How To Keep Coming Up With New Blog Post Ideas + Content
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Since I started blogging nearly a year ago now, I've learnt just how important it is to plan and make sure that the posts you are producing are one of a great quality. I've got into a little bit of a routine with content building and it's definitely helped me be more efficient when it comes to my blogging process. Today's post is going to help you be able to master thinking of new post ideas and generate great quality content for your readers to enjoy.
Before you even begin to take photos and put your thoughts into words, you need an idea in mind to even produce your new post. Blogging is a creative outlet. So it's great if you have a lot of ideas of things you might want to blog about. This could range from so many different topics, you're never limited when it comes to blogging and it's all about making it your own.
But what do you do when you hit a bit of a rut? What do you do when you hit that thing we like to call bloggers block? Don't worry we've all been there! Hopefully this post will help you get rid of that annoying phase we all go through and help you to avoid encountering that anytime in the future.
First off let's look into the ways that we can think of new blog post ideas and stop that bloggers block. I like to take sometime away from the world, whether this is by sitting alone outside in the sunshine or switching off my phone and getting away from social media. Then I like to grab some essentials to help me have a little bit of a think of what I could possibly post about.
What are the essentials?
As you can see, you don't really need a lot. Somewhere to write, like a notebook for instance, which you can always use to refer back to whenever you need some new ideas. You could also use the notes on your phone when you're on the go. Also a pen or something to write with, as well as any inspiration tools you might want to use to help bring you some inspiration or prompt you with an idea.
What inspirational tools could I use?
Inspiration is everywhere! Don't feel like you have to restrict yourself to using only one or two things. Have a flick through some magazines for inspiration, take a look at the pictures inside and see what you like, maybe it will trigger an idea into your head for a post. Also having a read through the articles inside could help generate some ideas. The same applies with books. Nonfiction or fictional. Whatever you feel will help. Sometimes our mind wonders when we're reading or busy doing something else, this is probably when the most ideas pop into my mind.
Other tools you could use to help include looking through other blogs for post ideas they have used (remember not to copy though, just take it as inspiration and make it your own), have a read through your own blog and see if there any posts you could update, follow up on or even re-do if they didn't get the response you wanted previously. Also heading onto social media sites such as Pinterest, Bloglovin and Tumblr can be great ways to gain some inspiration for what to post. My favourite has to be Pinterest because there is just so many useful resources on there and you can pin them to read again whenever you like.
Or simply just step outside, go for a little walk and let your mind wonder, you never know what ideas you might think of. You'll soon be itching to get home to crack on with them!
What next?
Hopefully you've got some inspiration and the right tools to do so, now you're going to want to create a list of all the ideas you can quite possibly think of. Remember you are going to be the only one, unless you chose to share it with others, who is going to see this, so it doesn't matter how crazy they are or even if you're unsure of them. The great thing about having a notebook and writing down all your ideas is that you can keep it for future reference, whether you're stuck for ideas or wanting to create a schedule for the month or so. This way you don't have to worry about forgetting the ideas if they're only circling around in your head. Put pen to paper and write a good ol' list!
The next step is great for anybody who struggles with keeping organised and wants to be more efficient when it comes to their blog. One way I like to make sure I keep organised with my posts is to create a post schedule/calendar. I post every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. So I personally know I have to have three ideas each week over a four week period ready to produce and ensure I am keeping up that consistency with three new posts each week.
It's entirely up to you whether you have a blog schedule or not, I am not here to say you need one or you should have one. It's your decision. I find it works well for me and I know others also find it useful. But if you're someone who likes to post whenever feel's right for them, then that's absolutely fine as well!
But if you do want to put a schedule in place and put the ideas you have created into a schedule then continue reading on, if not skip a couple of steps.
The pro's to keeping a schedule:
There a few positives to keeping a schedule and this is why I find it the easiest way for me to keep efficient with my posting. A schedule enables you to have a clear plan in place, even if it is only a rough guide to what your posting is going to be like over a period of time. This will help to keep you organised, as well as making sure you're motivated by being aware of what you need to do. It also brings some form of structure into your blogging process which might have been lacking before.
