Starting a blog is easy, but writing high-quality content on a daily basis can be a challenge. And the best way to promote your blog and develop an audience is to consistently execute on great blog post ideas.
Based on personal experience, the most popular types of blog posts are usually how-to tutorials or guides, lists, cheat sheets, and infographics.
The best part is that this kind of evergreen content works with all types of blogs, whether you start a fashion, food or business blog.
6 Resources That Will Inspire Your Next Blog Post Idea
You can write the perfect new blog post, but if you’re not touching upon the right subject or issue, all of that work was for nothing. Don’t be the person that creates greatness, only to have the target way off from their audience.
Use these six resources to help you bridge that connection, get new ideas and create something that is both focused and useful to your readers.
1. BuzzSumo
When you begin planning your post, you probably wish you could just go somewhere and see what your audience is sharing.
Yeah, that would be nice, wouldn’t it?
Turns out, many other people had that same thought and decided to make a tool that does just that by sharing current events.
Known only as BuzzSumo, this tool allows you to enter a topic, or even a competitor’s website, and see this:
Not bad huh?
You can see the top articles from that website or topic and how many times those articles have been shared across various social media platforms.
We’re talking Facebook, and LinkedIn posts, tweets , pins, and Google+.
Seeing what topics are being shared most often is the perfect way to nail down a concept for your next post on your own blog that adheres to that same idea.
Now, obviously, you don’t want to copy what everyone else is doing.
You should take these ideas and use them to form your own opinion or solution based on what people have shared.
Take it, break it down to the basic parts and then rebuild it in your own way.
2. Google Trends
Even though Google is in total control of your blogging success, they’re not stingy about providing you with tools to help.
One such tool to help you find blog topics is Google Trends, which allows you to see what topics are being searched for most often at any given point.
You can see which searches are currently trending and search for the same trending topics in your niche.
Here’s what was trending overall during the time I was writing this post:
You can start broad with this tool and narrow it down by selecting certain topics using the Google Trends visualizer which allows you to see subjects and click on them to find a list of websites where you can learn more.
You can read faqs on other blogs and well as get on their email list to see how they write great blog posts.
3. Quora
I only recently discovered Quora myself, and I must say, it’s something that everyone should use.
The site itself is a question/answer service where people can pose questions on any topic and have them answered by someone else who is knowledgeable about that subject.
Really easy to use, check out this short demo:
See?
All you need to do is type in the subject you blog about and presto!
You’ve got a list of questions people are asking about that subject.
It’s a very simple step-by-step process and very easy to use with real-world results.
4. Buzzfeed
While you may not use Buzzfeed as your main source of news, that doesn’t stop this popular site from being a major provider of topics for blogging.
Not only are some of the articles focused on blogging in general, but you can find a variety of lists and hilarious joke articles to inspire your next post.
Here’s an example of something that was trending on Buzzfeed as of this writing:
It may seem silly, but there are plenty of topics here to choose from.
If you’re feeling a bit humorous, or you just have to the itch to include a few memes in your next post, you’ll find a lot to love here.
It may seem silly, but there are plenty of topics here to choose from.
If you’re feeling a bit humorous, or you just have to the itch to include a few memes in your next post, you’ll find a lot to love here.
5. Topsy
We all know how fast Twitter moves.
Trying to keep up with a single feed is like trying to keep up with a stampeding herd of rhinos.
With a tool like Topsy, though, you can look for topics and keywords that have appeared in tweets dating back to 2006!
Let’s take a look at a quick example of this tool in action:
6. SurveyMonkey
Our last tool is one that ranks high on our list of the best survey software for website owners – SurveyMonkey.
This platform allows you to get your information straight from the source.
Sometimes, finding that perfect topic is as simple as asking your audience before you write that new post.
With SurveyMonkey, you can do just that.
A quick little survey embedded into your page makes it simple and easy for you to ask the readers a question or present them with a few topics to choose from.
This raw data then converts into topics that you know will resonate with your readers because it came from them.
