If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.” — Margaret Atwood
If you’ve never blogged before, blogging can be quite a difficult task. At times you may ask yourself what in the world are you going to write about, and you may be tempted to be inconsistent when ideas run out. Here are a few methods that I use regularly to keep ideas coming.
1. Make lists. I love list making. I really can’t express to you how important this is for your business, let alone for gathering blog ideas. I have sat down to write a list for blog ideas and have written down around 20 different blog entry ideas at one time. Currently I am sitting on 100 different blog posts that I could potentially write at any time. Personally, I only go to the list when I have no clue what to write about. I love, though, that I don’t have to go in order and can pick and choose which post I want to write from the list on any given day.
2. Get ideas from blogs you follow. If you aren’t following any blogs, you should really get together a list of at least three blogs that you are either inspired by, or that blog about similar things that you wish to write. I follow a gazillion blogs, so ideas come to me rather easily. I like to expound upon what others are saying, or come up with a few ideas of my own. It’s also great to keep up with what people are saying in your industry, because those are typically the things your target market (read more about target marketing here) wants to hear.
3. Get inspiration through photos. We live in a really visual world. A blog post doesn’t quite seem like a blog post anymore if you don’t have some type of media, whether that be photographs, audio, or video, to go along with the post. If I am ever stuck on what to write, I will look at various photos from various sources and it always sparks ideas. One great place to get ideas from photos is, of course, pinterest.com. Another great source is istockphoto, where you can buy stock photography for your blog. Looking around in the different genres may spark an idea for you. Lastly, look through your own photographs. I could do a post on tips on how to improve travel photography and include some photos from my own trips, or how to compose photographs for maximum visual impact and include some of my favorite photographs. The list is never ending when it comes to looking in these three places, and I’m sure there are more places out there to gain ideas.
4. Quotes. Quotes from business people or artistic entrepreneurs, quotes from famous authors or artists, or quotes from loved ones; all of these could spark some creative blog ideas. Use a favorite quote as a jumping off point, and just write whatever is on your mind and heart. When you’ve finished, go back and edit and voila! I love expounding upon quotes and writing my personal take.
I understand that writing a blog entry can be difficult, but truthfully the more often you do it the easier it gets. You should make it appoint to write every day, and whether or not you actually post what you write is up to you. Blogging is great for your site’s SEO and can really get you seen more in google searches.
What are some ways that you come up with blog content?
