iIf you blog as much as I do and for as long as I have, the day will come when the well runs dry. Maybe you think a topic will come to you if you focus on something else for awhile (work or a round of golf). But then you never get back to the task at hand: find something to write about.
I have five tips for those of you who would like a surefire way to source new topics for your blog:
#1: Use what already works.
Hopefully you have categorized your blog topics. If not, start now. Then use your blog’s analytics data to see which categories get the most interest from your readers. As you look at your topic categories, you will see the number of posts you have already written for each category. To get the truest picture of what is resonating with your audience, be sure to use the average number of views per post. If you only look at category totals without considering the number of posts, you may get a false picture of what your readers really care about.
#2: Use what is working for your competitors.
You and your competitors are both trying to attract the same target audience. The website BuzzSumo allows you to analyze the most shared posts from your competitor’s blog — are they covering topics you could add a new spin to and attract readers?
#3: Eavesdrop on your target audience’s online conversations.
To find out what your target audience may be asking online about your practice area, go to Quora.com and type in a topic. You’ll get a lengthy list of questions people are asking that will spark ideas for your blog topics.
In addition, visit LinkedIn groups that match up with your practice area or target audience interests to see what people are discussing in the groups.
#4: Talk to your intake team.
Talk with the people in your firm responsible for handling intake to find the most prevalent problems and concerns that prospects express when they contact your firm. No one else has a better grasp of your potential clients’ points of pain and needs than your intake team.
#5: Survey your readers.
When all else fails, ask. Survey your blog and newsletter subscribers about their reading preferences. You will find that most people are happy to tell you where their interests lie; many of my good blog topics have come from current and prospective client’s feedback.