This raw data then converts into topics that you know will resonate with your readers because it came from them.
Continuing To Gather Ideas
Before you can start writing you need some ideas and you need to plan them out to stay organized.
Gathering ideas starts with what you’re doing right now.
Brainstorming.
How do you brainstorm?
You get ideas by seeing what other people are doing in your niche.
For example, let’s say you’ve chosen home improvement as your niche.
Look around your house for something familiar in that realm.
Once you come up with an idea for your blog content, go online to see if there is interest in it.
Google Keyword Planner is a free tool to determine how much traffic lands on websites with a similar topic.
If you want to step things up, you could go for Ahrefs, (which is my secret weapon,) but it’s expensive.
For beginners, Google Keyword Planner is enough.
Once you’ve determined that the subject yields a decent amount of traffic and people are interested in that topic, you’ve got yourself a new post.
Now you need to repeat that process for blog content until you have a month’s worth of interesting and traffic bringing topics to write about.
Makes sense, right?
8 Great New Content Blog Ideas
Let’s cut the fluff and get to the stuff.
It’s time to provide you with some excellent blog ideas that readers are sure to tweet and share with their audience.
1. Write a “How-to” Guide
I love how-to guides, and they work incredibly well if you’re knowledgeable on a certain subject.
If you’ve chosen a niche that requires tutorials, then this might be the best avenue for you.
Help readers learn more about the subject and provide a ton of value to them.
2. Case Study
The type of post called case studies works really well in the “make money online” niche.
If you want to show someone the takeaways and the results of another person, like their personal life hacks, you can do a case study.
This avenue requires you to dive into the lives of a few different people and show readers how they can achieve what that person achieved by following the same steps.
3. Review Article
I write a lot of reviews, and these are a great way to monetize your blog.
Let’s go back to the home improvement example.
Let’s say you want to write an article about a lawnmower.
You conduct thorough research, so you understand the ins and outs of the lawnmower.
You’ll look at reviews from other people and see what customers have to say about it.
Once you have all your information together, you’ll be able to write the review.
If it’s a good product, you can become an affiliate and earn a commission every time someone buys that lawnmower through your review link.
Many people make a lot of money doing this.
4. Motivational Piece
Sometimes the best content helps people start something, and motivational writing is simple and easy to start with.
You could even recommend self-help books to get people started on a chosen goal.
5. Fictional Short Stories
If you don’t have a knack for writing about life or products you could always let your creative side shine.
Fictional writing is highly profitable if someone is willing to purchase your writing.
You don’t need a 400-page novel to make serious money either.
Just being passionate about writing will help you do this one.
6. Blog About Life
Some of the most popular content online is people talking about their own lives and the day to day operations of an average Joe.
The best way to blog about your life is to pair the behind-the-scenes alongside a “vlog” video as well.
Having them both on your blog will help rank you higher on Google, and you can monetize the blog as well as the vlog by putting it on YouTube.
7. Writing About Other Bloggers
Similar to a case study, but with this one you won’t have to interview anyone.
If you want to write about other bloggers, you must first have a reason.
You can do a round-up of all the most popular blogs online and curate their answers.
You can take snippets out of their blogs and do a list post like “The 10 Best Success Tips From Six-Figure Bloggers.”
Anything like that would work well for your blog readers.
8. Travel Blogging
Travel blogging is glamorous and incredibly sexy for those who can manage it.
Of course, to have a travel blog, you need to travel to places that people want to see.
The Philippines is a popular destination, so if you have a travel bug and the budget to manage it, go for it.
Travel blogging also pairs well with video footage, which makes the best blog posts.
25+ Blog Post Ideas to Consider For Your Content
Combine these types of content with the blog post ideas below and you’ll start to grow your blog.
Educational Blog Post Ideas
Many readers visit blogs intent on learning new skills they can apply in their personal or professional lives. Educational blog post ideas provide useful information for free, helping you build a loyal following and a positive reputation online.
Furthermore, consistently offering your readers valuable insights and knowledge will establish you and your blog as an authority in your industry.
