There comes a time in every marketer’s life when their wealth of inspiration runs dry. Hopefully this is a temporary bump in the content road, but until the gears start rolling again, where do you find ideas for content?
Tried and True
Other Blogs
The blogging world is saturated with great thinkers posting thoughts and ideas. A big part of maintaining your company’s blog is keeping up to date with what other bloggers in your industry are saying. This should be a scheduled part of your daily routine if you are in charge of your company’s blog.
Check the News
What’s happening in the world? What's worrying your marketing personas, and what are they excited about? See if you can relate what your business does to something that’s affecting their lives. Don’t forget to check Twitter and Facebook trends in addition to your favorite news channels. These sites pick up trends before most of the mainstream news networks.
Coworkers
Speak with your coworkers in the mornings before you get down to business. Did they read any interesting articles last night? Did they pick up on anything that you may have missed? Your team members can be a great resource!
You’re probably already using at least one of these methods. If these resources aren’t getting you were you want to be with your blog, it’s time to expand your horizons.
Brave New World
If you’re still stuck without a topic for your blog posts, get ready to move outside your comfort zone.
Expand Your Social Horizons
One of my favorite sites nowadays for content inspiration is Reddit. This site is a group of smaller communities, or “subreddits,” which cater to different interests. Check out the articles posted in these subreddits to get started:
Don’t forget to read the comments. They can give you insight into what others are thinking about the posted topic or article. There’s a subreddit for everything, so do some exploring to see what’s offered for your industry.
Go Global
What are businesses in China worried about? Are there trends in Belgium that might make their way to your market? Even if you don’t conduct business on an international scale, it’s a good idea to discuss developing trends in other countries. Even if these trends never end up affecting you directly, it’s a good tactic to get people thinking.
Build up your Twitter
If you don’t have a personal Twitter, it’s time to get one. Even if you never post a Tweet, the resources available through Twitter are something you shouldn’t be missing out on. Following Twitter users doesn’t cost you a penny, but the inspiration that I, personally, get from their posts is invaluable.
Some of my favorite Twitter users that I’d recommend following are:
I’d also recommend following Twitter accounts like the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and the Huffington Post just to broaden your news sources for the day. Of course, you should also be following Illumine8 Marketing & PR on Twitter!
Competitors
What are your competitors doing right? What doesn't work for them? It’s impolite to call them out by name, but see if you can draw inspiration from their successes or failures. Sign up for their newsletters, visit their social media and follow their blogs.
There’s no lack of resources available on the web. It’s simply a matter of finding what will work for your company’s voice and marketing personas.
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