When you’re regularly producing content, sometimes it is challenging to think of new ideas. Even your favorite idea generation tricks can fail on occasion, whether you love group brainstorming, kicking things off with keyword research, or simply waiting for inspiration to strike.
Here is another resource for production-weary content creators: question and answer websites.
Question and answer websites are useful because they can highlight topics your audience may love. On a detailed level, they reveal how your potential visitors are likely to discuss those topics, from the way they frame their questions to the language used in replies.
Read on for five question and answer websites that you can browse to get the wheels turning next time you’re stumped for content ideas.
Quora
One of the top knowledge-sharing websites on the web, Quora is an excellent resource for anything from advice about mental quickness to how to get in shape. Discussions tend to be interesting, well thought out, and packed with great resources for additional research.
Yahoo! Answers
Yahoo! Answers is a large website that hosts discussions which can be really varied in subject and quality. Take a peek at popular questions; it is a good starting point for determining which topics within the scope of your marketing strategy resonate with people.
Stack Exchange
Now boasting a network of 98 question and answer sites, Stack Exchange has answers for nearly anyone. It tends towards technology enthusiasts, with Stack Overflow standing as one of the best resources on the web for programmers. Its English Language & Usage site is pretty popular, too.
Ask MetaFilter
Ask MetaFilter, or AskMeFi, encourages you to “query the hive mind.” Whether you need to work through a problem in your life or are simply curious about a topic, the AskMeFi community is a great place to get the insights you need. Posts are sorted by tags and category, making it easy to find questions that relate to potential content topics. Please note that while browsing is free, it costs $5 to get an account.
Fluther
Fluther aims to connect you with people who can help answer your questions. Discussions fall under one of two sets of guidelines: general, where the site imposes strict moderation to ensure people get the answers they need, and social, a relaxed option which allows for opinions and humor. Due to that set-up, you’ll encounter conversations with different tones and intent, which offers variety for content creators in need of ideas.
Coming up with ideas for new content can be difficult at times, but question and answer websites make it easier to think of interesting topics that are likely to resonate with your audience.