Struggling to Find New Blog Post Ideas? Here's How to Get Unstuck

Are you feeling stuck when it comes to creating new, engaging content for your website or blog? Don't worry; even the most experienced writers hit creative roadblocks from time to time. It can be incredibly frustrating to stare at a blank page, unsure of what to write next.

But here's the good news -- you're not alone in this struggle. In fact, a whopping 60% of marketers produce at least one piece of content every single day. That means the majority of content creators face the same challenges you do. The difference? They know how to get unstuck and find fresh ideas.

In this post, I'll share several relatively simple strategies you can use to brainstorm brilliant topics for your next blog post, social media campaign, or lead magnet. These are the same tactics my team and I use across all our brands, so I'm confident they'll work for you, too. Ready to get inspired? 

Let's dive in!

Look for Inspiration in Your Blog Comments 

One of the best places to find new content ideas is right under your nose -- the comments section on your existing blog posts. A massive 77% of online shoppers read product reviews and articles, so chances are, your readers are already sharing their thoughts and feedback.

My advice is to keep an eye out for comments that ask follow-up questions or request additional information on a topic you've covered. For example, if you publish a post on generating email leads from your website, a commenter might say: "Great tips! Do you have any advice for finding leads on social media too?"

Bingo! That's a perfect jumping-off point for new content. You could:

• Write a detailed blog post on social media lead generation
• Plan a live webinar walking through the strategies
• Create a YouTube video tutorial
• Share bite-sized tips via social media posts
• Build an email campaign diving deeper into the topic

The key is to pay close attention to what your audience is asking for. Invite more comments by ending each post with an open-ended question that encourages thoughtful responses, and you'll always have a few great ideas on hand.

Dig Into Your Website Analytics 

Your website analytics can also reveal a wealth of inspiration for new blogs and content pieces. I recommend using a tool like Google Analytics to easily review and understand your site's traffic data.

Data-driven marketing is proven to improve brand loyalty, engagement, and organic traffic over time. Spending a little time in your analytics can help you develop content that keeps your current readers coming back while attracting new visitors.

Here's my simple process: At the end of each quarter, I look at the 10-20 most popular posts on our site from that period. This helps me identify what types of topics and content formats resonate best with our audience. I then use those insights to expand on our successful formulas.

For instance, if posts that included our YouTube videos got the most views and engagement, I might:

• Revisit old top performers and create new videos to complement the content
• Double down on video marketing for upcoming new posts and topics
• Batch-produce a series of videos addressing a specific, popular theme

You can also take a single hot topic and break it down into smaller, more detailed sub-topics to cover in-depth through individual posts. The possibilities are endless when you listen to what your readers want!

Tap into Social Media Conversations

Did you know close to 60% of the world's population uses social media? That's a huge potential audience just waiting to engage with your business and content. Tapping into these social conversations is a goldmine for generating new blog ideas.

First, connect with your existing followers by simply asking what types of topics they'd like to see you cover more of in the future. You can post a poll with potential topics to get their real-time feedback and input. The most-requested themes will reveal what to focus on next.

You can also discover what people are already talking about by checking out relevant hashtags and threads on sites like Twitter and Instagram. Most industries have go-to hashtags that allow you to tap into those valuable conversations. Spend some time reading through the posts to identify:

• Frequently asked questions people have
• Common challenges or pain points they're dealing with
• Topics that seem to generate a lot of interest and replies

Use those insights as a launching pad for new blogs, videos, or other resources addressing the hottest themes and burning questions.

Expand on Successful Keywords 

Search engine optimization (SEO) should be a key part of your content strategy to improve online visibility and organic traffic. However, according to studies, 90% of websites get zero organic traffic from Google. Why? Often, it's because they aren't taking full advantage of keyword opportunities.

Shorter, broader keywords seem like a good idea because they're easy to naturally work into your writing. But the reality is, everyone else is competing for those broad terms, too, making it tough to rank.

Instead, try expanding successful keywords into more specific, long-tail phrases to create new content angles. Take a broad keyword like "email marketing" and drill it down to something more descriptive and niche, like "email marketing for SaaS businesses."

With longer keywords, you'll face less competition while still being able to comprehensively cover the topic. Plus, an estimated 54% of Google searches contain three or more words, so users are definitely searching for these long-tail terms.

Look through your list of top-performing keyword topics and get creative about breaking them down into more granular subtopics to target. Each new specific keyword phrase can serve as the core idea for an in-depth, long-form blog post or content piece.

Use Brainstorming Tools 

Finally, when all else fails, turn to both premium and free brainstorming tools to get those ideas flowing again. There are both free and paid options that can be incredibly valuable resources.

For a collaborative approach, try creating a Google Doc and inviting your whole team to contribute their ideas and thoughts over the course of a week or two. You can then regroup for a discussion to sort through and expand on the best concepts.

AnswerThePublic is another excellent (and free!) tool. Just enter a broad keyword, and it'll generate hundreds or thousands of related questions and ideas to explore, all neatly organized into categorized lists.

If you have room in your budget for paid tools, Coggle is a visual brainstormer that allows you to map out and connect ideas through intuitive flowcharts. It's perfect for taking one overarching topic and drilling it down into specific sub-themes and blog post angles.

The Bottom Line 

Running out of blog post ideas is frustrating, but it doesn't have to bring your content momentum to a halt. With the right brainstorming strategies, you can continually generate fresh new angles to keep your readers engaged.

Remember, the key is to closely listen to your audience through avenues like blog comments, social media conversations, and your website's data. Your readers' interests and pain points are your biggest sources of inspiration.

Stick with it, and you'll always have a steady stream of new blog post ideas to fuel your content engine and connect with your audience!