If you want to start a successful blog, your content is your #1 priority. You need to know what your readers want, solve their problems, and answer their questions.
In this post, I will share with you 14 quick and easy ways to come up with blog post ideas for writers that generate traffic.
When you start a blog, your head may be packed with great blog post topic ideas. If you choose a niche that’s near and dear to your heart (like you should!), you will have no problem creating awesome content to start with.
Eventually, you exhaust all those first ideas (and your readers love them!). So, where can you find more ideas like that to keep your readers coming back?
I know how difficult it may be to come up with one great blog post idea after the other. Just imagine if you could find enough topic ideas for an entire year in just 1 hour. Not bad, huh? If that sounds something worth looking into, keep reading!
By the time you’re done reading this post, you’ll already have ideas for your next blog posts. And, needless to say, you will know how to find more post topics to write about in the future.
Related articles you may want to read, too:
- What to Blog About? Find the Perfect Blog Topic That Generates Massive Traffic Right Now
- 160+ Profitable Blog Niche Ideas That ACTUALLY Make Money
14 easy methods to find blog post ideas for writers
Before we start, let me give you one first piece of advice: if you don’t have one already, make sure you create yourself a post idea log NOW.
You can use tools like:
- Evernote
- MS Excel
- Google Sheets
- Notes
- Trello
- Wunderlist
Build your list in a way that allows you to access and manage it easily and quickly. You need to be able to open it on the run as new ideas hit you.
I use Trello to track all my blogging ideas and tasks. It’s free and easy to use, and I can easily access my data with all devices I use.
Alright, when you’ve set up your log, let’s start finding those ideas!
1: Find out what your readers are struggling with
Needless to say, this should be your approach to EVERY blog post you publish.
Your readers keep coming back to your blog because they find your posts helpful. You answer the questions they are asking and solve the problems they are struggling with.
Nothing creates a more solid bond between you and your audience than offering a helpful point-of-view to a problem they have.
Thus, keep in contact with your audience. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
- Encourage them to share their thoughts and feedback in the comments section
- Send regular email blasts to ask what they’re struggling with right now
- Keep an eye on your Google Analytics to see which posts are attracting traffic
And don’t forget: remember to write in a way where you empathize with your readers.
If it is a difficult issue on some level, finding help on your blog is much easier for your readers if they feel like you’re one of them.
2: Explore your comments (and those of others)
One of my favorite ways to come up with new blog topic ideas is to browse through the comments section on my blog.
Take a look at all the comments you get and write down some of the questions that you have (or haven’t) answered.
Based on what you find out, build a new blog post around those questions.
And remember: don’t limit yourself to just your own blog. Make sure you browse through your fellow bloggers’ comments, too.
One of the easiest ways to compile ideas from comments into a single blog post is to create an FAQ post.
If you’re using the free Yoast SEO plugin for WordPress, you can easily create an FAQ section with the FAQ Gutenberg block:
3: Fill in the blanks
When my brain feels jammed and I can’t come up with alluring blog post ideas, this is what I do: I head out to do research on a specific topic to see what my competitors have written about it so far.
No matter what topic I choose, I always find missing pieces in the content on other blogs. And I’m sure my own blog is no exception! I keep missing important details from time to time on my own posts, too.
In short: Find out what your competitors aren’t covering.
If something’s missing, just incorporate those points into your next article. But take it one step further by getting inside their head and figuring out what they’ll write about next.
Regardless of your blog niche, this is one of the easiest ways to attract traffic to your future blog posts. You can think of this like having a small monopoly in a super small niche, answering very specific questions for your readers.
The missing information could be just a small detail that’s of value to your audience. Also, you may come up with a “spin-off” post that covers a certain topic from a new perspective. Just be creative with it!
4: Share your mistakes
Running a blog is like running a small (or big!) business most of the time. You are juggling between different tasks like a superhero, doing content creation, marketing, accounting, and what not.
