Creating content is something we love to do here at Orca.
We appreciate its importance when it comes to driving web traffic and – to be honest – we love the whole creative process.
Whether it’s the written word, helping to find those perfect pictures or maybe even helping you apply powder for your video close-up, content is king, and we bow our heads to its regency.
That’s not to say that sometimes, creating that content can be a bit of a head-scratcher.
You’ve heard of writers’ block? Well, that can happen to professionals too.
If you have ever struggled to think of entertaining and engaging content for your website, you’ve come to the right place.
Here are our top seven tips for generating content ideas.
OK, first things first – getting ideas down.
When you’re feeling particularly creative and indulging in a little brainstorming, it’s a great idea to get down as many ideas as possible.
That way, you eliminate one of the biggest obstacles to physically creating content: the lack of subject matter.
There’s nothing worse than settling down to write a blog only to find you have no clue what to write about. And the clock’s ticking.
If you already have the initial concept just waiting to be fleshed out, you’re far more likely to get creating. But where to get those ideas from in the first place…
Yup.
You might think this is cheating, but your competitors can be a fantastic resource for content ideas.
We don’t recommend copying blogs or articles word for word; that’s plagiarism.
But analysing the subject matter, their chosen method of publishing (vlog, blog, podcast?), and how they promote the material can help give you food for thought.
You might not subscribe to any, but at least being aware of industry-related publications is another good content resource.
You should pay particular attention to highly engaged online articles (comments, shares, views, etc.).
In the same way as above, don't plagiarise but use these as topics on which you can put your own spin. Perhaps offer a different viewpoint or expand what's already been discussed.
Don't worry; you don't need to become a 'BREAKING NEWS' outlet with a ticker-tape running along the bottom of your homepage.
But you might find that topical news and events can sometimes resonate with your audience.
When you’re watching or reading the news, consider whether the topics are relevant to your brand.
You could also look up local events or national trade shows related to your industry and then provide information based on your own personal experience of them.
You might have noticed that when you type a search query into Google, it automatically starts to list related searches.
This function is based on the most common searches that other people have typed in. Therefore when you see the options, you know that these are queries people – perhaps your audience - want to know the answers to.
This can therefore be a great, free resource for content ideas.
Your business will have social media followers. Look at some of their profiles and see what they’re talking about.
Their tweets, photos and other people/brands they interact with could help your content creation.
You could even ask your followers directly. Post a question on your Instagram story, and ask for replies.
Having a look through your old blogs and articles can also be a bit of a gold mine.
There might be updates you can add; perhaps a different angle to take.
An old post might have outdated research which can be updated.
In short, don’t forget about your old posts. They can be nurtured, tinkered with and recycled to provide fresh new content for your audience.
Creating a constant stream of fresh content is not easy.
One of the most time-consuming aspects of the process is coming up with initial ideas.
However, there are lots of ways you can help make that process a little easier.
And don’t forget your most useful resource – us!
If you're struggling to allocate the necessary hours to content creation, Orca Online Marketing can help.
Contact our content team today to see how we can work with you.
