Need More Ideas for Your Blog?
Do you have a blog? Have you ever spent hours trying to come up with a blog topic? Indeed, it’s nice to have a list. This article enlists 6 most commonly used techniques to brainstorm for innovative blog ideas. With each technique, there are case studies that will explain it accordingly.
Here are the 6 ways you can use to make your next blog post sparky and special!
1. Write a tutorial
How-to tutorials pretty much dominate today’s blogosphere. For example, the ability to write great how-to articles can position you correctly as a go-to expert. If you are knowledgeable in the niche you are writing about, your readers are more likely to subscribe to your blog to get future updates as well.
Case Studies:
HOW TO: Measure Social Media ROI – by Mashable
“For social media to fully work (for everyone), businesses and brands need to be able to evaluate the impact their social media use is having, both positive and negative. Measuring social media ROI isn’t impossible, but it can be difficult because many of the pieces that need to be evaluated are difficult to track. This guide is designed to help you track down those pieces and determine the ROI you’re getting on social media.”
6 Ways to Use Ning for Business – by Mashable
“There is an almost overwhelming number of options on the social web for businesses to create and participate in communities. You hear a lot about Facebook Fan Pages, Twitter communities, and even LinkedIn Groups; but businesses have another option when looking to build a community online that’s often overlooked despite having nearly 40 million users: Ning. Ning allows businesses to create their own off-site social network for their brand’s community, and participate in existing conversations with the communities they are looking to engage. Here are 6 ways businesses can put Ning to work.”
How to Grow Your Twitter Followers – 5 Ways That Work for Me – byWebStudio13
“How do you gain more followers on Twitter? This is the question asked by countless people. Since I’ve read many blog posts that reveal the secrets of getting mass followers, I decide not to bore you with those general techniques that you can find via a single Google search. Instead, I want to point out 5 unique methods that have worked particularly well for me. Even better, if you can apply these 5 techniques to your unique background and the situations you face at this point of your life, you will get amazing results. Without further ado, let’s see if these 5 tips make sense to you.”
How To Completely Clean Your Hacked WordPress Installation – bySmackDown
“Getting hacked sucks, plain and simple. It can affect your rankings, cause your readership to be exposed to virus and trojan attacks, make you an unwilling promoter to subject material you may not actually endorse, and in many cases cause the loss of valuable content. However, once it happens it is usually best to not procrastinate on the clean up process, since a speedy restore will most times minimize the damage that was caused.”
How To: Use LinkedIn to Build a Professional Network – byWebStudio13
“LinkedIn has become a major resource for majority of business people who want to develop their professional networks online. On Oct. 14th, 2009, the LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner announced on the LinkedIn blog that the site has reached 50 million members, and it’s roughly growing one member per second. This article teaches you how to use LinkedIn to build your network.”
2. Make a list
If you are knowledgeable in certain niche, you can rank the top players by making a list. “List” posts are usually popular because people are interested in finding out who is the best and the most popular. It is a very effective way to attract more readers to your blog.
Case Studies:
100 Amazing Free Wordpress Themes for 2009 – by Smashing Magazine
“High quality free Wordpress Themes have become harder and harder to find in the past year, with the influx of premium themes, more and more designers and developers are selling themes (and rightly so, they do amazing work). But, that aside, the quality is certainly there, and we are sure you will be impressed with this Wordpress theme compilation for 2009.”
25 Best Blogs 2009 – by TIME
“TIME makes its second annual list of the best blogs in the world, spanning politics, housekeeping, astronomy and everything in between.”
13 Most Inspiring YouTube Videos of All-Time – by WebStudio13
“YouTube has been a great place for posting and sharing video content. Personally, I like to keep an eye out for popular and new inspirational videos on YouTube. As a matter of fact, I have made a habit of watching inspiring videos for at least 15 minutes every morning after I return from the gym. It really helps me get the day started right and keep the positive energy flowing. Here let me share the top 13 of my favorite videos (plus 2 bonuses).”
30 Top LinkedIn Groups for Entrepreneurs, eMarketers, and Social Media Enthusiasts – by WebStudio13
“LinkedIn Groups is your destination to find and join communities of professionals based on common interest, experience, affiliation, and goals. Stay in touch with organizations, schools, and companies that you are and were a part of, network with professionals with similar interests and goals, and collaborate in a professional community online. In this post, I will sort through 30 top LinkedIn groups that allow great efficiency for all entrepreneurs, marketing professionals, and social media enthusiasts.”
The 15 Best Technology Podcasts – by WebStudio13
“Living in New York City, one thing I have got used to is listen to my favorite tech podcast shows on the subway. Lots of people have approached me asking what’s the best podcast to subscribe to. Well, I used to ponder the same question. Now I can speak from my heart. Here I will share the top 15 of my favorite podcasts (all can be found on iTune) to satisfy your cravings about high tech news and tips.”
3. Interview somebody
Find someone well known in your industry and interview them. You can then write a blog post about it, which usually adds more credibility to your blog.
Case Studies:
Darren Rowse Interview: Brand Yourself Like a ProBlogger – byPersonal Branding Blog
“Darren Rowse is the guy behind ProBlogger.net, which has become one of the leading places on the web for information about making money from blogs. He is a full-time blogger himself, making a six-figure income from blogging now since 2005.”