Every now and then, we all make a mistake or two. I know I do – nobody’s perfect!
When that happens, take it as a learning experience. Even if you have high expectations for yourself, this is not the time to let it get you down, trust me. No one will judge you or point fingers at you.
What I like to do when I spot a mistake (or the results from one) is to open my spreadsheet called “Lessons Learned” and add each mistake to the table.
As my dear mom always said: “No mistake is worth repeating”, and having a log for them helps me avoid them in the future.
So, what to do with those lessons you have learned, then?
Share them with your readers!
Your readers look up to you. They see you as someone who knows more about a specific topic than they do. So, why not share a valuable, helpful lesson with them that is based on your own experience?
Sharing your little screw-ups will help you get closer to your audience. Reading about your mistakes makes you more relatable AND it helps your readers avoid similar, practical problems.
5: Use Google Alerts
One of my favorite ways of finding new, popular blog post ideas is to use Google Alerts.
Here’s how it works:
Head over to Google Alerts. Pick your favorite keywords you’d like to target. The tool will automatically send you a selection of the best stories every day.
Google Alerts is a great way to stay on top your game in your niche. You’ll save heaps of time when you don’t have to browse online for the most recent news and articles.
Follow the seasonal patterns in your niche, for example. When the tool starts sending you top stories about Christmas, for example, take a note. That’s the time when your target audience starts reading about that season’s Christmas ideas.
6: Read what your competitors write about
Another great way of staying up-to-date in your niche is to do competitor research.
However, by no means am I saying you should plagiarize other bloggers’ work.
Pay attention to social share counts if you see some. What are the most popular articles and topics right now?
Buzzsumo is a nifty tool for finding the most shared content for a specific keyword or a domain. Simply enter a topic or a domain into the search field and you’ll see a list of the top-performing content in the results:
Reading your competitors’ content and seeing their feedback can give you valuable blog post ideas instantly.
- Are they missing an important point in their posts?
- Can you see comments saying that something is missing in a popular post?
If so, why not write a better, more comprehensive article on that topic?
Once again: remember to keep your hands off of others’ content. Never copy or plagiarize, but use your competitors’ articles for inspiration. Find new blog post ideas and see what your target niche and readers are interested in.
7: Share your opinion about someone else’s work
Although a somewhat controversial method, sharing your opinion about other people’s work is part of blogging.
Oftentimes you will come into contact with articles that you disagree with, perhaps. And occasionally, you disagree so strongly that you can react by voicing your opinion on your blog.
The best way to share your view is to write a thorough and focused blog post about your opinion about that particular topic. If you are passionate about your blog niche and topic, you will find the right words rather easily.
Additionally, you can receive overwhelming amounts of feedback from your readers. If they can sense your passion for your blog topic, that post will resonate with them right off the bat.
8: Find your target audience’s pain point
Nothing boosts your blog success like knowing how to help your readers with their problems.
If you take time to find their pain points and problems you can start relating to them on a more personal level. Nothing creates a stronger bond and connection than helping someone with hands-on information, right?
You want to let your blog target audience know that you can empathize with them and that you know what they are struggling with.
When I’m looking for new blog post ideas like these, I find it helpful to organize my thoughts with Trello or Google Sheets (both are free).
I usually take 2-3 blog post categories and start googling for the latest news about them.
Then, I carefully browse through discussion forums like Quora for the latest questions my target audience is asking.
I mean, what better way to provide helpful content than by answering them right away?
Usually, this method easily gives me enough to write about for 2-3 months. Sometimes even more. Try it out!
9: Interview others in your niche
This method is excellent for establishing a solid network in your niche. Reach out to others bloggers and let them know you would appreciate a chance to ask them a few questions and publish their interview on your blog.
What’s great about interviews is that they are so easy to relate to. When your readers see questions they are trying to find the answers for, they will usually read through the entire interview.
