12 Ways to Generate 12 Blog Post Ideas in 30 Minutes or Less

When I talk to clients they tell me a version of not having enough time or ideas to write on their business blog. Once we get started, they see their business in a different way. They’re able to generate blog post ideas and other content relevant to their prospective clients. 

What are the most common questions asked about you, your business, or your industry? Answering those questions is a great place to start when generating 12 blog post ideas in 30 minutes or less.

Track topics on a spreadsheet. As you add ideas, make notes and add relevant links to which you can refer when you go back and write the post.

Are you ready? Here are 12 Blog Post Ideas to get you started. 

1. Organize. Before panic sets in, think of three or four topics on which you want to write. My client who is a marketing professional selected social media (general), networking, social media (Facebook and LinkedIn), and marketing plans as her topics. It was easier to fill in three blog post ideas for each topic than a longer list of twelve and she now has a variety of content on her blog.
2. Old Lists. I don’t know about you but I am list keeper. To do lists, idea lists, spreadsheets for planning events, whatever I am doing that takes more than a couple of steps needs a list. To develop my list of 12 topics, I referred to my old content lists.
3. Refresh an old post. My blogger pal and image consultant Tabitha Dumas has been refreshing old blog posts as part of her content and social media strategy for the year and her audience is loving it. I am pretty sure Tabitha is loving it too because she’s not having to reinvent the wheel to come up with new topics. She’s refreshing old posts with new ideas and publishing. Change at least 30% and you’re good with Google in terms of duplicate content or just delete the original blog post.   
4. Newsletters. What’s in your email box? Newsletters aren’t just for reading and adding to the trash. Use the content from thought leaders in your industry as sources for your own blog posts. Jump from, “here’s what so and so wrote,” to give your opinion or tell how your business can help people in that situation.
5. Google Alerts. I’ve set up Google Alerts for keywords. Then my email sorts it into a designated folder to which I refer when I am stuck for a blog post topic. Thought leader names, companies you follow, and client names are useful alerts.
6. Google Analytics. Which posts generated the most traffic to your website? Which keywords are people using to find your site? Write those topics and use the keywords again.
7. Social media. Check social media analytics to see which posts generated the most engagement. Write about those topics again.
8. FAQ. What do people most ask you about when it comes to your business? Answer their questions in a series of blog posts.
9. ICYMI. In case you missed it or what you wish people knew about you, your team, or your business. Did you add a new employee? Introduce them in an interview blog post. Did you renovate your office? Show readers pictures and tell about the experience or share how your new office is an improvement on the last.
10. Community or company events. If you’re involved in the community, tell readers where you’ve served as a volunteer or sponsored an event. This is especially engaging if your business is locally based as opposed to online.
11. Organize email. Set up email folders where you can easily save emails that you might find useful later. I go to my Content folder when I am struggling for a blog post topic. Not only is this helpful for inspiration, it keeps the inbox clean.
12. Competitive intelligence. Go to blogs and/or social media of competitors to see what they’re writing. One of my favorites is to search Twitter using relevant search terms and hashtags to see what’s going on in the world of blogging. Do the same for your industry.

Stop making the excuse of not knowing what to blog and start writing!

If you’re still scratching your head at the thought of generating blog post ideas or writing blog posts for your business blog, schedule a Getting Started Session by calling 480-206-6452 or emailing [email protected].