How-Tos. The “How-To” blog post is arguably the most successful and popular type of content you can publish. In a how-to blog post, you teach readers how to accomplish or do something.
Make sure the steps are as detailed as possible and add images, screenshots or videos to make your how-to post easier to follow.
Examples: “How To Tie A Tie”, “How To Lose Weight”, “How To Get Rid of Ants”, or “How To Start A Business”.
Checklists. A “checklist” is generally used as a reminder, and is comparable to a to-do list. Checklists are actionable, easy to digest, and often preferred by readers.
Examples: “Wedding Checklist”, “Moving Checklist”, “New Baby Checklist”, or “Spring Cleaning Checklist”.
Resource Lists. Resource lists are blog posts that itemize a comprehensive list of resources on a specific topic. You should include government websites, books, eBooks, guides or tutorials provided by experts, case studies or experiments by independent research groups, etc.
Examples: “List of Best Technology Websites”, “List of Useful Government Sources”, “Top Resources For Entrepreneurs”, or “College Admissions Resources Every Student Needs”.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). Most readers wonder the same things and ask similar questions. Use an FAQ page to answer common questions your fans may be asking you via email. You might even use this page to refer to a series of blog posts where you’ve already answered commonly asked questions.
Examples: “Frequently Asked Questions About How To Become A Blogger”, “FAQ – How Much Should I Contribute To My Retirement Accounts?”, “Reader Question – Which Fashion Accessory Is My Favorite?”, or “FAQs – Why I Decided To Quit My Job and Become A Stay-At-Home Mom”.
Ultimate Guides. Comprehensive guides or tutorials are the epitome of evergreen content. Pick a topic people regularly research and develop the absolute best reference guide. Bloggers will want to link to your content and share it with their readers, while other readers will share it via social media.
Examples: “The Beginner’s Guide To SEO”, “The Ultimate Guide To Home Design”, “Amber’s Fashion Guide For 2015”, or “The Best Car Buying Guide You’ll Ever Read”.
Case Studies. A “case study” invokes a sense of credibility and insight. Document a research project or experiment and present the process and results as a case study.
Examples: “My Case Study on Whey Protein – Is It Effective?”, “Case Study – How A Fashion Designer Helped Me Get A Promotion”, “How To Make Money on Fiverr – Guide and Case Study”, or “My 3 Month Experiment Without Caffeine”.
Statistics. A statistic in the title of your blog post can spark curiosity and lend integrity to your work. Maybe explore or try to disprove a statistic everyone cites, but isn’t accurately used.
Examples: “How Mobile Users Generate 30% of Facebook’s Ad Revenue” or “How I Increased My Freelance Writing Rates By 35% With A Professional Blog”.
Top 10 Lists. Audiences love “Top X Lists” because they are easy to read and absorb. Lists always spark interest and intrigue because readers are curious about who or what made the list. Numbers such as 10, 100, 101, 99 and 11 seem to be the most appealing headline figures.
Examples: “Top 10 WordPress Plugins For Your Blog”, “Top 100 Fashion Bloggers”, “99 Beautiful Places You’ll Never Visit”, or “101 Random Acts of Kindness”.
Common Mistakes Lists. No one likes making mistakes, and by highlighting common mistakes and ways to avoid or fix them, bloggers can capture the attention of their readers.
Examples: “9 Social Media Mistakes To Avoid”, “Top 5 Mistakes Made By Freelance Writers”, “The Worst Blogging Mistakes of 2014”, or “Avoid These 11 Mistakes When Starting Your Blog”.
Definitions or Glossary. A definitions or glossary page is particularly applicable to niche industries, where terms are not always straightforward and easy to understand. As an expert in your field, you can further establish your authority and lend your knowledge by explaining industry jargon.
Examples: “Car Insurance Terms and Definitions”, “Commonly Misunderstood Legal Definitions”, or “25 Essential SEO Terms Bloggers Should Know”.
