19
2009
7 Ways to Find Post Ideas
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So … do you have days that you can’t think of anything to write about? Check out “7 Ways to Find Post Ideas” below.
When you’re giving out your web address anywhere online be sure to put the http:// in front of the web URL so that it will be clickable. This works is most cases: email, websites, comments, forums, social networking sites, etc. Keep in mind that it won’t always LOOK like it made a link but it usually does. Quick example: Use http://www.suzannefranco.com instead of www.suzannefranco.com.
7 Ways to Find Post Ideas
1. YouTube Videos – I tend to spend a lot of time on YouTube when I’m looking for a tutorial or instruction on how to do something. Almost every time I’m there I see a topic or idea that I hadn’t thought to blog about. Be sure to use the “search” function to get yourself started. Give it a try!
2. Forums – If you hang out on any forums regarding your niche you will be able to see what the hot topics are just by watching people’s reaction to the posts that are there. If you see one that has a ton of replies … that’s usually something you might want to consider writing about.
3. Other Blogs – You should be frequenting other blogs in your niche and this can often spark an idea of your own. I say your own because obviously you don’t want to go around swiping other people’s ideas. If you see something interesting do you share their opinion? Do you have a completely different twist for the topic? Could you do a more thorough post or if it’s thorough could you break it down to a list? If you do this please, please link back to the post and give credit where credit is due.
4. Google Trends – Many people like to use Google Trends to look for current/hot topics and I guess this really depends on what your niche is … or you might just find a new niche this way LOL
5. Yahoo Answers – You can go to Yahoo Answers and type in your niche and see what kind of questions people are asking there.
6. Read the Newspaper (or magazines dedicated to your niche) – While you’re out and about check out any newspapers and/or magazines that are dedicate to your niche. If you find any good resources for ideas you might also consider subscribing to these publications so you can stay “in the know.”
7. Pay Attention – Start paying attention to the conversations around you and see what people are talking about. When you tell someone what you do or what type of website/blog you have what questions/comments do they have?
I hope these ideas help you out when you have those days that you just can’t think of anything to write about.
Do you have any other ideas to add? Have you tried any of these yourself? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments so we can all learn from each other. *SmiLes* Suzanne
RELATED POSTS
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I use Digg and other blogs of the same Niche to get idea about what should I blog next about.
I got this tweet from @natewhitehill on Twitter.. It says: Having trouble figuring out what to blog about? What makes you happy/mad/excited/etc? That is what you blog about.
Well.. If you depend on search engines for your traffic, follow the thread and blog what others are blogging about… But if you blog for your readers(like Suzanne).. blog what you feel your readers would like to see on your blog. Cheers!
Monty – Sensonize.com’s last blog post..Did I just hit the $10k mark? My secrets…
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Good Post Suzanne! I’m glad to see I am not alone grasping at the wind every now and again!
One thing that has helped me immensely, is setting up Google Alerts. Just head into your Google account and go to the Alerts page. You can use the search box to look for something you would tend to write about, then tell Google to email you every time the search phrase produces a new result.
You should also ALWAYS set one up for your own blog domain address. This way you always know immediately when someone blogs about you or mentions your site in a post or news brief.
Mark
Mark – The Niche Store Builder’s last blog post..MSN is Easy to Impress with Affiliate Websites!
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Great tips there WAHM! Also, if you’re sitting at your computer or can do it over the blackberry or whatever, when you get an idea for a post, go ahead and at least type the idea in as a new post and save it as a draft, that way you won’t do like me and forget when you get a good idea! That way title will be there in draft form to remind you!
Of course you can also send yourself txts or emails if you’re away from your computer if/when you get those ideas!
Jake’s last blog post..Hey Greg Monroe… Bad Decisions!
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@ monty ~ LOL … I had Digg on my list but since they banned me (what-ev-ER!) I took them off LOL … and, yes, I do tend to write for my readers … and not the engines – I’m pretty good at SEO but I save that for my other sites I guess. I might sprinkle a “searchable” topic in there every once in a while
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@ mark ~ I LOVE Google Alerts! I started a post on that … hmmm … (one of my very bad habits) so I’ll have to pull that out LOL
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@ jake ~ it’s a great idea to start a post idea and save to drafts. that’s funny … I text/email myself stuff all the time
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Usually following the discussion on the comment section sorta give me some cool post ideas. Even a simple question could be turned into a blog post. It’s also coincidental that I’ve just started playing around with Google trend, just to see what’s people are searching for. You are right, it could well be a resourceful place for brainstorming.
Yan
Blogging Tips’s last blog post..You’ve Only Got 10 Seconds
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hi Suzanne,
Great list!
RE your #1) I recently discovered youtube (yes, I’m a little slow to catch on to new things). My only problem with spending my time there looking for new post ideas is that I’d never stop watching those videos!
RE your #3) I think just in reading other blog post one will often get the idea for a different twist or better way of writing what’s been said. This is a great one.
