This post is the 5th in the [intlink id="2458" type="page" target="_blank"]Common Sense Blogging[/intlink] series.
Last time I checked, “stale” was not a positive attribute. Stale cereal, stale bread, stale popcorn, stale wine – yuck. No one wants to consume those things, and they end up in the garbage disposal or becoming food for the ducks (well, not the wine).
So… how do you keep your blog from becoming stale and getting tossed by your readers? Fresh food. Try very hard to write about something new in a new way and from a new perspective. Remember to take risks in your blogging.
Photo Credit: perpetualicon (flickr)
5 Ways to Find New Blog Content (BizChickBlogs Guide)
1. Ask Your Readers What They Want to Know
I have a handful of questions in my inbox right now waiting to be addressed. It did not take much – just a post about the new Ask Me form in the sidebar. People who are reading your blog are interested in what you have to say. So by asking them what they want to know, you are setting yourself up for a slew of new content ideas for your blog. See an article by @problogger about solving your reader’s problems. This is key.
2. Answer Comments Left on Other Blogs
Every day, I read between 15 and 20 different blog posts, and there are typically a lot of comments left on each of them. Instead of just adding yours to the mix, read each of those comments and find the gems. If someone asked a question, turn that question into a new blog post and answer it. Be sure to promote your blog post after you do.
3. Respond to the News
Not to be confused with my point about [intlink id="2601" type="post" target="_blank"]spreading the news[/intlink], reading the news is essential and responding to it makes good sense. You can read your local newspaper or try some online journals like Search Engine Journal, Social Media Today, Examiner, Free SEO News or even The Wall Street Journal. Read the news that corresponds to your niche. What’s going on out there? When you figure out what is newsworthy, write a post from your own perspective about that very subject. Make it timely, because if it isn’t timely, it’s not newsworthy (in this case).
Another blogging ninja secret: subscribe to the feeds from Webwire.com or PRNewsWire.com. This is where news sources get their news – from press releases. So, stay on top of the news that way. There are hundreds upon hundreds of other press release wires but those two have plenty of content to start with.
4. React to the Outrageous
Create a series where you post your own thoughts about something particularly outrageous. In high school (and yes, this is taking it back 12-15 years) we had a weekly column in our newspaper called, What the…?? and it was hysterical and well-read by our school’s population (and I’m proof to the fact that it was also memorable). Calling out the bizarre, stupid, risky, crazy, or outrageous is fun, interesting, and usually draws a crowd. And don’t think it’s just for teenagers. Adults are drawn to the strange and ridiculous, too (any other Family Guy addicts out there?).
5. Review Products, Plugins, or Blogs that You Use/Read
You have opinions about what works, what sucks, what’s worth the money, and what needs to go back to the drawing board – so share those opinions. If a plugin you installed or a product you used didn’t work well, maybe it’s worth sharing that with your readers so they can see what’s up. Discuss the pros and cons in a respectful way – blogging karma.
If something really rocks, you should absolutely talk about that, too! I was so surprised when Andy Bailey (@commentluv) from CommentLuv stopped by to leave a note on What to do When No One is Commenting. And that post wasn’t even a CommentLuv review, really; it just had a mention about it. So, you never know. The point is to discuss - that’s the whole point of a blog.
Open Forum – Help a Blogger Out
I love my reader’s blogs – most of your blogs are on my ever-growing Google Reader list, which is something I check out every single day, including weekends. I look to you for inspiration. So, where do you get your content ideas? Share your tips for us here so we can all benefit.
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“Answer Comments Left on Other Blogs”
- What happened in my case before the halloween, I was able to make a suggestion about something that can attract readers who make halloween themed blogs. It’s true that reading comments can help in making a new, interesting post in a blog.
Awesome tips..I definitely agree with the react with outrageous, this will definitely create some talks or opinion or may even add up a conversation among your readers or target market. Love your posts Tia!
All 5 points are best guidelines to follow while posting news articles. Awesome post so kind of you for sharing your knowledge with us
mostly i write about the latest buzz , and people follow my posts. sometimes they have their queries , which i love to answer , in my blog
The second tactic seems to be a good one. Although reading all of the comments left on an article might be time consuming, it can be well worth it. Some of my articles are actually made after reading comments on various blogs. Will have to read comments more often. Thanks for sharing! The other tips provided, were also useful.
I have to say that this was a very helpful article. Not only were the RSS links useful, but you gave me some ideas I have never thought of before. I need to find ways to expand my blog outside the usual because my niche is so saturated. Thanks for the ideas!
