Unleashing Your Blog's Potential with Your Topics
Welcome to this 6-part series on the world of blogging
Discover effective strategies to generate compelling topics for your blog. Learn how customer queries, competitor analysis, and innovative AI tools can help create engaging content for your audience.
This series Includes:
If this is your first article, check out the others and see if anything triggers your blogging spirit!
So, You've decided to blog
So, you have decided to blog on your website. You have considered where you will capture your blog ideas and how often you will post articles. Congratulations!
Now you are likely asking “What should I write about?”.
WARNING: There will be mention of AI in this section. If you are turned off by the thought of AI then you’ve been warned.
Starting with a blank sheet of paper is always daunting. Think about the key themes and subjects that are central to your business. Reflect on what your audience finds engaging and what sets your brand apart. This will help in creating more targeted and appealing content ideas.
There are a couple of ways you can go about coming up with ideas for blogging.
Pro Tip: Scroll to the end for a monster AI prompt
Come up with ideas yourself
Make up some topics you have always wanted to write about.
Really?
No! This is a horrible idea. Just taking items from your head unless your are brilliantly tuned into the needs of your clients, is a bad idea.
Blogging is not about you. It is about solving your clients needs.
Blogging is about putting articles, videos, podcasts or any content that solves your clients needs. It is not about you. It is not about what you want to say. Your website is there to capture visitors eyeballs. Blogging is a method to keep them there just a little longer. And if you are really lucky your might get a phone call, an email or a new subscriber to your newsletter.
What you don’t have a newsletter? Guess that will be my next series of articles. Thanks for the idea!
Ask your customers
Now that we have learned that just making up ideas is not going to get those fabulous new clients, let’s look at another method.
Ask your customers. Well, I do not mean to ask your customers for blog topics. That would be an interesting test though.
Look in your inbox, or your phone, or check out your competition!
Your customers likely ask you questions all the time. They write you emails or text messages. They leave comments on your social media posts. Perhaps you have an FAQ on your website answering many of the questions already. But who reads your FAQ?
Write an article on each of those questions. Answering them should be easy for you. You are the specialist. The first step is to begin collecting these ideas. Place in the location you decided in step 2.
There is another option and one you really should do. Check out your competition. Visit their websites. Look at their FAQs. Look at their blog. Google the competitions’ names and see where else they are active on the Internet. This is not spying. I have been asked that from prior clients.
When I take on a new client one of the first tasks I have is to study their competition. I will compile a list of all the regional competitors, or those I find in the same sector. I look at their websites. I look at their social media activities. I give each of them a score. My objective is to make my client score better than the rest. Well, that is at least the objective.
By now you likely have 20 or so ideas for blog articles. You almost have half a year’s worth of articles. Well done!
Generating topics made easy
Another way to generate blog ideas is to ask a computer. Always being honest with my readers, this section below the quote was completely written by ChatGPT. The quote contains the exact prompt I entered. Give it a try!
“I run a service-based local business like a roofer or electrician. What type of articles or blog posts would be best for my business?”
Here are some blog post types that would suit your local service-based business like roofing or electrical services.
Informative & Educational Content:
Homeowner's Guides: Create content that educates homeowners on topics related to your services. This establishes you as a knowledgeable and trustworthy resource. Examples include:
"A Homeowner's Guide to Roof Maintenance"
"Common Electrical Problems and How to Troubleshoot Them Safely"
"Understanding Different Roofing Materials: Pros & Cons"
DIY vs. Pro Guides: Discuss when DIY projects are feasible and when it's best to call a professional like yourself. This showcases your expertise while potentially generating leads for more complex jobs. Examples include:
"DIY Roof Leak Repair vs. Hiring a Roofer"
"The Dangers of DIY Electrical Work: When to Call an Electrician"
Seasonal Maintenance Tips: Provide seasonal maintenance checklists or guides relevant to your services. This reminds homeowners about preventative measures and positions you as a resource for upcoming needs. Examples include:
"Fall Roof Maintenance Checklist to Prepare for Winter"
"Spring Electrical Safety Tips for Your Home"
Content Addressing Local Concerns:
Local Codes & Regulations: Explain local building codes or regulations related to your services. This positions you as knowledgeable about the specific requirements in your area. Examples include:
"Understanding Roof Permitting Requirements in [Your City]"
"[Your City] Electrical Code Updates: What You Need to Know"
Common Local Issues: Address issues frequently faced by homeowners in your area. This demonstrates your understanding of local problems and positions you as the go-to solution. Examples include:
"Dealing with Roof Damage Caused by [Common Weather Event in Your Area]"
"[Your City] Specific Electrical Concerns Due to Older Housing"
Content Building Trust & Credibility:
Customer Testimonials & Reviews: Share positive testimonials and reviews from satisfied customers. This builds trust and social proof for potential clients.
Case Studies: Showcase successful projects you've completed, highlighting the challenges addressed and the positive outcomes achieved.
Team Bios & Qualifications: Introduce your team members, highlighting their experience and certifications. This personalizes your business and assures potential customers of your expertise.
Engaging & Local Content:
Local Business Collaborations: Partner with other local businesses for content creation. This expands your reach and taps into new audiences. For example, collaborate with a local building materials supplier on a blog post about choosing the right roofing materials.
Community Involvement: Highlight your involvement in community events or charities. This demonstrates your commitment to the local area and fosters positive brand perception.
Remember:
Optimize for Local SEO: Include relevant local keywords throughout your blog posts to improve search engine ranking for local searches.
Call to Action: End your blog posts with a clear call to action, such as encouraging readers to contact you for a free quote or consultation.
Visuals: Use high-quality images and videos to enhance your blog posts and make them visually appealing.
By creating informative, engaging, and locally focused content, you can attract potential customers, establish yourself as a trusted expert, and ultimately generate leads for your roofing or electrician business.
"I WANT MORE SERVICE-BASED COMPANIES TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITH THEIR ONLINE ACTIVITIES!"
GENERATING CONTENT TOPICS
The example above was simple and the results are not that complex and might be a little generic as well. Here is a prompt you can try after you modify a few of the details. Look for items here that are [in brackets], meaning you must adapt them to your needs.
“I run a business in the [your industry] sector, focusing on [brief description of your business]. We want to make our online content more varied and interesting to better connect with our audience and boost our online presence. We’re looking to create [articles, YouTube scripts, etc.]. I need your help to develop 30 creative and relevant content ideas that fit our industry and appeal to our target audience, who are [describe your audience]. List these ideas in a table with columns for ‘Suggested Topics,’ ‘Brief Description,’ and ‘3 Possible Titles.’ Under ‘Brief Description,’ give a summary or special twist for each topic. The ‘3 Possible Titles’ should be attention-grabbing and show different approaches to the topic. Your ideas are crucial for helping us make content that speaks to our audience and helps our brand stand out online.”
Got your results? Copy and paste them into your blog idea document. Toss the ones that you feel are just not right, and then look through the rest. There might just be a gem or two in there.
Wash, rinse, and repeat.
TL;DR
In this article, I explored various ways to generate blog topic ideas, from reflecting on key themes and subjects central to your business, answering customer questions, and studying your competition.
I also looked at how using AI can help generate creative and relevant content topics.
Ultimately, the goal is to create informative, engaging, and locally focused content that attracts potential customers and establishes your brand as a trusted expert.
👆🏻 Back to Top 👆🏻
