How to Create Blog Posts That Will Blow Up on Social Media
Creating a successful blog is almost all a result of killer content. Coming up with killer content on a consistent basis is extremely difficult.
I think of generating blog posts like teaching a man to fish. I can give you a list of blog post ideas, and you’ll write for a day, but if I teach you how to create your own article ideas, you’ll write for a lifetime.
So let’s break this article down for into two simple sections:
Strategies for creating blog post ideas
A crap load of blog post titles you can just copy
But First, Let’s Talk Organization
Gather All Your Blog Post Ideas in a Central Place
You never know when or where an idea will strike you, and if you don’t write it down, you most likely will lose it.
Use a task app to keep track of all your ideas.
That’s why I use Asana to keep track of my post ideas. It’s a simple task manager.
I add a prefix “post: ” before any posts. As I complete them, they get archived.
Now I have access to all my ideas wherever I am.
Asana is great because they have a desktop app, mobile app, and I can share it with other members of my team.
Better yet, it’s free for a single project (I’ve been using it for a year without paying, but let’s keep that between us).
Strategies for Coming Up with Blog Post Ideas
Here’s The Idea: Copy Other Blogs’ Titles & Make Them Better
“Good artists copy; great artists steal.” – Steve Jobs (also maybe Picasso)
Steve Jobs saw the original graphic user interface (GUI) that Xerox developed, and adapted it for the Macintosh.
So the premise here is to find what’s working for other bloggers, and copy that, and change it to make it unique.
Let me show you how to do this.
Step 1: How to Find Great Articles to Copy
There’s no point in copying someone else’s garbage. To make your article go viral, you need to find content that’s already killing it.
We want to find content that is doing well across various medium:
Articles that have gone viral on social media
Articles that are ranking well in search engines
How to find articles buzzing on social media
We recommend using a tool like Buzzsumo, it surfaces the most liked articles on any particular topic. Here I searched for “blog post ideas“:
A quick tip, when I searched for blog post ideas, I got a bunch of articles for recipe ideas. To ensure I got the results I needed, I entered (in quotes) “blog post ideas” which searched for that phrase in its entirety.
So what does this graphic show us?
It shows us that the top articles are getting shared on Pinterest (4,500 times), LinkedIn (3,000 times), and Twitter (1,900 times).
Basically what this tells me, is I shouldn’t try to promote my article on Facebook.
Now, what I want to do is dig into each of these top 3 articles, and find out what they’re doing well so I can improve them.
(We also want to view their backlinks and who shared their article to see if they can share our article once it’s completed).
How to find articles ranking high on Google
This is kind of a no brainer, right?
Don’t I just type into Google “blog post ideas” and look at the top results?
That’s true. That’s all there is to it.
But…
You want to make sure “blog post ideas” is the most searched for keyword for your article.
Here’s how we do that.
We’re using a tool called, SEMRush, it shows the amount of searches on Google for any particular keyword, and also displays the cost per click if we were to advertise on Google.
I’ve got my search for “blog post ideas” and I’m displaying the “related keywords” report.
Takeaways from our SEMRush report:
Our cost per click (CPC) is really high, at $5 it’s 3x what “blog ideas” is, so we know this keyword is really valuable
Our search volume is 1,600 searches. Which isn’t the highest in the list. The highest is “title generator” which has 8,100 searches, but that isn’t related to our blog post, so the second highest volume is “blog ideas” at 2,900, but our CPC is a lot higher.
We have enough volume in our main keyword, so we’re keeping it
Note: We may want to create a followup article on “Blog Post Title Generators”, perhaps a list of 25 Can’t Miss Blog Post Title Generators
Now that we know “blog post ideas” is indeed the keyword we’re looking for, let’s do our Google search.
Step 2: How to Make Your Blog Post Better Than The Rest
After my research, I found this article: “50 Blog Post Ideas That You Can Write About Today”. Here’s how I copied this article and made it better:
Increase the length, in this case, the amount of blog post ideas (I made mine 101+ ideas)
Make the article better designed (I’ve included these awesome graphics for you)
Present a problem + solution in the article (Instead of giving you a fish, I’m teaching you to fish)
Create an ultimate guide by increasing the length and depth (The original article has 1,000 words, mine now has 4,000+ words)
Whew, thanks for the strategies.
You’ve taught me to fish.
Here Are Your 100+ Blog Post Topic Ideas
I’ve taught you how to fish, now here are your free fish. Enjoy.
1. Conduct an Interview
Do you have access to an expert in your industry? Is there a celebrity who can provide insight into his or her path to success? This type of exclusive information is sure to lure in readers.