My recent post MW 2 Resurgence Map Pack Releases Today
You're very welcome!!
Your second and third points are excellent. I actually would go further and say this: if I read something online, I usually can blurb it to account for what I learned/didn't learn. Right there, that's an instant blog post – just link and then write down the blurb.
Similarly if one is involved on a good comment thread, no reason why that comment thread can't be linked to, and the good comments and essential parts of the post highlighted on one's own blog.
My recent post Abraham Lincoln, “Letter to Ephraim D. and Phoebe Ellsworth”
Hey Tia,
!
Awesome post. Looking for post ideas in the comments is great idea. Thanks for sharing this great post. keep up the good work:
You're very welcome!
I love the idea of blogging about the outrageous! Another topic that get the stale out is sex. It applies to everyone no matter what side of the bed your on and people comment more. Recently I blog about 3 reasons WAHM Should…"dance" more and comments are still coming in. S*x sells. Now if I were just of the mind to exploit that…
My recent post Business Coach for Moms Featured on About.com
Totally agree! I'm sure the topic works better on some blogs than others, but even just using the word "sexy" gets visitors streaming in.
Good ideas! I have a notepad on my phone where I jot down blog post ideas as they come. Sadly most of them come when I'm driving or about to go to bed.
Thanks for stopping by, Zack! I jot down ideas as they come to me, too. I'm so afraid I'll forget the good ones that I grab the thing closest to me and write my idea down. It helps!
Great tips Tia. I apply some of these as well and I always have something to blog about. I also go to webmaster forums such as website babble and see what problems the members are having and then write about it
.-= Kharim´s last blog ..I Love My Blog. What About You? =-.
Hey Kharim! YES, I forgot to talk about forums. Great advice. Thanks!
Tia,
First of all, this is such a well written article. What I love the most on the tips given, is the idea of reading comments from other same niche blogs. Sometimes, collecting comments or even just by analyzing them one by one, you can see what those particular commenters needs or what is interesting for them. Great idea for blog post!
My recent post Alice Cute Styling
Hey Bratz! Absolutely agree. I have certainly received a wealth of post ideas from the comments people are leaving. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
Great ideas for blog posts. Coming up with unique ideas is not always easy. Some of the ways that I come up with blog posts for my main blog on creating online passive income is by letting others know what I am doing, what problems I have come across (most likely others have as well) and letting them in on secrets that I learn. I also use things like forums and am doing a case study right now as well.
My recent post How I Choose Amazon Products to Promote on a Niche Website
Cool! Case studies are great; are you going to give it away?
Great suggestions. Appreciate the ninja secret especially! Thanks
My recent post You can lead a horse to water
You're welcome!
Sweet article. Looking for post ideas in the comments is good too. Also just asking your readers is also great.
.-= Ed @GuideGoods´s last blog ..Any Traffic Tips? =-.
Thanks, Ed! I agree.
Hi Tia,
That “Ask me” thing in your sidebar… what a great idea!! I also love your other ideas. I am bookmarking this.
Since my blog is very new, I am not short on ideas… but I am not sure which direction I should take with my blog. I know I’m supposed to blog with potential clients in mind since the whole point of my site is to get writing clients, but I also want to involve myself to some extent in the blogosphere. It’s tough to find the right balance… For example, I know I need to target keywords that people use to find my site in Google, but I cringe when I think of the boring articles that would come out of doing that.
.-= Kathleen O’Connor´s last blog ..7 Ways to Annoy People on Twitter =-.
Hi Kathleen! Believe it or not, my dilemma is very much the same. Interacting with the bloggers who blog about blogging can become very alluring because of the high level of interaction. You might find yourself catering to their needs which are different than your clients.
If you find yourself spending a lot of time networking and commenting with other bloggers, find new places to promote your content. I’ve recently started writing for Examiner.com as a Tucson social media examiner, and SocialMediaToday.com and the reach there is very different.
You could also connect with people on sites like Biznik.com, where the “blogger” crowd is quite small and there are a lot of small business owners interested in the B2B connection.
Just some food for thought! Cheers, Tia
You hit the nail on the head! Thank you for the links. I definitely need to connect with small business owners, not bloggers. Off to explore.
My recent post 7 Ways to Annoy People on Twitter
Hi Tia,
I really enjoyed reading this article. I found it very helpful. You gave me some ideas. Take care
.-= Evelyn @ Raw Food Vegan´s last blog ..8 Steps To Your Healthy Lifestyle Change =-.
Hey Evelyn! Awesome! Please let me know if you need any additional ideas. Cheers, Tia
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