I would add one more… create a LIST. A list can be of anything… maybe even a list of how to find post ideas…
~ Steve, aka the I-should-go-to-bed-now trade show displays guru
trade show displays guru’s last blog post..Balance
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@ yan and steve ~ I’m either super loopy from being so sick (allergies are kicking my a%# … speaking of a%# I got a shot so I should be a little better tomorrow LOL) back to … it looks like you’ve both changed your anchor text … did you do some market/keyword research on this or did you just have a whim?
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@ yan ~ yes, the comment sections on blogs! great tip!!! I can’t believe I didn’t think of that – so you get ALL of the credit
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@ steve ~ i love lists and most people do from what i’ve read … i actually have a list of lists LOL … and i intend to break them out this year for the blog! i actually thought of doing a whole blog on lists i like them so much … so many ideas … not enough time in the day
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I hope we see you both over on the BootCamp forum?!
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Good stuff! I think magazines are great because if it’s a niche you are not familiar with, like a techie type then you can get that specific knowledge and be able to write an authority post.
Thanks
JR
Internet Marketing Strategies’s last blog post..Free Podcasts How-To for Blog Exposure and 27 Podcast Submit Sites
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Hi, everyone, I find a great way to get post ideas is from “me, myself, and I.” I keep a daily journal about anything I happen to be doing, any thoughts that come to mind, feelings, observations about newsletters, websites, blogs, comments friends make, etc. I’m truly amazed, as you will be, too, at how much content I’ve ended up with. And interestingly enough, sometimes you’ll find that you’re in a really creative mood, and before you know it you have a 500-word article! Also, a little time and distance away from your writing can give you a different perspective. You may find when you go back several days, weeks, months later and look at what you’ve written that you’ll actually start arguing with yourself or even find you’ll want to turn a “new page” on an “old” topic. And what a boost in your confidence when you look back on what you’ve written, and you realize… you’re the one who wrote it! Have fun!
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Suzanne,
I love your blog. Your blog is very clean and professional looking. Thanks for the posting ideas. It just so happens that I really needed some ideas lately.
Ben Moreno’s last blog post..Review of Cash Crate – Complete Offers to Earn Revenue
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This is a great post, as always. Here are some additional things that I do. They won’t all apply to everyone, though.
1. Keep a folder by my desk called “blog ideas” and jot stuff into it whenever it occurs to me. That way I have something to consult during Blog Block.
2. Listen to my friends as we chat at book club, GNO etc. Usually these nights are Seinfeldian where we sit around talking about nothing, and those nothings can often be turned into blogs. For instance, one night, we caught a restaurant patron smoking in the bathroom (smoking is outlawed in restaurants in PA). My friend said, “I HATE when people do that! You should write a blog about this.” I ended up writing a blog about stuff I hate, with bathroom smoking being one of many, but she got the ball rolling.
3. Ask your readers to submit questions to do, so you can answer them in your blog.
4. Not sure if this is the same as “google trends,” but I have Google alerts for my topic (marriage + relationships). It helps me to see what others are saying, and gives me ideas.
5. Stumble your topic. Same idea as as Google Alert.
6. Just say that you are stuck. Yesterday I told my husband, “I have no idea what I’m going to write about today. None.” He looked at me as if I was a lost puppy and said, “I’m sorry.” He was no help, but as soon as I fessed up, the blog idea came to me. Sometimes I think fear of being blocked is what keeps us blocked.
Alisa Bowman’s last blog post..How not to stay balanced
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I don’t personally have problems in this area, but I think #7 would most likely produce the most creative posts.
Dennis Edell’s last blog post..Do You Use Google Alerts?
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I am adding an other way to see things:
1. Be observant. Always keep your eyes open. Take a look at the world around you. There are tons of post ideas in your every day life. Look at what you’re reading, what you’re doing, who you’re talking to, what is being discussed around you. An observant blogger never runs out of ideas.
2. Reflect. Take a few minutes every day to reflect on what you’ve observed. I like to do this as I drive, or during one of my runs, or while I’m doing anything repetitive, such as cleaning. I think back on things I’ve noticed, things I’ve done, things I’ve read. And I think about how it all affects me, how it affects others, how I might find useful concepts there, and how I can share these concepts with others. From this daily habit of reflection, hundreds of ideas have been born.
3. Keep an idea list. Of course, having great ideas is useless if you forget about them when the blank screen is staring at you. So you need to get into the habit of writing every idea down, and adding them to a master list of ideas as soon as you can. I have a hot key that I press that opens my idea list, so I can quickly add new ideas as I think of them, or as I read inspiring posts by others. When it comes time to write a post, turn to this list.
Cheers. keep posting
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Good sources Suzanne.Forums and Yahoo answers will be good sources i know.
TechZoomIn’s last blog post..5 Simple “Read More/Continue Reading” Tag Design Styles
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Reading yahoo answer is one of the best source of good posts… You can create unique posts our of people’s unique questions.