Question and Answer (Q&A). Pick a day out of the week and publicly answer all the questions your readers have submitted recently.
Examples: “Question and Answer Friday”, “Q&A: Ask A Famous Entrepreneur Anything”, or “Q&A: Ask Me A Personal Question”.
Post Series. Create recurring visitors by writing a series of posts. Choose a big, popular topic that has a lot of material to work with, and create several posts addressing different aspects. End each post with a cliffhanger to the upcoming post that will encourage your readers to revisit for the next part in the series.
Examples: “Part 1: How To Effectively Advertise on Twitter – Targeting”, “How To Become A Fashion Blogger – Social Media Outreach”, or “Step 4 on How To Start A Million Dollar Blog”.
Survey Results. Conduct your own surveys about a hotly debated issue within your niche. Poll your readers and create anticipating for the day you will release the results.
Examples: “Poll – Is America Headed In The Right Direction?”, “Do You Believe Your Politician?”, “How Much Money Would It Take For You To Feel Wealthy?”, or “Would You Save Your Dog Over A Foreign Tourist?”.
Product Reviews. Review a product, service, company, or event. Research shows that people look for the opinions of other consumers online before they make a purchase. Make sure to provide an honest review of the pros and cons. A fake review to boost affiliate commissions can ruin your relationship with your audience.
Examples: “Discover Card Review”, “An Honest Review of Comcast’s Cable Services”, “TurboTax Software Review”, or “My Review of the iPhone 6”.
eBooks. Write short eBooks with content that is or isn’t found on your blog, and offer them for free, possibly in exchange for an email address to build up your subscriber list. Readers love the convenience of eBooks and PDFs because all your content is combined.
News and Current Events Blog Post Ideas
While it’s important to focus on pillar, evergreen content that will consistently earn you search engine traffic, reporting news and current events relevant to your industry may be one way to get the attention of new readers.
However, timing is everything. Break the news and your post will go viral. Hop on the band wagon a day late and you’re just another blog repeating the same commentary.
Here are a few news-related blog post ideas where timing is the key.
Trending Topics. Use hashtags, Google trends, and your Facebook feed to find news topics that are popular in the moment. Write about what’s hot early on, and don’t forget to throw in a dash of your own point of view. Do this consistently and you’ll become the “go-to” source.
Examples: “Will The Green Bay Packers Win The Super Bowl?”, “Celebrity Baby Names Revealed”, “Best Upcoming Movies of 2015”, or “Does Racism Still Exist?”
Reaction To Current Events. Don’t just be a bystander and report the news as it breaks; give your readers insight into the implications of what is happening. Maybe you can offer your prediction of future consequences and how a current event will affect your readers socially, economically, emotionally, politically, etc.
Examples: “Oil Falls To Record Low – What It Means For You”, “Is A College Education Overrated?”, “5 Ways To Protect Yourself When Banks Are Getting Hacked”, or “How To Complete Your Christmas Shopping
Polls About Current Issues. Your readers have something to say about current issues, too, so ask them what they think. Run a poll and use the results as a post, but you have to be quick and get the post up while the issue is still hot.
Examples: “Why 38% of Americans Vote Based On The Economy”, “New Study Finds 89% of Professional Bloggers Would Recommend You Start A Blog Today”, or “Do You Trust Financial Gurus?”.
Reviews. New product launches always result in a slew of product reviews. Whether it’s technology, movies, books, or TV shows, there is always something new to review and these blog posts are generally well-received because they help consumers make purchase decisions.
Examples: “Is The Apple Watch A Must-Have Device?”, “Will Star Wars: The Force Awakens Be A Box Office Hit?”, “Review: Does Toyota’s “Car of Future” Live Up To Its Name?”, or “The Best Netflix Review You’ll Ever Read”.
Analyze Research. Follow the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Pew Research Center, CDC, Gallup or Nielsen to discover the results of new studies, surveys, or polls when they are released. Curate their findings, discuss highlights, and comment on the potential effects.
