The most successful websites are the ones that post new blogs regularly. But even content writers are not boundless fonts of creative blog post ideas. Everyone needs a little blog post idea inspiration from time to time.
Below we’ll share a few hacks we use when we’re stuck for blog post ideas. But first, let’s explore why it’s a good idea to post new blogs regularly and the benefits you can hope to see if you do.
Blog regularly - here's why
The data shows that regular blog posts on your website are good for organic traffic. Bloggers who commit to posting between two and six times per week are 50% more likely to report results.
That makes sense because Google’s search algorithms reward websites that offer fresh, relevant content on an ongoing basis. Blog posts are a quick win for companies who want to improve their organic search results and offer their audience good content on a steady basis.
Regular blog posts also allow you to generate new digital content for your digital marketing ecosystem. Just one blog post can spawn an email marketing outreach, multiple social media posts, and several memes – another reason period blog posts should be a stalwart of your digital marketing strategy.
You build trust with consumers who visit your website when you write blog posts. 44% of buyers say that they consume several (three to five) pieces of content on a vendor’s website before they engage with that vendor. And a whopping 65% of B2B buyers say a vendor’s website is one of the most influential types of content.
How often should you post blogs?
But it’s trickier to determine the exact number of times per week you should be blogging. Large companies can (and should) churn out new blog content daily. But smaller companies with lean marketing teams can’t devote themselves to daily blog posts. If they did, the quality of their blog would undoubtedly suffer.
If you’re a small operation, aim for one or two blog posts every two weeks. You’ll reap more search engine rewards if your content is high-quality, relevant, and regularly posted. Remember that frequency has to be balanced with quality and relevance; never sacrifice the second two for the first.
Here are 5 hacks to make blogging easier
Hack 1: Research your keywords thoroughly
When we need new blog ideas, we often start by researching keywords relevant to our services and target audience.
Some free keyword research tools are available, such as Wordstream and to a certain extent, Ahrefs. We use a paid tool called SurferSEO. Whichever you choose, you can approach keyword research as a chance to get inside the minds of your target audience.
Start with a topic that is close to your core offering. Let’s say your blog niche is “dental marketing.” A search for the keyword “dental marketing” will yield results that refer to digital marketing, social media, branding, and logo creation for dental clinics.
You can then search for any new terms that the search generated to drill down into the logic behind the searches. The deeper you dig into the keywords that drive searches about “dental marketing,” the better you’ll understand what blog topics consumers want to read about on the subject.
Hack 2: Read ‘predictions’ blogs
The blogosphere is awash with predictions on almost any blog topic, including predictions on the trends that will be important in marketing. Reading predictions blogs can help you think of blog topics that are trendy and relevant to your audience.
Predictions blogs can reveal a potential blog post idea any time of year. At the end of the calendar year, you can explore which trends didn’t make it and which predictions fell short of the year’s reality.
Hack 3: Mine your testimonials
Testimonials are an often-overlooked gold mine of marketing inspiration, including a source for a great blog post idea.
Re-read your company’s customer testimonials to see what your customers find valuable about your service or the problems they are trying to solve by buying your products. Even “soft” benefits, like your marketing agency’s excellent customer service, could be turned into a blog post about the importance of delivering soft benefits for a better customer experience.
If you don’t have any testimonials, ask for some! Clients are generally delighted to provide glowing testimonials for agencies that have provided stellar service. So don’t be shy.
Don’t be afraid to read your competitors’ testimonials, too. You may find some similar nuggets of blog idea inspiration in their client’s words.
Hack 4: Educate yourself on the stats
Keeping a close eye on the statistics that describe and define your industry makes you better at your job. It can help you predict trends and quickly pivot to your clients’ needs.
Regularly reading stats can also help you think of new blog post ideas. Every stat is a potential blog post. You can tease out the subject to explore the stat and the factors contributing to or creating it. You can cite sources that discuss the stat in greater detail. The possibilities are practically endless.
Hack 5: Take note of your content gaps
Routine content audits will help you understand the content you have better. You’ll know which types of content perform best for your organic traffic and client engagement. A content audit can also help you see which content needs updating or refreshing.
As you’re examining the content that you have, you should note the content that you don’t have. You may have neglected the blog topic of social media marketing for too long. Or maybe you only have a few blog posts on the importance of sound web development.
Whatever your content gap, it can be a source of blog post ideas.
Bonus hack: Sign up for competitors’ newsletters
It always pays to keep a close eye on what your competitors are doing.
Of course, you shouldn’t plagiarise their material. But there’s no harm in watching the competition to see what they’re writing about.
Sign up to receive your competitor’s newsletters or subscribe to their blog updates. And don’t be surprised if they do the same for you!
A wise business person never stops learning, and blog post ideas may be just one of the many things you and your competitors glean from one another.
Know when to call in the content pros
It’s normal to be stumped once in a while trying to think of fun blog post ideas that will attract and convert your ideal customers. But if blogging has become tedious, time-consuming, and counter-productive, it may be time to give us a call.
Web designers, marketing agencies, and even other content strategists use our team when their bandwidth doesn’t allow them to create relevant, thoughtful blog posts.
We’re also happy to help you brainstorm blog post ideas – whatever your industry or focus, we’ll help you create great blog posts.
If you’re overwhelmed by planning blog post ideas and writing them, complete our (very short!) contact form. Our founder Abby will reply soon to get you all sorted with blog post ideas and high-quality blogs – that you didn’t have to write!