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Abe Billigfluege Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 5:13 am
How does that work? I tried something like that by myself but didn’t succeed..
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I would say yahoo answer and reading others’ blogs are the best sources ever.
How to make wine’s last blog post..The Five Golden Rules for Making Your Own Wine
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Great tips… reading blogs is the best… many unique ideas in others’ blogs..
Online income courses’s last blog post..How Smart People Get High Search Engine Rankings
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A lot of websites has been created as the result of answering questions in yahoo answers…
Dofollow Social Bookmarking’s last blog post..How to Redirect Wordpress Page
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great tips. I’d also add that its a useful idea to have a calendar nearby to remind yourself of any important dates that might generate timely post ideas.
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These are really good tips. I try to find inspiration for writing blogs from anything around me. Inspiration is everywhere if you know where to look. Also, looking at popular tags will help you see what others are interested in.
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Glad I found this site – I’m finding the content very useful – thanks!
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Like Yan, I get a lot by reading the comments on other blogs. Every now and then I’ll go so long with my own comment (usually a reply to someone else’s comment) I’ll cut it short and use the full length comment to start a new blog post of my own.
Brian D. Hawkins’s last blog post..Entrecard Widget No More
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As long as you enjoy the topic and niche I don’t think you will gonna run out of ideas…
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I never thought about Yahoo answer and this one is really informative way to create your posts and chances of getting hit is also high.
Thanks for the suggestion, I never read such tips anywhere … I mean not in any webmaster blog. This one is really cool.
springs’s last blog post..Atlanta Pet Fence Home changed
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The 8-th way: to make a brainstorm group – thinking in group is always very effective (maybe jabber-chat)
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Nice post!
Monik – etiole.com’s last blog post..The Secrets of Social Marketing which will guarantee you success.
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Great post, explained really well and I could really understand. Thank you
Sylvester’s last blog post..John Abraham and Bipasha Basu at Tarun Mansukhani’s birthday Party : Photos
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Nice list. Always good to keep in mind while you are out of ideas to write a blog post. But still I got get pay attention tip I don’t think that really helpful but the rest 6 are awesome ideas.
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I’ve found that checking out what is hot on technorati sometimes provides some good inspiration. Also, listening to talk back radio sometimes leads to interesting topics and when I really get stuck I check out the Voxsant Newsroom.
Sire’s last blog post..Blogger Invents Revolutionary Penile Extension
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Thank you, your blog is very helpful….
Good Luck
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Yes a good idea, but it helps only those who are not so well in the field of knowledge. For me it is nothing new but good thing you find it with the other parts. The tips are really very good.
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you are right….wenn you miss the inspiration can you look around, in internet to find it again.
that article is pretty nice and i have to say you congratulation…..very good tips. i´ll use that.
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I usually use blogs and forums to post my ideas. It is a good idea to let your ideas flow!!! As i do not post any videos, I do not use youtube.
Another way of posting your ideas is by using facebook or twitter.
cheers!
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I try to follow some forum discussions and I occasionally read other people’s blogs. But I’ve actually never thought about yahoo answers or youtube as a source for new ideas. I do watch quite a lot of videos of course but that’s it. Sometimes you get to know really useful things when surfing. As I’m quite a technical ignorant myself, I’m really grateful to you and ll the people commenting here for all these tipps. Cheers!
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Hi
Really nice article, I am totally crazy of internet and I let of messages everywhere, because I am really interesting to learn news stuffs.
I have my own blos and I am registered in a lot of forum. I use a lot digg or Bookmakers.
Thank you Internet
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Nice tips and great informative blog. Thanks. I’d also add newsletters in the list. Subscribing to several newsletters in your market can get you some content creation ideas when you check your inbox. You can also get up-to-date trends or topics that’s going on.
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i have my blog too, and it is not always easy to find the perfekt idea. But your post was great, as always and i´ll use your tipp to find the inspiration again…
thanks
bye
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a blog could be very difficoul….and it is not always easy to find the best idea or inspiration.
but your article is very good and now i have more ideas for me blog.
thanks for sharin and you go so on.
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This post is a great example of how sometimes the comments on a post can be as good, if not better, than the post itself! Thanks to ALL who have contributed! These are all great ideas and will help a lot of people
*SmiLes* Suzanne
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thanks for those ideas i want to start blogging and try to make money out of it but i have been so lost in how to start your ideas on how to start really help i mean i was reading through the list and things were just coming to mind thank you for listing
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I think that the best way to writing valuable content for user is writing reviews, opinions about some events and products.
People before buying some product, likes to read some opinions.
Cheers to Suzanne!
Ubezpieczenie´s last blog ..Małym drukiem – Ogólne Warunki Ubezpieczenia
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This is a very good article and i would like to know more … its good to learn knew things every day!
Web Design Company´s last blog ..Research the Competition
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Great artice. I take a lot of ideas for my travel blog from TV but also from youtube
lg
Chris
Chris´s last blog ..Balaton-Flughafen sucht Investoren
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