Quick takeaways:
- Use brainstorming techniques like mind mapping and SCAMPER to generate ideas.
- Tap into resources like experts, team members, and customers for inspiration.
- Research competitors to find content gaps and fresh angles.
- Repurpose old posts by expanding on popular topics and reader feedback.
- Leverage SEO tools like Google autocomplete and keyword trends to uncover in-demand topics.
Blogging can be an excellent way to accomplish business goals, from launching your business to reaching new customers. But after the excitement that comes with the decision to start a blog comes the inevitable moment when you realize that you now have to come up with an ongoing series of post ideas. Not only that, but they have to be engaging, fresh, and relevant to your ideal audience.
So what’s the best way to come up with new ideas? Start by leveraging your internal resources, including subject matter experts, customers, and team members. Then, explore internal tools like Google and keyword generators and competitor analysis to refine your content strategy.
Table of contents
Tips for generating blog ideas
Hold structured brainstorming sessions
Tap into internal and external resources
Use SEO and keyword research tools
Tips for generating blog ideas
Coming up with new blog post ideas can be challenging, especially if you’ve been running a blog for years. However, you can maintain a steady stream of ideas by using structured methods and available resources.
- Using structured brainstorming techniques like mind mapping, SCAMPER, or freewriting.
- Asking your team and internal experts for insights and topic suggestions.
- Thinking like your ideal audience to identify questions and challenges they face.
- Researching competitor blogs to find gaps or opportunities for unique content.
Hold structured brainstorming sessions
A well-structured brainstorming session can help break creative blocks and generate high-quality ideas. Instead of relying on spontaneous inspiration, using systematic brainstorming techniques ensures a steady flow of fresh topics.
Here are some effective brainstorming methods to try:
- Mind mapping – Start with a broad theme and branch out into subtopics. This visual approach helps you explore related ideas and discover new angles.
- SCAMPER method – Use this technique to transform existing content into something new by Substituting, Combining, Adapting, Modifying, Putting to another use, Eliminating, or Reversing ideas.
- Freewriting – Set a timer and write continuously without filtering ideas. This method allows creative thoughts to flow freely, which can later be refined into structured topics.
- Reverse brainstorming – Instead of asking, “What’s a great blog idea?” ask, “What’s the worst possible blog idea?” This reversal often sparks unique and innovative content topics by flipping bad ideas into useful ones.
Tap into internal and external resources
Beyond brainstorming, consider utilizing the following resources to generate new blog post ideas:
- Keep an idea file: Having a central place to keep your blog post ideas is critical here. It can help you capitalize on random ideas that might otherwise be lost. Just be sure to keep it easily accessible.
- Survey your email newsletter readers: Email newsletters and blogs can—and should—be complementary resources for your audience; email campaigns can lead to blog posts and even a series. You can also use email newsletters to directly ask readers for blog ideas.
- Reach out to experts: Subject matter experts can be excellent resources for finding those ideas for posts that perhaps fly under the radar or go beyond the common post ideas in your niche.
- Ask your teams: Your team members are fully immersed in your blog and know the brand tone and voice, so they likely have insights into blog topics that you may not have considered. Providing a centralized way for them to contribute ideas (such as a Google Form) is key.
- Query your customers: Your customers likely have their own set of questions, opinions, or interests related to your blog that can produce unique blog post ideas. Again, the key here is providing an avenue for those ideas to come in, such as a poll embedded in your newsletter or on a social media post.
Leverage existing content
Your existing blog posts are a goldmine for new ideas. Here’s how to find inspiration:
- Analyze blog metrics: The relative popularity of your existing posts can help you understand what type of content your readers actually want to see. For example, that can mean discovering a type of article (think listicle, slideshow, or data-driven report, to name a few). Metrics like traffic, time on page, and social shares are good places to start your search.
- Review comments: Again, your readers can be the best resources for blog post ideas and may even leave their insights in the comments section of your posts. Be sure to gather that data and look for patterns, such as repeated topics or keywords, to get inspiration.
