Business blogs thrive on interesting, relevant and attractive information. But it's not easy to keep coming up with new content ideas. We become blinkered in our work or hardly have time for creative ideas. So here are 10 content ideas for your next blog post.
Can't think of an idea for your next blog post that's worth getting excited about? Then you're like hundreds of thousands of others out there. Sometimes we're overflowing with creative ideas, other times there's an airy void in our heads. Either tools for strong content ideas or your own content inspiration can help lure your mind out of its dusty closet and inspire it to soar to new heights. The following 10 content ideas practically always work for a business blog.
1. Ask Google: Search Results and "Related Searches"
Simply enter your keyword into Google and search the first to third page of the search results for the content offered. On the one hand, you will find out which content pieces perform particularly well in the organic traffic around your keyword. On the other hand, you will be surprised how many good ideas you will have while browsing these pages. Write down these ideas as a mind map or list, so that you can then make a suitable selection for your business blog. At the bottom of the page, Google also offers a list of "Related Searches", which can also provide helpful content ideas for your next blog post.
Image: Screenshot of Google search results „Related searches“ to the key word Content Ideas.
2. Answer the Public
The Answer the Public tool can spit out some pretty fun content ideas. Two queries per day are free and sometimes lead to a detailed cluster of ideas that you can download. 2 things are important when using Answer the Public:
- Do not enter a keyword that is too specific or long-tail. Otherwise, there is a risk of getting no result or only an insufficient result.
- Choose the right language as well as the right country you want to publish your blog post in.
Image: Image Download from Answer the Public to report „Content Ideas related“
3. Answer Frequently Asked Questions
Customers, colleagues, and partners are sure to ask you the same or similar questions frequently. Answer these questions in your next blog post, similar to an FAQ page. Be specific about the topic and don't try to answer all questions at once. This way you have new content ideas for upcoming blog posts and don't lose the thread. Use Google search results to find more questions that fit the topic and complete the text.
4. Problem-Solution
Similar to an FAQ blog post, a Problem-Solution addresses your readers' questions or challenges. However, this should be problem that can't be answered in a few sentences and may involve multiple solutions. A compelling structure for blog posts that specifically solve a problem for your target audience is as follows:
- Name the problem
- Go into detail about the problem
- Offer one or more Solutions
Image: Example of a blog post that offers solutions for the follwing problem: outsourcing vs. writing it yourself?
5. Current Topics
There is certainly current information in your sector that is interesting for your target group. Be it news from politics, business or society. In many cases, institutes, public institutions, organizations or associations also publish interesting content that can serve as a basis for ideas for your next blog post. Keep the following in mind for this type of content creation:
- Reference, but don't simply copy the content.
- Reduce the information to what is actually relevant to your target audience.
- Question, expand or highlight the content in a way that adds as much value as possible for your readers.
6. Interview
In case you don't have that much to say, others might do. What's more, today's professionals like Generation Y are considered to be particularly well educated. So it's good to have the expertise explained to you in an expert interview. This increases the credibility of the text while reducing your own research work. Since interviews with external experts are often very complex in terms of organization and time, ask your colleagues as well. Their subject area often fits perfectly with the business blog and many experts are happy to share their experience and knowledge with the outside world.
Create an editorial calendar on Trello to keep track of ideas wherever you are. If your head is empty right now, you're bound to find a good content piece for your next blog post among these spontaneous ideas.
7. Look to your Competition
This may not seem like a very nice thing to do, but don't worry: Spying on the competition is perfectly acceptable. Just beware of simply copying their content. It's all about a little inspiration to come up with a sparkling content idea that adds value of its own to your readers. We have also gotten a little inspiration today 😉
Image: Blog post about content ideas for social media on HubSpot
8. Ask your Target Group
Sometimes the answer to your question is right before your eyes. Namely, your customers, for whom you regularly update your business blog. So ask your buyer persona specifically what problem or topic is on their mind the most right now. If you have little or no direct customer contact, then ask your colleagues, for example from customer service or the sales department. Instead of fishing in the dark with your content ideas, you're sure to get tangible suggestions from them about what your company's target group is interested in.
9. Have a casual Chat
Don't you sometimes wonder what a company is thinking when it comes to certain actions or posts? Or what the day-to-day work of certain professional groups looks like? Your customers are also curious about what's going on in your organization. When you spill the beans, you reduce the distance between yourself and your readers, and you also deliver inspiring storytelling. Here are some content ideas for your next blog post:
- Use Cases:
Success stories, but also experiences and mistakes to learn from - A day in the life of an in-house specialist:
Interesting details, funny anecdotes or questionable myths from a professional's everyday life - A Look behind the Scenes
Debunk myths or take a clear position on an issue that is very important to your company
10. Recycle an older Blog Post
Content recycling is a proven method in content marketing, in which already existing content is revised and updated. Even the format can change- a video can be turned into a blog post and vice versa. Or you can update outdated info and links of a blog post that still is of high added value for your customers. By recycling older blog posts, you can increase traffic as well. 3 things to keep in mind:
- Analyze your Content:
Blog posts that are visible via search but have a low click-through rate are ideal for content recycling. - Edit Evergreen Content:
This is content that loses its relevance less quickly and is therefore easy to revise. - Check for added Value:
Filter existing content to see if it is actually or still relevant to your customers.
Conclusion: Collect Content Ideas for your Business Blog
You can find content ideas for your next blog post (almost) anywhere. For creative ideas, however, you also need a clear head. If you take the time to research without rushing, you'll certainly find inspiration. Besides, nothing is more rewarding than an editorial calendar where you can capture any flashing idea at any time. At Contentfish, we work with Trello, a free tool, including an app, on a daily basis. Here, all journalists write down their ideas in the backlog, so that a multitude of inspiring content ideas are available at all times. Just take a look and see for yourself.