The Seth Godin Interview: How to Become a Leader – by Copyblogger
“Seth Godin needs no introduction to this crowd. And there’s a good chance many of you already have a copy of his latest book, Tribes. If not, Tribes is all about leadership in a post-geography world. The Internet allows anyone to become a leader of a tribe big or small, with members from across the planet. And people want you to lead them in all sorts of contexts.“
Interview With Digg’s Kevin Rose: The State of The Union – byTechCrunch
“Last week I sat down with Digg founder Kevin Rose to get the Digg “State of the Union.” The company, now more than four years old, has continued to grow incredibly since launching in late 2004 and regularly innovates with new products…..”
Interview With Pete Cashmore – Founder of Mashable – by Retire@21
“Pete Cashmore is just 22 years old and is the founder of Mashable, one of the most visited blogs in the world. Mashable offers news on social networking and social software and attracts millions of visitors every month.”
Personal Branding Interview: Robert Scoble – by Personal Branding Blog
“Today, I spoke to Robert Scoble, who is an author, tech evangelist, blogger and fully employed worker. Wearing many hats, Robert has some great advice and insights to share in this interview. He talks about his career, his favorite interview, the future of branding, blogging and more.”
4. Post a viral video
With Youtube and hundreds of other video sharing sites, it is easy to find and post a viral video which could then drive people to your blog in droves. Posting viral videos on your site doesn’t require a lot of efforts from your end since most videos are already produced and uploaded. The key is to post it first before anyone else does it. And do a good job explaining its relevancy to the theme of your blog. Otherwise, it loses its novelty.
Case Studies:
Videos: Google Wave Acts Out Pulp Fiction And Good Will Hunting -by TechCrunch
“Everyone is still searching for what exactly Google Wave’s role will be in the web going forward. We think it’s still too early to tell, but one man, Joe Sabia, has put together maybe the most impressive Wave demonstration yet. Is he doing something extremely useful? No. He’s using it to reenact scenes from Pulp Fiction and Good Will Hunting. The result is brilliant.”
Jim and Pam Office Episode Pays Tribute to JK Wedding Dance [Video] – by Mashable
“The fusion of social and mainstream media is finally complete: not only did Thursday night’s “Jim and Pam wedding” episode of The Office feature the meme-tastic 3 Wolf Moon t-shirt, but it also paid tribute to the YouTube hit JK Wedding Dance.”
Virology: 31 Top YouTube Viral Videos of All-Time – by WebStudio13
“YouTube is known for its ability to massively and rapidly spread video content in the cyberspace. I have been a long-timeYouTube fan. I know what truly makes a YouTube video tick. I will share 31 top YouTube clips to help you understand the essence of YouTube video marketing. While watching these clips, try to identify their unique selling points. Most importantly, learn to implement these elements in your own marketing campaigns.”
The 10 Hottest Viral Video Ad Campaigns Right Now – by Mashable
“We’re living in the YouTube generation, where not only are you consuming video at massive rates, but also uploading boat loads of it. However, only a select few of these videos ever go viral and achieve Internet meme status.”
The Top Internet Memes of 2009 – by Mashable
“The instantaneous and shareable nature of the Internet is one of the things that separates it from other mediums. Viral videos andInternet memes can take hold and spread quickly. Thanks to social networking, the speed in which the latest phenomena can spread is lightning fast. More and more frequently, Internet memes are making appearances in other more traditional media like TV and film.”
5. Have someone guest post on your blog
If your blog has a fair amount of traffic, people will come to you, offering to write articles for your blog in exchange for the exposure your site provides. We just had our first guest post yesterday on WebStudio13, check it out. Having guests regularly contribute to your blog is a great way to churn out extra content for your blog, which automatically leads to more traffic. Here are a few examples.
Case Studies:
How I Tweet – by Guy Kawasaki on American Express Open Forum
“Way back in July of 2009, I explained how I used Twitter. Lots has changed since then, so this is an update to explain how I tweet. As a small business owner, you can adopt my techniques to use Twitter as a marketing tool.“
HOW TO: Build the Ultimate Social Media Resume – by Dan Schawbelon Mashable
“Social media resumes are important for attracting hiring managers directly to you, without you having to submit your resume, blindly, to them. The problem with submitting your resume online to job postings is that most job postings aren’t even vacant, might not exist, and 80% of jobs offers are received through networking.”
Why Traditional Article Marketing Should Be Dead! – by RIC GRUBERon WebStudio13
“Article marketing is one of the best ways to gain instant credibility, increase website traffic, build your list and get more sales. But, the only way you’ll experience these results is if you stop doing article marketing the traditional way!”
6. Write a post like this one
You can also write a blog post helping people brainstorm for potential blog ideas. There are many formats you can go for. If you want to include case studies like this one, that is fine. Or if you prefer to just give out a list, you can refer to the following examples for more inspiration.
Case Studies:
100 Blog Topics I Hope YOU Write – by ChrisBrogan.com
“People often ask me how I come up with things to blog about, and I find the question strange, because my problem is the opposite. I have too much to blog about. Why? Because there’s a whole fast revolution rolling through, and right now – today – is our time to make it all work for us……”
101 Great Posting Ideas That Will Make Your Blog Sizzle – byIhelpyoublog.com
“Great posts are hard to do consistently on a day-to-day basis. Probloggers really have to work at it. I thought about all the different ways and angles a blogger can approach choosing posting topics. Here are 101 different ideas that I think are great to stimulate your mind and jumpstart your blogging.“
100 Ways To Find Ideas For Your Blog Posts – by Steve Aitchison on LifeSnips
“There are times when blogging can be tough and it feels like we have just run out of ideas for our blog posts or as a freelancer we sometimes think there’s nothing else to write about. Where does the muse go when we are feeling like this, and how can we get it back?”
So what advice do you have to help other bloggers generate valuable ideas?
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