The most popular blog posts are about – well, posts – more specifically, topics for blog posts.
Sometimes the simplest ideas stem from the things you use everyday.
Think social media.
Bite-sized Pieces
When you think social media, you might groan –
It’s overwhelming – where do I begin?
Start right there– feeling overwhelmed.
- Build you blog post topics from there
- List your questions/ideas
- Create a new list from each
Let me show you what I mean.
1. Four (or whatever #) ways social media overwhelms
Share what overwhelms you about social media –
- The number of platforms
- The constant changes
- The time suck
- Privacy concerns
Then share your solutions and ask your readers for their solutions.
2. Take one of the above and build on that
Take any one of the above topics and write on that. Consider a business blog post on each.
The number of platforms
- Which platforms do you use?
- How many can you manage?
- Ask your readers what platforms they use
The constant changes
- When do you know that your investment is not paying off?
- How do you stay current?
- List sources for information
- Ask readers to share their ideas and resources
The time suck
- What time management tips do you have?
- Do you outsource?
- How do you measure “too much time?”
- Ask readers for their tips
- Ask readers if they outsource
- Who do they use?
Privacy concerns
- What steps do you take to protect your privacy?
- How do you protect your customers’ privacy?
- Have you had a privacy breach?
- What did you learn from it?
- Ask your readers if they have privacy concerns
3. Focus on one platform
- Which platform is your favorite and why?
- Which is your least favorite and why?
- What feature of your favorite platform do you like best? Why?
- What feature(s) would you change?
- How long did it take you to see a return on your investment?
- What are your favorite resources for updates/changes?
- Ask your readers if they use that platform
- Ask what ideas/comments they have about that platform
4. Turn the above into a “number” list
We’ll use LinkedIn as our platform.
Which platform is your favorite and why?
Top 10 Things to Love About LinkedIn
Which is your least favorite and why?
Top 10 Things to Hate About LinkedIn
What feature of your favorite platform do you like best? Why?
5 Reasons I Like Groups in LinkedIn
What feature(s) would you change?
5 Things LinkedIn Should Change About the Profile Page
How long did it take you to see a return on your investment?
How to Get a Return on Your LinkedIn Investment in 90 Days
What are your favorite resources for updates/changes?
Top 7 Resources for LinkedIn
Enough for Everyone
Just like social media overwhelms, coming up with business blog post topics can take on bigger-than-life proportions.
By taking one idea and cutting it down to size, you’ll find you have enough topics for everyone.
Where do you get you business blog ideas?
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Cathy- you brought up something that has been bothering me a lot. If the most popular blogs are about how to get more blog readers, what is the value of a blog? (Does a dog which catches its tail accomplish anything?)
This is similar to the “Inside the Beltway” reporting that generally only excites those inside the Beltway. To the rest of the nation, it matters not.
If the aim of the blog is to EDUCATE one’s readers, then this whole business model is useless. Yes, you may be able to find some neophyte who is willing to part with money for information (about getting more folks onto HIS or HER blog)- and you (the first writers) may make money, but in the medium and long term, this to me is venal. P.T. Barnum would be proud of these blogmeisters.
Hi Roy: Actually this post was the never-ending complaint of not knowing what to write about. You’ll have to tune in Wednesday when I review Mike Stelzner’s book that explains his strategy for Social Media Examiner and the use of the blog in marketing strategy.
I guess that’s what TV calls a teaser. 🙂
Cathy, I love this approach to brainstorming! It works wonderfully and we can end up with so many great ideas if we break it down like that.
To jump into the conversation about blogging about blogging… I think there’s a bit of an echo chamber effect in the blogosphere – bloggers blogging about blogging (say that 10 times fast!). But I don’t see it as a bad thing if that’s the topic of the blog. There’s that echo in every topic, like you mentioned about the beltway.
I run into a lot of “top blogs” about blogging because it’s what I’m looking for and connected with most, but blogs in other niches are very successful, as well.
Any topic that’s got enough rabid fans who are sufficiently tech savvy can be the foundation for a successful blog.
I see that as a positive thing about blogs though. We draw in only the readers looking for what we’re sharing and we educate them on what they want to know.
I’m not after the whole nation — that’s not my audience. Cooks would be bored on my blog (but I enjoy reading cooking blogs). Teachers would be bored on my blog (but I enjoy reading education themed blogs because I homeschool my kids).
The value of a blog is in the eyes of the readers. If the content is what they’re looking for, and they’re reading it and sharing it, then it’s valuable. 🙂
Hi Michelle-thanks for stopping by and the RT. And, by all means, jump in. My apologies to Roy for my denseness. Guess I need to up the caffeine.
There are kinds of reasons people blog and, you’re right, it’s not going to appeal to everyone. If someone stumbles across the beltway and they click away because they don’t relate, that’s okay.
Thanks to both you and Roy for your perspective.