only have a list of interesting topics to work with, but you’ll also improve your audience interaction and engagement. Some methods of drawing out information may include:
- Asking customers about industry-specific interests
- Looking at your website’s FAQ section
- Posting surveys and questionnaires
- Collaborate with your team about the issues customers frequently have
- Prompt your audience to discuss existing posts in the comments section
#2- Keep Up with Industry News
If you work in a specific industry, you’ll want to come up with content related to that industry in order to keep your audience interested in your content. It’s important to post relevant, current content so it’s a good idea to keep up with industry news. To do so, you can simply subscribe to other blogs in the same industry, read books and news articles related to your work, listen to podcasts, or converse with other industry professionals.
By constantly being aware of what’s unfolding in your industry, you can surely post useful content about the most recent changes so that your audience feels as informed as you.
#3- Follow Trends
In addition to industry news, it’s a great idea to frequently search for keywords that are related to your business and take a look at the results that come up. Browse around and get an idea as to what topics are trending in your given field. It’s typically very beneficial to keep up with trends so that your audience will turn to you to keep them on top of changes and popular topics related to your business. For quick ways to check trending topics, you can use Google Trends or BuzzSumo, both useful tools when it comes to trending content and topic rankings.
#4- Monitor Forums
It’s a good idea to keep an eye on what other businesses in your field are up to, and part of the reason behind it is the potential to gain information. If you’re subscribed to blogs and websites that are related to your business, you can come up with easy content ideas by browsing the site’s forums or blog posts. Take a look at what site members are talking about. If there is a forum section that’s dedicated to asking industry-specific questions, be sure to pay it a visit.
Even if you come across topics that are fully covered in other blogs, it’s good to keep in mind that many members of your audience might not be familiar with your competitor. It’s up to you to learn something from the information you read and develop it into your own content so that you can gift it to your audience.
#5- Utilize Tools for This Very Thing
Believe it or not, there are tools all over the web that can help marketing professionals come up with interesting new topics. Tools like Content Row and HubSpot’s topic generator tools can work really well in a pinch. While some of the generated topics are either nonsensical or not ideal to write about, occasionally you will be able to generate some interesting ideas.
#6- Revisit and Revise Older Content
If you already have some great pieces of content on your blog, but they’re a little old, it might be time to revisit and revise. Take a look at your old posts to either come up with new content ideas or make improvements on your old content by adding new information if it has developed since your last entry.
You can reuse your own content in a number of ways, as long as you’re able to make it interesting enough to where the reader will want to revisit it.
- Update information that has become outdated
- Section lengthy topic posts into smaller, easier to digest blog posts
- Branch off from your old topics and write about related (but new) information
By taking the time needed to locate and adapt interesting content ideas, you can keep providing your audience with information that they’re going to enjoy. It takes time and creativity, but there is a world of information at your fingertips.