Tip: If the person you’re interviewing happens to have a product of their own, ask them if you could become an affiliate partner, too. That way, they can plug their product and you can monetize your blog post at the same time. Win-win!
10: Write a roundup of your previous articles
If you’ve been blogging for a while already, you may have a few older pieces to look at in more detail.
For example, revisit your most popular blog articles (track them with Google Analytics) and see if you still agree with what you wrote back then.
More often than not, you’ll notice points in your past posts where you could add something new and helpful for your readers. This will also give you inspiration for your blog in general. You’ll simply have a better overview of what you can do to make your content more cohesive.
11: Make a prediction about the future
This point may sound a tad tricky, but don’t worry about it. If you’re an expert in your niche, you most likely possess insights about the future that your readers aren’t aware of just yet.
For instance, you may have a better overview of recent developments and news in your niche. If you’ve seen a change in the field lately, what do you think could happen in the future?
Go ahead and make a prediction in one or more of your blog posts. If it turns out to be true, your readers will enjoy reading about it, too.
You can gain a large number or new followers if your predictions are right. Also, people love linking to blog posts that try to predict the future.
12: Create a contest
Once you have generated enough traffic to your blog, you can post a relatively open-ended question and promise the winner a prize. This can turn into a huge benefit because most readers respond positively to the prospect of winning something.
Furthermore, some of your readers will most likely want to voice their opinion about who they think should win.
If you can, you can also take it one step further by letting your readers vote for the winner.
13: Write a detailed product review
After all, who doesn’t love a good product review?
If you want to make money blogging, writing thorough reviews about products your readers find interesting is a great way to get started with affiliate marketing.
Make sure you are transparent and honest with your readers. Only choose products you know can make your readers’ lives easier.
Include both the pros and cons in your review. You don’t have to love the product!
Don’t be afraid to go into detail and write a super comprehensive, in-depth article.
- What features did you find easy to use?
- Did the product save you time or make your life easier?
- Why would your readers benefit from using it, too?
For example, I’ve written a thorough review on one of my favorite products for blogging, Bluehost’s web hosting plans for bloggers.
I use Bluehost myself and they take care of all the technical nitty-gritty that I don’t like to spend my scarce time on.
Hence, I know for a fact that they offer great value for my money, so their plans are a fantastic product to recommend to my readers, too!
In my Bluehost review, I did my best to answer all the questions I came across while launching Blogging Explorer with Bluehost. Also, I browsed through questions on Quora, on Google, and a few Facebook groups for beginner bloggers.
That way, it was easy to write the perfect review post that addressed every single concern a newbie blogger may have. Right now, that article is one of my top-performing pieces on this blog and the feedback has been amazing!
14: Review a book you’ve read recently
If you’re a reader, this one should be quite easy. In fact, reviewing a book that’s popular in your niche is one of the best ways to find blog post ideas to write about.
Simply gather your thoughts about a book you’ve read that’s relevant to your particular niche.
If the book provokes more than just one idea for a blog post, don’t limit yourself to just a single review article. After all, oftentimes a good book will cover more than just one topic. Publishing several posts will most likely result in more feedback from your readers, too.
Final thoughts: 14 ways to find blog post ideas for writers
There ya go! I hope you found a few helpful ways to find fresh blog post ideas for writers that can help you generate more traffic to your blog.
What method is your favorite? Do you use some other strategies to find blog inspiration? Please share them in the comments below!
Now that you’re armed with a myriad of ways to find ideas to write about, check out my step-by-step guide on how to write the perfect blog post (every time).
Before publishing, remember to optimize your article with my free SEO guide for beginners.
And to make sure people find your article fast, I suggest you steal my proven Pinterest traffic strategy to grow your blog on autopilot.
That’s it for today! Let me know what you think – I love hearing your thoughts in the comments section!
P.S. If you found this article about finding blog post ideas for writers helpful, please share it with others, too! Thanks for your support!