Examples: “BLS Reports Women Only Paid 82% of Men’s Salaries”, “Government Workers Cost An Average of $44 Per Hour in 2014”, “President’s Job Approval Ratings Fall Below 50%”, or “America’s Obesity Problem – Food Industry Spends $2B Marketing To Children”.
Today In History. Not as urgent as the previous post ideas, but a “today in history” blog post idea can be interesting. There are plenty of people who love to read about random trivia.
Examples: “Today In History – Gone With The Wind Premiered”, “This Day in History – Walt Disney Died”, “Today Marks The Day Apple Went Public”, or “The Internet’s 50th Anniversary”.
Controversial or Editorial Blog Post Ideas
Controversial or editorial types of blog posts are best to use when exposing an injustice, taking the moral high ground on an issue, or criticizing a company/person/concept for logical and emotional reasons.
Opinions. Your blog is your voice, and readers who regularly visit your blog come because they are interested in your perspective. Don’t hesitate to voice your opinions, but make sure your thoughts and beliefs are based on concrete facts, figures, and a thorough understanding of the issues. An extreme, inaccurate viewpoint risks your credibility and other bloggers can quickly label you as ignorant.
Examples: “Will Wages Finally Rise in 2015?”, “Why You Should Always Vaccinate Your Children”, “The Best Food Blogs Online and Why”, or “The Best Smartphone of 2015”.
Make Fun. This is a sensitive area, but if you’re into satire or sarcasm, making fun of the ridiculousness of government policies, company products or services, public figures, newspaper headlines, or TV anchors can be fun. You may even want to incorporate a meme or YouTube video.
Examples: “The World’s Funniest Company Names”, “10 Ridiculous Corporate Policies That Companies Actually Enforce”, “Did The CDC Need To Remind American Not To Take Poison?”, or “Top 100 Dumbest Criminals”.
Conspiracy Theories. Most everyone loves a good conspiracy theory and enjoy the great engagement and audience interaction.
Examples: “Did America Really Land on The Moon?”, “Digital Television and Subliminal Advertising – Is It True?”, “Why Global Warning Is No Hoax”, or “Proof Secret Societies Control The World”.
Response Posts. There is a horde of bloggers with opinions, so you won’t have a difficult time finding blog posts that you can respond to. Write a response post, and leave a comment on the original post linking to your own.
Myth-Busting. Debunking popular beliefs and misconceptions can help educate your readers on a topic they wouldn’t have learned about otherwise.
Examples: “Myth-Busting Social Media Advertising”, “Why Free Blogs Aren’t Really Free”, “UK’s Crime Statistics Don’t Tell The Whole Story”, or “Eating An Apple A Day Doesn’t Keep The Doctor Away”.
Predictions. Blog posts with predictions and expectations intrigue readers. Be bold with your predictions, but stay grounded and support your ideas with facts.
Examples: “Pharmaceutical Companies Will Announce An Ebola Vaccine in 2015”, “Wireless Charging Will Become A Reality in 2016”, “My New Blog Will Reach 1,000 Visitors Per Day By 2016”, or “George Clooney Will Win An Oscar in 2015”.
Interviews and Relationships
Blogging is all about community. No blog can thrive without the support of other bloggers and loyal fans.
Interviews can be great relationship-building exercises as well as a way of showing appreciation for the bloggers who have helped you along the way.
Crowdsourced Post. Ask 10, 25, or 50 influencers to answer a single question. Each will provide their thoughts and opinions, and you can compile their answers into one powerful, authoritative blog post.
Once you’ve published the post, reach out to the influencers you featured and ask them to share the post with their own readers. The result is a ridiculous influx of traffic, links and shares. After all, how often do dozens of industry experts come together in one place?
Examples: “50 SEO Experts Share Their Top Link Building Strategies”, “25 Top Chefs Admit Their Favorite Secret Ingredient”, “10 Internet Millionaires Who Made A Fortune After The Recession”, or “100 Social Medial Influencers Explain Their Prominence”.
