Having to constantly create fresh content can be difficult. In fact the reason I am writing this post is that I didn’t have a clue what to write about today! So I grabbed my faithful old Moleskine notebook and wrote a draft outline in bed this morning. When you are stuck for something to write about consider one of these 7 methods to get some great content.
Newsflash**** I just finished writing this and I discovered that another of the members at WordPress Goldmine have broke the $100 a day barrier. It’s posts like Mike’s that make everything worthwhile…well done Mike .
You can read about his journey and hopefully be motivated by it at http://mikefrommaine.com/first-100-adsense-day/
Back to the post..
1. Create a List
People love lists so whenever you are stuck for something to write about then come up with a list of 3 , 5 or 7 things. 3 Ways to Unblock Your Toilet, 5 simple ways to Clear Acne in 48 Hours, 7 Spells That Will Have Your Ex Back.
Lists are generally quick and easy to write.
2. Schedule Posts
I usually schedule posts for about 2 weeks ahead, I sit down and come up with a list of 6 topics , write them on my white board and let them sit there until it’s time to write them. Because I know whats coming I spend time thinking about what I can add to the post to bring value. The reason I have 6 topics is that I try to write on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday and often I’ll try to theme the posts. Monday I’ll give Tips , Wednesday a commentary about an aspect of the niche I am in and friday something to get people thinking over the weekend.
3. Recycle Old Posts
Look at posts you wrote a year or more ago and see how you can improve them, Most of your visitors won’t have read the content before, I’d be lucky if more than 20 of the people reading this post had read my 5 Truths About Internet Marketing Post from July 2010. Your audience constantly changes so feel free to update your old content and put a new spin on it.
4. Curate Content
Good old curation it can get help you smash through that writer block or should that be blogger block?
Comprehensive Pillar Posts
This one never gets old. If you’re looking to establish your presence online, one of the best things you can do to stand out is to start creating some epic blog posts.
A ‘pillar’ article is generally longer than the traditional blog post (1,000+ words). This sort of ‘flagship content’ is a comprehensive article dripping in value.
Source
I am sure Pat Flynn won’t mind me posting part of his great article on Blog post templates. Curation doesn’t mean that you copy the other persons complete post but take bit of it and add your views. I am sure you know what the signal to noise ratio is when referring to radio signals.
Although not as prevalent today there used to be a time when you got a lot of hiss and crackle when listening to the radio and it was difficult to hear the radio signal. Well what good curation does is remove the noise and just leave the signal. Just stick to the 3 golden rules .. Don’t copy all the content, Add value and add a link back to the source.
5. Interview Someone
People love to be interviewed, write out 5 simple questions and send it to people in the same niche as you. So for example if you were in the fitness niche write 5 questions about fitness and send it to 5 separate personal trainers not only will you have great content and a regular article you can write you’ll also have content you can add to a book give away to build a list.
Ask questions like: Tell us about yourself? Why did you become a personal trainer? Have you always been fit? Whats the best success story you’ve been involved with, do you have 1 Golden tip for our readers? How can our readers find out more about you?
Do you think anyone in business could resist answering those questions especially if you always include the last question on that list.
6. Get a Guest Blogger In
Contact someone you know in the same niche and ask them if they’d like to write a guest post for you, If they are serious about blogging they will jump at the chance!
7. Do a Review of a Product
Find a product related to your niche and review it, If you blog is established write to the manufacturer or publisher and ask them if you can have one to review. After you do a few you’ll wake up to find emails like this one in your inbox
Hello
We have a golf training aid which we would like you to evaluate. We would also like the contact details for the appropriate person so that we can submit press releases and news items to.
If you could also include a contact email, physical address and telephone number I’d be grateful.
8. Find an Infographic and Write About it!
Infographics are a great way of finding ideas for blog content. Just like with content curation you can pick one or two items from the infographic and give your ideas or your views on it.
If you have the resources then you can also create your own, the upside of that is that you could get lots of links back to your site as a result of the infographic.
Like this infographic? Get more content marketing tips from Copyblogger.