How to Get Ideas (for Blog Posts)

May 6, 2008 // Drew Stauffer

Over the last few years I’ve designed, built, and maintained quite a few blogs. Naturally, spending any amount of time writing you’re bound to hit a wall sooner or later, especially when you’re trying to create unique content on a regular basis. I get writer’s block just like everyone else.

Being a blogger, designer, and developer both for my full time job and freelance jobs, I stay pretty immersed in my industry for most of the day. Often, the questions that I get asked give me plenty of ideas for new content, but what if you’re not eating and sleeping your blog topics? I often get asked for blogging advice, so I thought I’d pass on this great tip.

Time to cruise the forums

Forums exist for almost every topic and they’re a great place to get ideas for new posts. You can safely assume that if you run across a question on a forum then other people have the same question.

We’re all trying to create compelling content and what better content than a useful, insightful post that answers a question that someone else has asked.

Whenever I have writer’s block I head to the forums for some juicy questions. Usually I can find a topic to write about in just a few minutes.

For my industry, here are a few forums that I frequent to get ideas:

There are literally hundreds and thousands of forums out there, just Google your topic + forum and you’re bound to run across some. Getting involved in these forums will also get a little buzz and traffic to your site too, which can be an added bonus ?

What about you?

Where do you go for blogging ideas? Let me know in the comments below.

Technorati Tags: blogging advice, blogging, blog marketing, copywriting

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5 responses so far ↓

2 Search Marketing // May 19, 2008 at 3:54 pm

That’s was agreat idea. yah, forums can make you get ideas on what to write next.
3 Dr. Vitamin E Cream // May 22, 2008 at 5:46 am

Trying to go to other sites for post ideas tends to be a bit dangerous. You get the rehash effect across all the blogs in a specific niche. If you find a hot story, try to take a unique approach to reporting it.
4 Qaswer // Jun 23, 2008 at 12:49 pm

It is difficult to generate fresh and new content with unique ideas. Although I have all those links and visit those forum daily but they are not ideas enriched for me.
5 Drew Stauffer // Jun 23, 2008 at 6:59 pm

@Qaswer

I agree, sometimes it is hard to find that perfect bit of info that’s going to give you a unique idea.

Try taking an unoriginal idea, dig deeper and put your own spin on it. Then you can turn any mediocre idea into something great.