Do you ever feel like you’re running out of content ideas for your website or blog?
With almost nine out of 10 companies now using some form of content marketing to attract leads, just try to visualize the sheer volume of content that needs to be produced on a daily basis.
Following is a list of 50 content marketing tips you can use to ensure you’re never without a great idea again. Some of these you’ll have heard before, but there are likely to be some you’ve never thought of.
Please be sure to leave your own ideas at the end of this post!
1. Invest in quality over quantity: Focus on creating fewer, but higher-quality pieces. If you’re currently writing three to five short posts on your blog, consider switching to one to two long form, more "meaty" posts.
2. Define your ideal persona: If you haven’t already done so, figure out exactly who you’re writing your content for.
3. Find new sources for high-quality images for your blog (hint: using cheesy stock photos can make your blog look cheap).
4. Compile a comprehensive list of industry statistics and research. These types of posts are great for getting inbound links.
5. Write a top 100+ post on a relevant topic in your niche.
6. Write a blog post responding to a controversial article or video in your niche.
7. Write a post predicting trends in your niche or industry.
8. Audit your existing posts and make sure each has only one call to action.
9. Dig through your files for old decks you can put on Slideshare, then embed them on your blog.
10. Create a decision guide: This can be text-only, an image, or an interactive tool.
11. Test a pop up opt-in list to see how it affects conversion rates.
12. Use Ubersuggest to find tons of possible keywords or phrases for your next blog post.
13. Ask your readers to submit a story of their experience with your product or service.
14. Find out what’s hot in your industry and create a viral infographic about it.
15. Install ProBlogger’s new Sticky Top Bar Plugin to display an opt-in box or other call to action at the top of every page of your site.
16. Look through your analytics to see your top three blog posts, then write a follow up post for each one.
17. Contact three key figures in your industry to talk about opportunities for cross promoting content via your email lists, guest posts and social media sharing.
18. Recycle some of your old newsletters by turning them into blog posts.
19. Recycle some of your old blog posts by turning them into newsletter content.
20. Use Portent’s Content Idea Generator to find new ideas and headlines for your next blog post.
21. Contact leaders in your field and have them answer a question: Take all the answers and turn them into one awesome blog post.
22. Do a poll or survey of your audience and publish a post with your findings.
23. Ask your readers, subscribers and social media followers to submit videos, ideas, or images: Choose the best ones and create blog content around them.
24. Use Hootsuite to engage in social listening; and then create content based on trending topics or questions.
25. Create a simple spreadsheet where you can jot down content ideas as they come to you (or your smartphone’s notepad application works fine too); this will ensure you never run out of things to write about.
26. Subscribe to relevant subbredits to see what topics are trending in your industry.
27. Join three private Facebook groups in your niche to see what topics your audience is really interested in.
28. Create category pages on your website or blog that can make finding your content easier for your visitors: These will be pages that are optimized around specific themes or topics, and that can help your visitors quickly find relevant content on your site.
29. Create landmark articles that act as an ultimate resource or guide about particular topics.
30. Plan to incorporate content curation into your marketing mix. For best results in terms of SEO, be sure to add your own ideas and thoughts to the content you’re curating.
31. Create a blog post that includes an excerpt of your eBook; then encourage your readers to download the rest.
32. Try using Quora to find questions people are asking in your niche or industry.
33. Compile Top 10 resource lists for your niche: Top 10 blogs; top 10 companies; top 10 tools, etc.
34. Create a ‘hack’ post: A list of workarounds for a common problem or issue in your niche.
35. Write a blog post about a conversation that’s taking place on social media: For instance, if your Facebook fans are having a particularly lively debate, write a post summarizing the main arguments and offering a solution or answer.
36. Put your URL or website name on all the original photos you use on your blog; this way, if they get pinned or shared, you’ll be sure to retain credit.
37. Take some time to learn about user-focused content strategies; it will pay off big time in the long term.
38. Create at least one info product (such as an eBook) you can publish on your website to grow your email list.
39. Dig down to find relevant sub-topics your visitors will want to read about: Choose a general topic and then commit to coming up with at least five to 10 subtopics related to that theme.
40. Create a beginner’s guide with helpful, actionable information and tips.
41. Write a blog post about a popular movie, relating it to your specific audience or industry.
42. Write a post inspired by a comment left on your blog (the more controversial, the better).
43. Write about a hypothetical situation, and ask your visitors what they do in the same situation.
44. Review a recent book that would be relevant to your audience.
45. Write a blog post but don’t finish it: Ask your readers to finish it for you in the comments or via an email submission (contest, anyone?)
46. Compile a list of inspirational or motivational quotes your readers would enjoy.
47. Create a blog post that lists all the most useful articles or resources on a particular topic (not just your own).
48. Make a video where you recount something that’s happened to you; it doesn’t even have to relate to your business. Sometimes your readers just want to be able to relate to you in a humanized sense!
49. Go through your old, outdated, potentially Penguin and Panda-penalized content and improve it: Combine short pieces into longer, more "meaty" content, or get ride of poor-quality content altogether.
50. Write a post listing and linking to all your articles on a particular topic or theme. This is great for SEO and for increasing readers’ time-on-site.
If you’re looking for more inspiration or ideas for your content, check out my post 5 Ways to Come Up With Awesome Blog Post Ideas.
Were any of these ideas new to you? What would you add to the list? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
