“How to Come Up With Blog Post Ideas In Your Sleep” is the second in a couple of posts for new bloggers. You can read the first article here.
Like I mentioned in my first article, there is SO much information out there about starting a blog. But let me tell you, the most important part of your blog is going to be your content. Content is still king, and it’s important for you to be able to come up with blog post ideas again and again.
For some, the idea of brainstorming ideas of what to write on your blog feels reminiscent of going back to school and struggling over an essay, but let me tell you a secret. If your blog is about a topic (a niche) that you LOVE, you will find it fairly easy to think of ideas.
In this post, I’m going to share three of my favorite blog post ideas PLUS a freebie that has over one hundred MORE blog post ideas. I think that will pretty much cover it, right?
Blog Post Idea: List posts
One of the first posts I wrote on my blog years ago was a list post about gift giving. Ironically, I wrote it during a time when we didn’t have a lot of extra cash to give. We were aggressively paying back our student loan debt AND I had decided I wanted to stay home with our baby, so money was tight.
A part of me felt embarrassed to write a post about “giving generously when you don’t have a dime” but another part of me felt it was important to share. I couldn’t be the only one in this situation, right?
And wow, I was right. That post blew up and brought so much traffic to my blog, I couldn’t believe it. My blog’s topic has since moved away from gift-giving but that’s okay. It’s still a helpful post!
Think about your blog’s topic or niche, and grab a sheet of paper. Fill out the following:
The Top Ten . . .
Three Must-Have . . .
Fifteen _____ You Need to Try Now
Here are a few more list posts that I have created and that continuously drive traffic to my site:
April is Letter-writing Month—Because I write about letter-writing and have several challenges and products that have to do with this topic, I compiled my favorites into one post.
10 Easy Ways to Be Creative Every Day—I regularly write about the importance of a creative habit and share ideas here of how to do this.
9 Mistakes Creatives Make—Even though this post looks at the negative side of creativity, it offers guidance to correct these mistakes.
Blog Post Idea: Tutorials
If you’re considering a craft, DIY, or cooking niche, then a tutorial is a given. In fact, they will be your bread and butter (no pun intended!)
You can also create tutorials for other topics as well in order to teach your readers how to do something.
Pull out that sheet of paper again and brainstorm several blog posts that you could create as tutorials.
How to get your laundry done efficiently (mom blogs)
How you set up your bullet journal (planner girls)
How you organized your garage (Kon Mari enthusiasts)
Here’s how I have created tutorials for my blog:
How to Start an Art Journal
How to Make a Sketchbook
How to Make a Simple Flower Barrette
The great thing about tutorials is you can also share affiliate links with your readers. An affiliate link is when you promote a product or service that you LOVE and you get to earn a commission from it.
Think of all the times you’ve shared something with your friends—”You NEED this from Target!” You could be making a small commission every time your friend says, “Okay, I’ll buy that!”
Note you always have to disclose that you are using affiliate links. That’s why I have a note on the top of every post that alerts readers that I use affiliate links. I also don’t link to products or services that I haven’t personally used. That’s just wrong!
Blog Post Idea: Expert Interviews
This idea is amazing when you’re looking to grow your blog. The premise is you’ll interview an expert in your blog’s niche, and when you post the interview, you’ll send them the link so they can promote it to their audience too.
Do this enough and you can build some great traffic to your blog, plus build credibility because you’re offering tips from people your audience really admires.
I also like the interview style because it makes it really easy for your expert. Once you’ve reached out to them and formed a relationship, you create a form in Google Forms or Typeform with questions. They simply fill the form out, and you do all the “hard” work of creating the post. This makes your request an easy “yes” for them!
Now before you start getting NERVOUS about asking the bigs out there for their advice, take a deep breath. You don’t have to reach out to Oprah on day one. In fact, there are SO MANY entrepreneurs and bloggers out there who many people don’t know about but who are doing amazing things.
I did an entire series on my blog about creative women who work in different fields. They were such an interesting bunch of women, and I learned so much from them.
What Creativity Looks Like: Meet Veronica Zubek
What Creativity Looks Like: Meet Marcia
What Creativity Looks Like: Meet Terri Ann
My favorite part about interviewing creative women (aka, “experts in my niche”) was how INSPIRED I was by them. I learned so much, and I bet you’ll learn a lot too when you interview people that excel in your blog’s topic.
Now it’s time for you to start brainstorming! Have fun!
Before you go, don’t forget to get your freebie: 100+ More Blog Post Ideas
P.S. This page also shares some tips on brainstorming blog posts. I start off sharing how to start a craft blog, but about midway through, I share how I come up with lots of blog post ideas. Enjoy!
