Places to Get Ideas for Blog
Posts
Places to Get Ideas for Blog
Posts
By Sharon Housley
The best blogs and feeds are those that contain
unique, fresh, compelling, content. So where do
these prolific posters get their ideas? I talked
to a handful of bloggers to determine where their
inspiration originated for their content.
Not surprisingly, ideas for blog
posts or RSS feed items originate or are influenced
by other web content. The following are venues
for finding your online muse:
1.Google News
Monitor Google News for keywords related to your
industry. If you find a story you disagree with
or wholeheartedly agree with write about it. Add
your thoughts, and editorialize the content. This
does not mean you should just repost Google news
summaries. The value is not only in the news aggregation,
but in the commentary that you provide. Tie news
items to specific events, conditions, or the impact
of specific news on the industry. Adding a view
point or reference to a news article adds genuine
value.
2. Web Logs
Look at your websites "long tail", and examine
your web logs. Find phrases that are relevant
to your website and write in-depth information
about those subjects. This is particularly helpful
if the blog or RSS feed is used as a marketing
tool for the website. By focusing on obscure or
less popular search terms and phrases that are
found in your web logs, you will not only find
that you provide content of interest to your readers,
but you will attract additional web traffic.
3. Collate
Many bloggers have established themselves as "experts"
by simply amassing and organizing a large collection
of information that relates to a specific field.
Use the blog or feed to announce and organize
information, new products or services in an unbiased
way within a specific industry.
4. Search
Most people assume that there is information on
every subject on the Internet, but that is not
necessarily the case. If you stumble on an area
where there is minimal content, consider it an
opportunity. Continue developing content. Chances
are if you were searching for the content someone
else is as well, develop a blog post or RSS feed
for information that find inaccessible.
5. Untouchable Content
Consider tackling all of the content that many
other publishers find difficult or uncomfortable.
Controversial or content that is difficult to
write about is often overlooked, look at challenging
content as an opportunity.
6. Monitor Authority Blogs
Watch authority blogs for developing industry
news. Comment on any breaking news or editorials
that you either agree or disagree with. This may
attract the attention of an authority blog and
could result in a link to your commentary. Be
sure to credit the source of any blog posts that
you comment on or quote.
7. Advice
If you are an expert? Consider developing an advice
column. Let readers send you questions and post
the questions and answers in your blog or RSS
feed. This allows your readers to direct your
content.
8. Conversations
Many bloggers and publishers discover topic ideas
from conversations. Create dialogue with both
individuals familiar and unfamiliar with your
blog topic, the questions that come up could be
good fodder for posts.
9. Forums/ Newsgroups / Usenet
Forums are great places to find topic ideas. Read
topic specific forum posts then editorialize and
summarize the posts.
10. Look Outside the Box
Do not constrain your thinking to parameters found
online. The best RSS feeds and blogs are targeted,
clear, consistent, and unique. It is okay to occasionally
step outside your comfort zone to find appealing
content.
While breaking news has obvious
value, so to does timeless content and "how to"
posts. Don't be afraid to mix it up and provide
readers a combination of the two.
About the Author:
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll
http://www.feedforall.com
software for creating, editing, publishing RSS
feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages
marketing for NotePage http://www.notepage.net
a wireless text messaging software company.
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