Another great thing about having a schedule is that it gives you the chance to space out your topics. For example, if you're a food and travel blogger, it might be a good idea to have a plan in place, so you don't end up posting about food constantly for weeks on end and randomly throwing in a travel post every so often. If you want your content to be varied, then a schedule can be your best friend.
Remember you don't have to 100% stick to your schedule. I don't always follow mine. I like to swap things around depending on the time frame I have to get tasks done with regards to what I've got going on in my everyday life. Also if I'm not feeling like producing a post that I have scheduled, maybe because I'm not liking the idea anymore or that I just generally don't have the motivation to write it anymore, it's great to swap things around and throw something new in there instead!
Don't feel like you have to make it exact and follow it all the time. It should be used as a rough guide and a help than anything else.
How do I create my schedule?
It's super easy and simple to create your post schedule. But there are a couple of things to take into consideration. First you need to be practical about how many times you will be able to post. If you work full time, then maybe posting every day or every other day is a little too much for you. Instead, decide on something which is more suitable to you. This could mean you stick to a two or three posts a week schedule. Alternatively, if you know you have a lot of free time to put hard work and effort into your posting, then by all means go for however many days you want. It's all up to you and what is going to work for you. Remember blogging is a hobby so don't put too much pressure on yourself to always post!
Also it's a good idea to roughly work out what days and times you would like to post on. During the week, late afternoons/evenings are great times to post because most people are home from their busy day at work or school. Another great time to post week days is early in the morning, when people are rising and have a flick through their phones before getting up for the day ahead.
If you're struggling to decide when to post have a think about your target audience. What is their typical day like and when will they most likely be online?
Once you've decided on your scheduled, then the next step is to take a look through all your ideas and decide where they are going to fit into your schedule. I like to plan for the month, rather than weekly or anytime further into the future. Also I try to do a mixture of topics throughout the four weeks to keep things slightly varied, but ensuring I'm still sticking to the niche I've chosen (beauty, fashion and lifestyle). I would definitely recommend picking the post ideas you feel most passionate and excited to write about into your first week, so that you can really crack on with producing these amazing posts!!
Now you've got your scheduling sorted or decided you're going to post whenever, the next step is to develop your ideas further. Although this doesn't have to be a necessity when it comes to creating your posts. This only applies if you need to do a bit more planning in any aspects of your posts, from the main idea, writing, photography etc or if you need to build a bigger picture on how you want the end result to look. Also this is good for giving you more of a structure to follow when putting together the different parts of your posts to build your content.
As you can see from the photo above, I like to have a good brainstorm or make a list of all the points I want to make in my posts. This was for my Ultimate Outfit Guide For A Rainy Summer post. I gathered loads of outfit ideas, planned what pictures I wanted to include in the post and even the title for the post.
Now I'm prepared, what happens next?
Once you've got your idea, got a plan in place and know what you're doing then all you have to do now is create your post(s). Gather together everything you need to produce this post. From your plans and research to all the equipment you'll need to use to either take photographs or write the post. Keep the idea, plan and inspiration in mind for when you're about to produce your post. Know what you're going to do and what you want your end result to be. This also helps massively with motivation. Keep that goal in mind and you'll achieve exactly what you want.
But how can I make sure I'm always creating content?
To ensure you're consistently creating great quality posts, make sure you are thinking of new ideas as much as you can. Spend some time every so often thinking of new post ideas and planning these ideas so that when you do run out or hit a block, always have something to go back to and use when you need to. Also remember your schedule. Keep to it as much as you can. It's not just about using it for motivation or as a guide, but is also great for helping you to always ensure you are producing content for your readers to enjoy all the time.
Also ensure you are prepared with every post or at least know what you're doing. Don't feel like you have to write a post for the sake of it or to keep to your schedule. You can always swap things out and take breaks from blogging when you need to. Don't put too much pressure on yourself and remember it's all suppose to be fun. Use these tools and tips as an aid rather than what you should be doing!
How do you ensure you're always coming up with new ideas? How to do you keep consistent?
Lauren x
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