For interviews, it’s important to always start with a basic outline:
Choose an angle/topic (say we wanted to focus on “Successful Bloggers Under 30 Living Abroad”)
Create an incentive for your interviewees (we are going to promote your blog to our readers on social media with a $1,000 budget)
Create a list of prospective questions (first, do your research on your interview subject, then ask them questions like “Your first project on the web was XYZ [based on research], tell us more about that. Tell us how you got started with your blog. How did you make your first $10,000? $100,000? What opportunities do you see in the market ripe for opportunity?” etc.)
2. Create an Infographic
Audiences respond well to visual information and infographics provide a great way to explain complicated information and statistics. While you may want to hire a designer to create a polished and professional infographic, there are also plenty of free and affordable programs that provide solid templates.
3. Create Lists
A good “Top 10″ list is hard to resist and a “Top 100″ is even better. Creating a list is the perfect way to spark a conversation. Readers are sure disagree with some of your rankings they won’t hesitate to weight in with their own thoughts in the comment section.
Here’s some examples of great list posts.
Do You Recognize the 9 Early Warning Signs of Diabetes?
11 Ways to Eat Out On a Budget
Seven Silly Things Kids Say
Threes Types of Parents — Which Type Are You?
How to Give Your Children Extra Calcium — These 3 Delicious Ways
This is a list post AND a how to post, making it a double whammy
Free Book Tells You 11 Secrets to Live to 100
53 Reasons Why You Should Have Read This Blog Post Last Month
Note also that we made all of these list posts into odd numbers, which is proven to be more engaging than even numbers.
4. Incorporate Inspirational Quotes
Sometimes all it takes is a solid hook to get internet users to click on your article. Start with an inspirational quote from a famous writer, leader or personality. You might even ask readers to share their favorite motivational quotes that help them get through each day.
Here are some inspirational quotes to get you started.
5. Share Travel Pictures
Travel blogs are super popular and readers love to see where you have been and hear about exotic experiences. Write about your travels and be sure to post pictures. Also, share any tips and tricks you learned along the way, provide reviews of where you stayed and make helpful recommendations.
6. Host a Giveaway
Everyone loves free stuff. Hosting a giveaway is not only a great way to get people to visit your blog, you can also use it to encourage people to “like” your social media pages and sign up for regular newsletters
7. Write a Review
Whether you are offering your opinion of a product, movie, book or other publication, readers will want to hear your thoughts.
8. Create a Guide
If you are an expert in your field, share your knowledge. Create a step-by-step guide of tutorial that can help others master new knowledge. This will help you build a loyal readership and establish your blog as a trusted resource for valuable information.
9. Write a Critique
Generate buzz by writing a thoughtful critique of a person, event or article. Play the devil’s advocate and try to offer a unique view on a trending topic. Avoid simply trying to be sensational and present a viewpoint that is based on facts, but has yet to be explored by other writers.
10. Post GIFs
You might be surprised to learn just how easy it is to create and post your own GIFs. Checkout some free GIF creation programs and post visuals that are engaging and entertaining and your readers will be eager to share.
11. Be a Myth Buster
No matter what topic you are writing about, there is bound to be a certain myth that keeps getting perpetuated among your readers and other writers. Bust that myth and generate a real stir that will keep people talking.
12. Highlight the Your Blog’s Best Comments
Why not do a roundup of the best comments that you have received from readers? If they sparked a conversation at the time, chances are they will do the same again especially once they are fished out of your archives and given new life.
13. Tell a Joke
The old adage says that sex sells, but humor can go a long way too.
14. Write about Personal Life Lessons
Readers tend to appreciate when writers are willing to share their own personal experiences. Don’t be afraid to relate your own challenges and failings. Others will learn from the lessons you share and take a moment to relay their own experiences.
15. Make a Video Post
Again, readers appreciate being able to view a variety of material and posting a vlog will also make you seem more accessible and personable rather than an anonymous voice on the web.
16. Write a Guide to Success
Everyone is looking for ways to improve. Offer your own advice on how to succeed and provide concrete steps that can be followed.
17. Share Marketing Secrets
Other bloggers and business owners will be interested in how you are able to successfully market your articles and expand your reach. Most of this information is readily available, but you can be the go-to source and make sure you standout as a reliable expert.
18. Answer Comments
The majority of writers are working hard to get people to comment on their posts. If you don’t take the time to personally respond to each and every coherent comment that is left on your website, you are missing out on a huge opportunity to connect with your readers.
19. Get Analytical
Blogs are typically a combination of information and entertainment. If you have been focusing more on the entertainment aspect, branch out and conduct some meaningful research that you can analyze and present.
20. Confess Your Bad Habits
A little shock factor won’t hurt a bit. Own up to your bad habits.
21. Post about Your Most Popular Posts
Take a look back at your most popular posts. Revisit top performing articles and write a roundup discusses why these posts were so popular and looks ahead to future trends.
22. Publish e-books and Online Courses
Create and offer valuable information that will help establish you as an expert in your field. If you already have a strong reputation, you may be able to charge a small fee. For those still working their way up and trying to create a name for themselves, offer this information for free.
