Whether you have a personal blog or a niche one, whether you write blog content for a certain brand or independent individual, I’m sure you dealt with the following situation at least once:
You sat at your laptop comfortably, prepared the perfect cup of coffee, warmed up your hand joints a little but, lo and behold, just when you wanted to do brain push-ups and tear that keyboard apart with enthusiastic strokes, you realized that all you have is an empty Word page.
You fight the impulse, take a look out the window, think and think but you have no idea what to write about. Maybe you even hit your head against the keyboard in hopes of waking up a lazier synapse in your brain but still nothing. Maybe you did 10 actual push ups for better blood flow and the inspiration still stubbornly evaded you.
At this point, you’re probably tempted to just throw the towel and give up. You’re starting to warm-up to the idea of watching your favorite show or taking a relaxing walk outside, instead.
Don’t go crazy. Any writer goes through an episode like this at least once in his life. Next time you have zero article ideas for a blog, maybe the following suggestions will help you. Let’s begin...
Article ideas for a blog for the lazy and uninspired writer
#1 People enjoy novelty....take advantage of it!
A recipe for success when it comes to blog articles and one that usually pulls you out of your funk is...novelty. Exactly, everything that’s new attracts us, for obvious reasons – curiosity, the need to stay informed etc.
People love to read updates from various fields, be up to speed with what is happening now. That is precisely why you’ll always hit the winning jackpot if you come up with fresh content, with something no one has written about yet. Example of such articles are:
- Content marketing trends in 2019
- Best dressed stars at event X (a recent one, of course)
- New and easy recipes on a budget (one such article idea kills two birds with one stone – you satisfy readers’ desire for new, whilst also offering a tangible benefit – cooking something delicious with a limited budget)
- How will the newest technological developments affect industry X in the following years? (one such predictive phrasing is interesting especially for the specialists currently employed in that specific industry – they will be directly affected by those changes, therefore your article becomes the answer to a dilemma they have).
#2 Continue a past topic
Or....sharpen the lucky pencil from the past.
When you’re looking for article ideas for a blog and you’re way too lazy to come up with something new, you don’t have to worry, there are alternatives in this case, also. If one of your past articles was successful, you can expand on it and turn it into a series or even come up with a text that touches upon a similar or adjacent topic.
Have you written about the 10 best travel destinations for freelancers and your article was widely successful? Why not add 10 more destinations? If a past article was well received, then that means there’s an interest for the topic itself – build on that interest, develop the subject, get in depth, see it from another angle.
Furthermore, if you represent a clothing brand, for instance, and you’re in charge of its blog section, you work is even easier. You can come up with article ideas for the blog whilst boosting sales, all at once.
Have you written about casual outfits in the past and your brand just launched a new collection of casual clothes? Continue that past article or find a way to link them together. You’ll combine „the old” with „the new” without getting 10 additional migraines in search of the right topic for this week’s blog post. Fast and simple.
#3 Let people tell you what they’re searching for and what they want
When you’re in charge of your personal blog or a company blog, don’t forget that you’re not writing in the void, ever. The voice of the people matters, and it’s not just something politicians say.
Remember – a company blog should NEVER be created exclusively for the viewing and reading pleasure of the company, it is not a self-bragging space, no matter what the executives say.
When you’re running out of blog article ideas, try to find out what people want, what interests them – ask open-ended questions in the comment section of the Facebook page you’re managing, for example, or at the end of the blog article itself.
Always invite people to interact with your content, encourage them to answer questionnaires or surveys to find out what they’d like to read next on your blog, what expectations they have from you and how you can meet them accordingly.
It would also be great if you could offer people a tangible benefit, either a direct one or at least a symbolic one if they answered, if they took a precious moment of their time to offer feedback (things such as discounts, prizes, gifts, promotions etc.). Here are some practical examples:
- What outfit would you wear to your senior prom if you were 18 again? Let us know with a comment below and you could earn a voucher!
- Now that you found out how to write better, I invite you to leave a comment below with only your very best letters! (a humoristic approach)
- Let us know what you think about our delivery services by filling out the survey below and, on your next order of X Euro, we’ll bring everything to your doorstep...for free!
If people insist on being secretive and don’t want to share their opinions, no matter how hard you try to persuade or motivate them to answer via various gifts, don’t lose your head. I have another sollution for you.
Use Mr. Google and all of his wonders – it was created exclusively to answer our questions, right? More precisely, use Google’s Keyword Planner tool. I have also talked about it here.
Just add relevant keywords for the niche you’re writing about and the brand you represent (e.g.: clothing, cooking, technology etc.) and this super magnificent tool will tell you exactly what people are searching for and how those searches relate to your niche.
In this way, not only will you find article ideas for your blog, but you’ll also know they are relevant for your target audience and niche. Here’s a practical example using the keyword „clothes.”
Conclusions
To always have article ideas for a blog, you don’t have to be an undisputed word master or a creative person 24/7. It would also be impossible and you don’t have to set such unrealistic ideals for yourself or berate yourself on the days you’ve fallen short and the ideas just don’t come naturally, no matter how much you urge them to.
There are numerous shortcuts you can go for to regain your inspiration, even in the moments it seems to slip right through your fingertips.
Always stay up to date with the newest updates in your niche, pay attention to the needs of your audience and, why not, check out the competition too, not to copy what it does, of course, but to compare, contrast and maybe get inspired in the process, too.
Never copy what others do and always try, whether you write on your personal blog, niche blog or company blog to answer the reader’s needs and questions through the content you deliver. You’ll be a lot more appreciated that way and your content will maintain its relevance in the long-run.
Happy brainstorming!
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