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Reading Time: 5 minutesHave you ever had one of those days when you sit down at your laptop ready to put magic on paper and write your latest and greatest blog post that you're positive is going to viral but you're just left staring at your blinking cursor?
We've all been there.
Novice and advanced bloggers alike all go through this but it can be especially devastating as a new blogger.
I wish I could tell you the hardest part of blogging is publishing your blog for all the world to see, but it's not.
Content is king.
You need it to drive traffic.
You need it to build an audience.
You need it to build a community.
Great, so content is king, we all get that. But what do we do when we can't think of anything to write?
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The really cool thing about blogging in 2018 is that we really don't have to guess. We have all the answers at our fingertips.
We just have to search for them.
If you don't have an audience to ask what they want from you just yet, go to Facebook groups or a forum like Quora that is specific to your niche and see what the most common questions are.
You can even ask questions of your own in those groups and to get a sense of what people want to know.
Write a solid and valuable blog post answering those questions.
You can also use sites like Buzzsumo and Answer the Public to find which topics are being written about and shared on social media as well as what questions people actually have and are searching for on your topic.
Remember, you're writing to serve your audience. If you want them to read your posts, they need to get value from you.
Search for popular content in your niche.
This may sound a bit odd, but the biggest misconception is that you have to reinvent the wheel to be successful.
You don't.
Take a look around you on Pinterest and Google. See which posts are doing well in your niche and study them.
Can you take a different spin on the same topic?
Can you add more detail or a longer list?
Can you dive deeper into a topic touched on in that article?
You're probably thinking, why would you try to hang with the big dogs when you're just a little puppy still exploring this new world?
The internet is full of blog post topics that are already working, they are already getting traffic, so taking inspiration, putting your own spin on a topic and making it better is only going to help you create a better blog.
I'm by no means saying you should ever steal someone's post. Seriously do not do that.
I am saying, however, to take a look at the bloggers in your niche and get the wheels turning a bit. Put your own spin on a topic and make it your own.
Yeah, I know, it's getting weird in here but I understand that not every blogger blogs about blogging or business or making money and for those that don't, you need content ideas that are trending.
While you should have a nice collection of posts that are evergreen as well as seasonal, picking the right time for seasonal content is crucial.
Think of the blogging world kind of like the crafting or fashion world.
You can walk into Hobby Lobby in August and get hit in the face with Halloween decor. And we all wonder why they put out holiday decorations so far in advance, but this works because people are planners. We like to plan weeks and even months in advance.
Do this with your blog posts!
People read blog posts, people like to plan, get those trending topics out when Hobby Lobby, Micheals, and Target do.
This trick works really well all year round and who doesn't want to get lost in Target while doing a little bit of blogging research.
Seasonal and trending topics can be great traffic drivers but remember to fill in the rest of your year with evergreen content that is relevant all year round.
First of all, if you're not using Google Analytics, stop right here, go set it up and come back. You're going to need it!
Take a look at your top 10 posts for the last month and see if you can create a second, third or even fourth blog post from one of your popular posts.
Dive in deeper to a topic you talked about in one of your posts.
Create a more in-depth review of a resource or tool used in one of your posts.
You can also take a look at the comments you received on those posts. If you got a few of the same questions over and over again, can you answer them in another post?
Also, take a look at what types of posts your audience is really resonating with. Maybe half of your ten blog posts are “how to's”, or most of them are lists. Write more of those types of posts as well as a deeper look.
Blogging full time or even part-time can be a lonely job. You're basically just alone with your thoughts all day every day.
And the more you try to get out of your own head the more you dig yourself a hole.
When all else fails, get out the house, get a few creative friends together and bounce some ideas off of them.
Sometimes all it takes it just putting a few ideas out there for others to hear and then boom, you'll be flooded with ideas for your blog.
You should be able to walk away with a ton of really great content ideas.
If you're still having writer's block or just really short on time, you can offer guest posting on your blog.
Guest posting is simply asking someone to write a blog post that fits with your style and your niche for free. These work great because you'll get a fantastic article on your blog and your guest posters will get some really great exposure.
You can also try creating roundup posts for your blog like I do for my other blog Two Crafty Gals.
Roundup posts are great because you can create really long lists filled with a certain topic without having to write a ton of content or come up with a ton of ideas.
At the end of the day, we all are going to have those dreaded days, weeks or even months of writer's block.
Remember to use the tools you have available to you, look at bloggers around you and use your own blog posts as inspiration to create consistent content that people want to read.
What is your favorite way to create new content for your blog?
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This post was fantastic! I just started a trial with Buzzsumo. Thank you , this post was super helpful.
Thank you so much, Jacqueline! I’m glad you enjoyed this post and found it helpful to you!
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