23. Discuss Pros and Cons
Choose an appropriate topic and weigh out the pros and cons. Help readers make a decision and visualize which product or strategy is the best choice.
24. Share Recipes
No matter niche you are writing in, you can find a fun recipe and make it relevant to your readers.
25. Host a Webinar
Create some hype around an event where you will interact with readers through a conference or webinar. You can provide instructional material, answer questions and help facilitate productive conversations among experts in your field.
26. Build a Portfolio
Portfolios aren’t just for artists and photographers. Share your success, offer links to projects you have completed and provide examples of your work.
27. Use Gravatar Images
Taking advantage of Gravatar images in the comment section of your blog can make the conversations less anonymous and more personal.
28. Hold a Contest
A contest can take practically any form. Caption contests are a great way to get people to participate. Get creative, offer a prize and be sure to publicize the winner so that people feel excited to enter future contests.
29. Publish a Photo Post
Don’t be afraid to stray away from the typical text heavy posts and create more visual articles. Highlight images that are relevant to your field and remember to provide links to the original photo source.
30. Tell a Secret
Don’t be afraid to share personal facts about yourself with your readers in order to be more engaging.
31. Start a Poll
Not only can you gather information and data about your readers, you can also encourage them to share their thoughts and feelings.
32. Share Your Favorite Sites and Bloggers
Networking is a big part of being a blogger. Provide the names of your favorite writers along with a short summary of their work. Readers appreciate these types of resources and other bloggers will be more than happy to return the favor.
33. Provide Short-Cuts
You have been doing this a while and probably discovered some faster ways to complete common tasks. Share your short-cuts and help others work more efficiently.
34. Write a Blog Series
Instead of a single post that covers one topic, spread out a post over several weeks. If readers enjoyed Part 1, they will be sure to visit over the coming weeks to read the remaining posts in the series.
35. Tell Your Blogging Story
Why did you decide to start blogging? How did you get started? How has your blog evolved since those early days?
36. Promote Posts on Facebook
While it may cost some money, investing in Facebook PPC campaigns are an easy way to promote your posts and reach a wider audience.
37. Connect with Experts
Reach out to other experts and ask them to add their voice to the comment section of your blog.
38. Include an Audio File
In addition to the text, add an audio file so that readers can listen and follow along through your blog.
39. Use a Conversational Tone
Forget what you learned throughout your composition courses and let your own personality come through. Write as if you were having a conversation with your readers.
40. In Memorian Posts
Be sure to take a moment to celebrate those who have passed.
41. Create a Timeline
Whether you are tracking the evolution of an industry or the important dates in the history of your company, a timeline is easy to create and can be packed with interesting information.
42. Publish Fun Facts
Search out some little known facts and publish them in your posts. The more random the better.
43. Post a Compelling Picture
Sometimes a picture truly is worth a thousand words. The right photo can attract attention and serve as a conversation starter.
44. Write about a “Hack”
Life hacks are all the rage right now. Readers love to hear about different things they can do to make their lives easier.
45. Post Answer to a Single Question
This is especially effective if you can get in contact with influential leaders in your industry. Compile a list of a dozen or so people and ask them all the same question. Share their answers with your readers.
46. Mark an Anniversary
Create a post that commemorates the third anniversary of the start of your blog. Share milestones and don’t be afraid to brag about accomplishments.
47. Make a List of Statistics
Share statistics about your industry or the demographic groups that makeup your audience. Numbers provide quick and easy to digest information.
48. Create Charts
Take statistics one step further and turn them into charts that can easily be shared.
49. Post an Email Response
If your blog is doing well, you will start receiving emails and questions from your readers. Look through your correspondence and see if there have been any particularly interesting or lengthy conversations that might be worth posting and sharing with the rest of your readers.
50. Answer FAQs
You probably encounter the same questions over and over again in your work. An FAQ page will be a great resource for your readers and save your from having to rewrite the same answers.
51. Write an A-Z Post
This is just another creative way to provide a comprehensive list of helpful information.
52. Profile an Influential Industry Leader
You may not be able to land an interview, but you can still write a profile that highlights the accomplishments of a respected industry leader so that others can be inspired and learn from his or her example.
53. Highlight the Best Apps
Write and summary and review of the best apps available to your particular niche.
54. Curate Content
You probably spend a good amount of time every week reading blogs and articles related to your field. Provide links to some of the best posts you came across and help your readers sift through the massive amounts of information on the web.
55. Hold a Vote
Ask readers to vote for their favorite blog in your topic niche. You can even create a badge that the winners can post on their website.
56. Highlight Up and Comers
Another great list idea! Provide a list of new people who have come onto the scene in your industry and are making waves.