- Identify content gaps: Your existing blog posts paint a picture, but that doesn’t mean you should only look at what’s there—you should also look for what isn’t there. That means seeking out the content gaps, whether that involves adding a review for a new product or covering a topic related to a news story. You might also consider the assumptions you made about the reader and how you might address a slightly different subset of readers.
Audit competitor content
Competitor analysis can help uncover new content opportunities:
- Examine competitor blogs: The content and form of your competitor’s blog posts can help spark ideas for your own blog. Just be sure to stay consistent with your brand voice and point of view. And, as always, look for ways to make the content better and more valuable for your readers.
- Spot missing topics: The topics that your competitors haven’t covered also represent an opportunity to distinguish your blog and earn new readers. To spot these gaps, you might try something like a mind map or additional keyword research.
- Monitor feedback: You may not have a line into your competitors’ private feedback from readers and customers, but there’s still plenty of useful information out there on public platforms, such as social media and blog comments.
Use SEO and keyword research tools
Search engines and keyword tools can provide valuable insights for content creation:
- Use Google autocomplete: Whether you’re truly stuck for ideas or you’re just casually brainstorming post ideas, Google can help. Seeing how Google autocompletes keywords related to your blog topic can help you find ideas that already have proven interest. (The same goes for the “People Also Ask” section.)
- Look at rankings: If you already have target keywords that are vital to your blog, you should keep track of the posts that are ranking on the first results page for those. After all, you may find that they touch on topics that you haven’t addressed yet or take a different approach that you can recast for your audience. Rankings also provide insight into how Google believes people are thinking about a given topic, and that isn’t always what you might think.
- Keep an eye on keyword trends: Some keywords are more relevant at certain times of the year than others, and some become more popular over time. Either way, you can use keyword trends to shape your blog post ideas and gain new readers. Tools like Google Trends and Exploding Topics can help here.
- Don’t forget long-tail keywords: Once you’ve covered your bases with the most popular keywords, it’s time to consider the less common ones. After all, these can be easier to rank for, landing high-converting eyes on your post.
15 blog ideas to get started
Different blogs cater to different audiences. Below are blog idea examples organized by category to inspire content tailored to your niche:
Productivity
- X Science-Backed Ways to Be More Productive
- Interview: The Fascinating Way [Expert] Approaches Work-Life Balance
- We Talked to X High Performers—Here Are Their Top Productivity Tips
Travel
- X Easy Ways to Save on Your Next Vacation
- How to Know if Travel Insurance Is Worth the Cost
- Reviewed: What It’s Like to Stay at the New X Hotel in [Location]
Home
- The Genius Method [Person] Used to Redesign Their Bedroom
- Giveaway: How to Win Our Picks for the Best Home Goods of [Year]
- The New Interior Design Playbook: Rules to Live By (and Some to Discard)
Parenting
- A Comprehensive Guide to Co-parenting Well
- X Parenting Experts to Follow on Social Media
- How to Nail Your Kid’s Next Birthday Party
Finance
- Here’s What the Fed Rate Change Means for You
- Why Mortgage Rates Might Be Poised for a Fall in [Year]
- X Things You Might Be Getting Wrong About Credit Cards
Blog ideas FAQs
What are some ways to come up with blog ideas?
There are plenty of ways to spark fresh blog ideas—analyzing competitors, researching keywords, gathering audience feedback, or brainstorming with your team. But if you’re short on time, Grammarly’s AI brainstorming tool can instantly generate ideas, helping you skip the prep and get straight to writing.
How can you use competitor analysis to come up with blog ideas?
Looking at both the content that your competitors write and the topics they don’t cover can help capture new readers and differentiate your blog.
How can you expand on existing posts to come up with new blog ideas?
Auditing your content can be a useful tactic to discover content gaps. Tools like mind maps or keyword generators can also help unearth opportunities to expand on existing blog posts.
What are some examples of blog ideas?
Blog post ideas can come in many formats, including listicles, interviews, reviews, case studies, rankings, guides, and how-to articles. For instance, you might interview an expert about a specific topic or collect advice about navigating a common problem in your niche.