Interviews. Get in touch with experts and influential individuals and invite them for interviews. Interviews with experts lend credibility to your blog, while leveraging the interviewees fan base to grow your own readership.
The interview can be presented in text, video, or podcast, although most interviewees prefer mediums that don’t require them to write more. If you do turn an interview into a podcast or video, make sure to include a transcript for SEO purposes.
Examples: “Neil Patel of QuickSprout Shares Insights on Content Marketing”, “How To Dominate Amazon Affiliate Sales With Morgan”, or “Business Pitfalls To Avoid Revealed By Former Venture Capitalist”.
Influential People Lists. Write about influential or popular bloggers in your field and put them together in a list. Link to their blogs then reach out to them via email or Twitter asking them to share the post. Being recognized as a top blogger solidifies their authority in a niche and simultaneously helps you grow your online presence.
Examples: “Top Fashion Bloggers of 2015”, “100 Entrepreneurs To Check Out”, or “Top 50 Freelance Writers To Work With”.
Link Roundup. Aggregate, link to and describe the best blog posts of the week or month. The focus can be industry-wide or a different topic each week. Remember to notify the authors to expand the reach of the article.
Examples: “Link Roundup For April 2014”, “Best Blogging Guides of 2015”, or “Top Cyber Monday Deals of 2015”.
Guest Posts or Contributions. Get free, high quality content by asking bloggers to share their knowledge with your audience. Make sure to express your writing guidelines and reserve the right to edit or outright decline sub-par writing.
Personal Blog Post Ideas
One of the best ways to connect with your visitors is to humanize your blog. By sharing personal beliefs and experiences and allowing your personality to shine through, you can build a deeper connection with your readers.
Photos and Videos. Share pictures and videos of yourself, your family, vacations, DIY home projects, etc. This makes it easier for people to relate to you. Don’t forget to write a short description to give context.
Examples: “Creating Art For Your Walls”, “DIY Home Renovation 101”, “My Family Vacation To Hawaii”, or “How A Road Trip With My Kids Made Me A Better Blogger”.
Be Inspirational. Everyone needs to feel inspired every once in a while. Write about how you or someone else you know has overcome obstacles or achieved goals, no matter how big or small.
Write about personal and professionals failures and how you learned from them. Be humble and make sure your fans know how much you appreciate them.
Examples: “How A Trip To The Grocery Store Made Me A Millionaire”, “How Cooking Lessons Made Me A Better Person”, “101 Famous Inspirational Quotes”, or “Why I’m Thankful For My Near Death Experience”.
Share A Story or Anecdote. If you can tap into your creative writing side, write a short personal story. Your readers may welcome the change.
Examples: “How A Frustrating Day At Work Forced Me To Start This Blog”, “What I’ve Learned After 5 Years of Blogging”, “The Daily Life of A Freelance Writer”, or “The Student Who Reminded Me Why I Became A Teacher”.
Life Lessons. Write about the important things you’ve learned in life, whether recently or deep in your past. Explain how you’ve become the person you are today.
Examples: “45 Life Lessons Written By A 65 Year Old Woman”, “30 of Life’s Most Powerful Lessons”, “Hidden Life Lessons In Today’s Gossip Magazines”, or “15 Life Lessons You Don’t Learn In School”.
Memorials. Think about the people you respect, and write a blog post honoring them. Memorials are a great way to create an empathetic connection with your readers.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re new to blogging or looking for ways to create new shareable content, fill your editorial calendar with some of the ideas above.
Not writing for a long time is a common mistake for new bloggers, and it’s easy to understand why: it’s easy to run out of new ideas.
But content ideas don’t have to be hard to come by.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that you need to provide your readers with real value.
A great post is something that provides something for your readers: knowledge, insight, entertainment, etc.
Don’t create a top 10 list for the sake of doing so. Don’t do a giveaway because you want to entice your readers with free stuff.
Instead, focus on sharing credible information that your readers will actually want to read.
With strong content, an authentic point of view, and reliable info, you’re sure to see your readership increase.
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