57. Write a Bucket List
One of the most popular books is “1001 Places to See Before You Die.” Write your own version. Where do you want to go and what do you want to do before you die?
58. Thank Your Audience
Show some love and thank your followers.
59. Provide Coupon Codes
You can’t beat a good deal. Do your own research and post some coupon codes. You may even be able to work directly with a company to come up with an exclusive deal for your readers.
60. Use Satire
When done well, an intelligent satirical article can go viral. Avoid being too heavy handed and veering off into a rant.
61. Write a Fictional Story
Any time you can break from your typical writing routine and explore different genres, you are bound to attract new readers and spark new interest from your regular audience.
62. Look to the Future
Make some predictions about upcoming trends and where you see the industry going. It doesn’t matter if they ever come true. Use your expertise to make intelligent guesses.
63. Turn a Comment into a Blog
Instead of writing an exceptionally long response to a comment, why not create an entire post to answer a question or engage with a particularly thoughtful comment. Your readers can be a great source for article ideas.
64. List Common Mistakes
Instead of offering advice about what to do, highlight the don’ts and all the common pitfalls that trip up newcomers to your industry.
65. Publish a Manifesto
The word “manifesto” may have some sinister connotations, but it is really just a harmless document that outlines your philosophies and your goals. Tell your readers where you would like to see your industry go.
66. Write a “What If?” Post
What would you do if you inherited a billion dollars? What five things would you want to have with you if you were stranded on an island?
67. Write a Rant
Again, this should all be done within reason. Use strong wording, express your views about a controversial topic and get people fired up. Be offensive and confrontational if you want, but be prepared for the backlash.
68. Share Your Best Tweets
Remember those killer tweets that got thousands of shares? Revisit them in a new post.
69. Participate in Guest Blogging
Pitch some ideas to fellow bloggers and be prepared to publish guest articles on your website as well.
70. Share Your Performance Data
Take a moment to share information about how your website has been performing, which strategies have failed miserably and which were resounding successes. Talk about your marketing budget and provide hard numbers.
71. Write an Extended “About Me” Post
Delve deeper into your experience, what brought you to the field and details about your personal life. Help readers get to know and trust you.
72. Build a Mailing List
The best way to get repeat visitors is to have them sign up for a mailing list. This way, they can be notified every time you post a new article.
73. Offer Free Help for Introductions
Use the connections you have to help build more connections. Offer free help and advice in return for introductions to other experts in the field.
74. Publish Your CV
You probably already have your credentials published in a few different places, but it doesn’t hurt to include it on your website. It will help establish your credibility and highlight your personal road to success.
75. Review Your Latest Event
Whether it was a concert or a festival, tell your readers about the last event you attended. Offer a review and any helpful hints for parking, avoiding crowds, etc.
76. Ask a Rhetorical Question
Get creative about encouraging your audience to participate and leave comments. Talk about hypothetical situations and pose rhetorical questions to get people thinking.
77. Write about Your Biggest Regret
What is the one thing you wish you would have done or not done? How has that regret affected your outlook on life or your approach to business?
78. Disappear
This is a risky strategy and may only work for the most popular bloggers, but simply disappearing and breaking from your regular publishing schedule may be enough to get people talking and speculating.
79. Directly Ask Your Readers to Share Your Posts
Don’t shy away from asking your audience to tweet, like and share the posts that they like best. They are probably used to doing this with their favorite blogs, but a little extra push in that direction won’t hurt.
80. Publish Your Art
Put yourself out there. You won’t get noticed if you aren’t willing to publish your artwork, photos and sketches on your blog.
81. Have Readers Submit Guest Posts
Allowing audience involvement will always encourage more audience involvement. Soliciting and publishing posts from readers will make them feel like they are a port of something.
82. Respond to Current Events
Be timely and write an opinion about breaking news. If you can write intelligently about hot-topics, you will quickly find readers.
83. Publish Your To-Do List
People want an inside view into how successful people operate on a daily basis. What are their habits? What is their schedule like? Share your to-do list and let people look at how you spend your time and how projects come together under your guidance.
84. Write a Case Study
This simply provides a more comprehensive look at how you tackled a project and what the results were. It provides extremely helpful information to other entrepreneurs.
85. Start a Link Carnival
Invite other bloggers, whose work you admire, to join your link carnival. It is an easy way to network, earn links and improve your exposure to new audiences.
86. Use “Do-Follow” Comments
Essentially, this means that people will be able to post links to their own sites along with their comments. While this might produce a lot of spam comments, you will see the number of responses you receive to blog posts skyrocket.
87. Share Your Goals
You can even organize this post according to your short and long term goals. What do you want to accomplish within the next month? Where do you want to be in 5 years? 10 years?
88. Sing a Song
Some of today’s chart topping musicians began their careers by posting videos of themselves singing. You can’t start packing stadiums on your first day, so don’t be afraid to start small.
89. