Stumped for ideas? 4 places to find article and blog post topics
You’ve been blogging for a while now.
And you’re fresh out of ideas.
You feel like it’s all been said.
Or, you want to start blogging or writing articles or making videos to catch your ideal client’s attention and position you as the leader and expert in your field.
Either way, you need a blast of new ideas to spark your content creating fire.
And I’ve got ’em.
Here are four quick and easy ways to find topics to write about:
1. Ask people.
Potential Famous in Your Fielders suffer from “authority-itis” You know, when you spend so much time deep, deep in the weeds of your topic. You talk about it, learn even more about it, and practice it, 24×7.
You start taking what you know for granted. You get caught up in the echo chamber. (You’re in real danger if you spend a lot of time reading blogs and articles from your heroes, mentors and colleagues. )
If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “everybody already knows that…”, you might be suffering from authority-itis.
Hold on, tiger! There’s a super easy cure. Step away from your computer. Get back in touch with your ideal clients and what he or she really wants and needs.
Go, interact with clients. Rub shoulders. Ask questions.
If you need a boost, I’ve got three simple questions to use to get to know your clients on a deep, emotional level.
2. Ask Google.
No surprise here! Google, the font of so much internet goodness is also an endless source of ideas for your blogs, articles and videos.
First, type your industry, profession or niche into the search bar. Pay special attention to Google’s suggestions. The phrases that pop up in that box are the most popular searches that match the words you typed.(Hint: they’re what people are looking for most.)
Bada-boom! Now, you’ve got half a dozen questions to answer on your topic.
For bonus points, click on one of the topics from the search bar, then check out any additional results at the bottom of the webpage, too. (They don’t show up for every search, though.)
3. Ask YouTube
YouTube is the 3rd largest search engine. People – including your ideal client – are typing questions into YouTube to find answers. Just like Google, pay attention to suggested searches.
4. Ask Quora
Wondering what people want to know about your area of expertise? Check out Quora.com!
Quora is a question and answer site created by two guys from Facebook. All the Qs and As are provided by its community of users and are organized by topic.
Browse Quora by topic and get an idea of the kinds of questions people are asking. (Warning! Quora can be highly addictive. With real-life answers to questions like, “what it’s really like to work at Facebook? and “who’s the most badass computer programmer ever?” and “what’s it like to meet Steve Jobs?” provided by people with firsthand experience, you could lose months of your life on the site. )
Your fame boosting assignment
This week, try one of these sources for content ideas. Make a list of topics and then create some amazing stuff! We all need that magic locked up inside your brain.
I just signed up for Quora. Thanks for the great tips. I am always amazed at your ezines. I learn something new every week.
This is BRILLIANT Lori! I can totally relate to the ‘echo chamber’ – I’m slowly realising that no, not everyone knows this stuff.
And thanks for Google, YouTube and Quora! I know where I’m going next!
I have never heard of Quora and I think the ideas that you posted are great! I’m definitely going to have to check this out 🙂 Thanks! Janet
Never heard of Quora. Great ideas …as always… A good blog to read for quality content!
Yay! More great ways to get ideas. Another great place is Amazon. Search for books on your topic/keywords, etc. Then, read the reviews from some of the more popular books. Often, people will mention what was missing or what they wanted to “get” from the book. Those are great clues to what people want to know and read about.
And I’d never heard of Quora either. Oh, my. So many resources. So little time.
Oh Amazon~~ Light bulb 🙂
Yay – Love that image: You’re in the Echo Chamber… Another way of checking in with your ideal clients is to ASK them on your Social Media channels! My Sanity 911 power hour for mompreneurs has generated LOADS of new content from my ideal client and it was SOOOO EASY! Thanks Denise – for helping all of us be rock stars!
WHOOPS! I MEAN LORI!!! SOOO SOORY!! DUH
Quora~what? Echo-chamber ~ great expression that really tells us what we are here for!!! Will have to take a look at the you tube thought too!!!! Lori ~ you are the best!