Writer’s block is a phenomenon that is as old as the medium itself. This psychological conundrum is most often a result of a lack of creative ideas. Even the most experienced writer will come across this phenomenon eventually.
A creative block can also occur when stress is added to the mix, forcing your brain to swap from the cerebral cortex to the limbic system. This switch causes the limbic system to ‘take over’, and hinder all of the creative input from the cerebral cortex.
If you are finding yourself in this predicament, it might be time to broaden your horizons and look elsewhere for creative ideas for your blog. Below, we take a look at 13 (easy) ways to find content ideas, to get that inspiration flowing again.
Ways To Find Inspiration For Your Blog
Ask Your Audience
One of the easiest and most effective ways to find inspiration for a blog is to simply use feedback from your audience to see what they want to see more of.
You can do this simply by scrolling through the comments section of previous blogs, to see what they liked and didn’t like. Some people may have commented and asked you some questions, these questions will make great new headings for future writing.
Always Be Prepared
On those glorious occasions where inspiration enters your mind naturally, make sure that you are prepared for such an instance.
JK Rowling found her inspiration for Harry Potter whilst traveling on a train, with no pen and paper in hand! Instead of having to painfully recall your idea at a later time, always keep some supplies for jotting down ideas nearby.
Use Twitter
Twitter is a great platform for generating blog post ideas. Simply search chats that are taking place surrounding your topic, then track them.
This will mean that you’ll have a clear understanding of the most relevant topics. Similar to the first point, you can also take a look at the questions that people are asking surrounding the topic, to help generate title ideas.
Keyword Research
The most effective way of staying up to date with what people are reading, keyword research can help ensure that your blog is one of the highest-ranking on Google.
Conducting keyword research is super easy, all you have to do is type your keyword into the Google search bar, and look at the suggestions which pop up from the drop-down menu.
Select one of these questions, then simply scroll down the page to take a look at the ‘people also ask’ section, for even more ideas.
You can even download SEO software for your computer to make your life easier. There are loads of options to choose from to get you started on your journey to blog stardom!
Research Forums Relating To Your Niche
To take a more nuanced approach to find content ideas relevant to your topic, rather than searching high-ranking pages, simply take a look at what people are discussing on forums.
With this you can go as deep as you like with your research, using platforms like Quora and Reddit. Because the people chatting on these forums will likely be well versed in your niche, they will likely have some interesting things to say that you might not have thought of before.
Steal Ideas From Other Blogs
When trying to generate new ideas from blog posts, one of your go-to’s should be to take a look at other blogs which specialize in the same topic or theme as yours.
Find the most popular blogs in your area, and keep up to date with their new publications. You can also sign up for newsletters so that new content doesn’t slip through your fingers. There is so much inspiration that we can take from others out there.
Take A Walk
Initially, this tip can seem redundant. If you’re struggling with ideas for your blog post, the last thing you want to do is leave your desk, it just seems like procrastination doesn’t it?
But it’s not, going out in nature could provide you with the inspiration you need to get started. Remember at the start of the article we explained how stress could block your creativity?
Well… taking a walk can significantly reduce those stress levels, freeing your mind to think of new ideas.
Look At Images On Pinterest
Sometimes simply reading is not enough to provide us with the inspiration we need, sometimes we require a visual aid to help us. This is where Pinterest comes in.
Simply type in your keyword, and take a look at all of the beautiful images and artwork relating to your topic. The feelings that they generate might inspire you to evoke the same in your audience through your words.
Ask Your Audience Directly
An easy way to hear exactly what people want to see your producing is to simply ask! An effective way of doing this is by sending an email campaign.
Hopefully, your blog is connected to an email list, and if so, you can ask your audience what they would like to see more of. Because your blog is connected to an email list, it will show up directly in their inbox, meaning that you’ll get ideas fast.
Use HubSpot Generator
This is an easy tool which allows you to enter relevant nouns into a generator, which then springs up with all kinds of different blog ideas related to your topic.
Talk About Current Events
It is important to stay up to date with the latest headlines to find inspiration for your blog. This can give an added layer of relatability to your posts, as you can share your thoughts and feelings about current events with your audience.
This might not always mean huge news headlines which are plastered on the TV, but things relating specifically to your field.
For example, if you are an embroidery blog, talking about some of the newest, most popular transfer pens released would be a good idea.
Schedule Your Time
When you have a particular point set aside each day for writing, this will be far easier for you to get into that idea headspace, rather than thinking and worrying about it all day in a haphazard way.
Assess Your Least Popular Posts
Although this can sometimes be difficult to face, we have to sometimes take a look at things which didn’t turn out as planned to improve ourselves.
By taking a look at your previous blog posts that didn’t generate much traffic, or didn’t get as much audience engagement, as usual, you can clearly see what isn’t working. Look at the post objectively and assess why it might not have succeeded.
This can provide you with the contrast you need to inspire you to write successful blog posts.
Final Thoughts
There are so many different ways to get out of that idea slump that you’ve been in, all you have to do is make a little effort to research your topic and see what real people are saying.
If you follow the steps outlined above, you’ll have your winning article in no time!
Hi, my name is Ollie Wilson and I have been a keen blogger since I was a young teen. I was growing up with the rise of YouTube and bloggers, and the people I followed influenced me to start blogging. They were making a lot of money from their blogs, and I wanted that too!
I’ve now had this blog for almost a decade. In that time, I’ve learned how to monetize it to start earning money, which servers are the best for each blog type, and how to optimize your domains.
Now it’s time to share my knowledge and help others create their own successful blogs, just like I wish I had when I was creating my first blog. It can be daunting when you first set up your site, but with my advice, you’ll have a great looking blog in no time. Let’s get started!
