Repeatedly publishing compelling content and not getting bored is possible only if you beforehand brainstorm promising ideas. This process requires you to understand the target market, identify USPs, and determine problem areas.
It becomes simpler if you know the exact destination that inspires you to think productively and come up with interesting content ideas. This post will walk you through the sources that will instill your creative self and help in producing wonderful ideas for the magazine, blog, e-book, or any other content distribution platform. Let’s start.
- Online search: Going through online searches initiated by your audience help a lot. Take a look of what’s being searched on various search engines, social media groups, discussion forums, or wherever your audience is active. Say you’re writing for coders, then take inspiration from questions or topics discussed over Stack Overflow, Google, Facebook group, etc.
- Reader comments and reviews: Pay attention to what readers are commenting, suggesting, and asking. This includes comments or your own website, content, or other social media channels. Without limiting yourself, also explore what your readers are saying on competitor’s content. This will let you know the mind frame of users and create content that as per their desire.
- Industry news or publications: Once in a while, every industry has its share of news, trends, and publications. Go through them and brainstorm how you can generate a content idea out of it. See how your audience reacts to a situation and take advantage of any buzz or viral activity. Stay updated with the opinions of thought leaders in your industry.
- Statistics and analysis: Analyze the results displaying the most searched or topics ranking higher in your industry. This can motivate you to develop a similar type of content or altogether spark a derived idea.
- Existing content: If you’ve been producing content for a while, then there is a fair possibility that you have already produced evergreen or popular content. Visit that content again and repurpose to create engaging content. Also, you can take inspiration from the comments or reviews added by the readers.
- Ask your audience: This can never go wrong as you’re directly asking those for whom you’re creating content. Take inputs in the form of a survey, interview, and Q and A. Listen to what majority of the people want to consume and you can always match the results obtained from online searches. This often enhances the interactivity as the consumer gets exactly what they want.
- Images: Images can be of great help when you run out of content. Search for images related to your industry and see how it can stir your visual imagination. This is an innovative way to come up with ideas in the blink of an eye.
- Roundups: Just adding a roundup of what’s already delivered is another valuable source for idea generation. Say you’re producing content about electrical appliances, compile a list of “Top 10 electrical appliances that save electricity”.
- Meetups: Conferences, webinars, etc., whatever takes you closer to your field act as a source of content ideation. Through such meetups, whether physical or virtual, you get in touch with other like-minded people including industry influencers, readers, and other stakeholders. You get to know the pain points of the audience and feasible solutions.
- Experiment: There’s no single rule for the type of content you should post. It’s a great way to think out of the box and identify a different topic that has all the qualities of being a top performer. Believe your instincts as your experience help to predict what works and what not.
Ideate, Execute, and Excel!
Whenever you face writer’s block, this post will aid you in searching at the right places. This will allow fresh ideas to cross your mind and kick start your content ideation journey. Once you’re having great ideas to begin with, note them somewhere or create your own editorial calendar.