5 Ways To Find Blog Post Ideas That You’ve Never Thought Of!

You probably have some tried and true ways for coming up with blog post ideas.

You scroll through Pinterest, looking at posts in your niche. You go to forums and Facebook groups and look for ideas based on discussions you see. You look up your topic on BuzzSumo to see which articles are popular.

But what do you do when all of your regular methods of coming up with ideas run dry?

These five ideas are a bit different, which means other bloggers probably aren’t using them. And they’ll help you come up with blog post ideas when everything else seems to be a dead-end.

1. Look at Magazine Headlines

Have you ever been waiting in line at the grocery store when you saw the cover of a magazine with a headline you couldn’t resist? Even though you didn’t plan on buying the magazine, you sneakily took it off the shelf and began reading it, hoping you could get through the article before you got to the register.

Even though you didn’t plan on buying the magazine, you sneakily took it off the shelf and began reading it, hoping you could get through the article before you got to the register.

Magazine writers and editors are professionals. They know what sells. They know what will catch people’s eyes and entice them to pick up their magazines. Follow their lead and you will come up with some irresistible blog post ideas.

Want a few examples?

From this month’s issue of Cosmopolitan:

Headline: 5 Instant Confidence Boosters 
Rewrites:
5 Instant Blog Traffic Boosters
5 Instant Fat Burning Boosters

From O Magazine:
Headline: 6 Healthcare Musts Every Woman Should Fight For

Rewrites:
6 Blogging Musts Every Blogger Should Aim For
6 Fitness Musts Every Gym-goer Should Do

Don’t want to go out to the grocery store? Try looking at Buzzfeed’s homepage. The same process applies.

2. Have a Friend Interview You

You’ve probably heard about the tactic of interviewing your audience members to find new blog post ideas? But have you ever considered being interviewed yourself?

Having a friend interview you will help you think about topics you’ve never considered before, especially if it’s someone who doesn’t know much about your topic. Make sure they actually have an interest in your topic so that they’ll think of more interesting questions.

When you’re an expert on a topic, it actually makes it harder to think of blog post ideas because you don’t remember what it’s like to be a beginner. Every time you think of an idea, you might tell yourself, “Nah, everyone knows about that.”

When you have a beginner friend interview you, you’re able to remember what it’s like to be someone who isn’t an expert, and you’ll come up with more post ideas as a result.

Before they interview you, have your friend read a few of your blog posts and then write down all of their questions about your topic. Tell them to write everything down, no matter how small or insignificant.

Schedule a time for them to interview you for a half an hour. Record your interview so that you can listen to it again later. As you answer their questions, don’t be afraid to periodically stop and write down post ideas. And don’t be surprised if you come up with dozens of ideas during your interview.

3. Go On a Field Trip

[socialpug_tweet tweet=”One of the best things you can do to come up with blog post ideas is leaving your house.” display_tweet=”One of the best things you can do to come up with blog post ideas is leaving your house.”]

As bloggers, we spend so much time in front of our computer screens that sometimes we forget there’s the world outside.

Instead of mining websites for blog post ideas, take yourself on a field trip with the intention of thinking of post ideas while you’re there.

For example, if you write about fitness, you can go to a busy park and notice all of the people doing different types of activities. You’ll see runners, kids playing soccer, moms walking with their strollers. Noticing all of these people working out will help expand your mind and help you see things from a different perspective.

Do you have a crafts blog? Take a trip to West Elm or another high-end store. Look at all of the products that appeal to you. Can you figure out a way to make some of them? Jot down your ideas and come back to them later when you’re at your computer.

Idea field trips are fun, they get you out of the house, and they’ll likely give you original blog post ideas your audience will love.

4. Do Some Yoga or Go For a Run

One of the best ways of getting your creative juices flowing is exercising. If you’re stuck and you can’t think of any original blog post ideas, stop banging your head against your computer screen. Lace up your sneakers, queue up your favorite playlist, and head out for a run. Or my favorite – put in a yoga DVD and stretch away.

As you exercise, your mind will start to relax and you’ll find more ideas flowing through you. You can either try to remember your ideas and write them down when you’re done or you can have a note-taking app ready so you can type on the move. When you are finished, you’ll feel better physically, and you’ll be ready to fill your editorial calendar as well.

5. Read Today’s News

One of the best places to find new blog post ideas isn’t from other blogs – it’s by reading the news. You’ll see what people are thinking about and worrying about right now, and you’ll be able to write posts that are very relevant as a result.

For example, a lot of the news today is about Hurricane Harvey, a gigantic storm that’s pummeling Houston. You could take this news item and write any number of posts inspired by it.

If you’re a mommy blogger, you could write a post about teaching your kids to give back by donating to help people there. If you’re a pet blogger, you could write a post about the effects of the hurricane on pets. Regardless of what your blog topic is, you can think of something interesting and relevant that connects to today’s news.

What Do You Do To Think of New Blog Post Ideas?

Do you have any unique methods my audience can learn from? Share in the comments below.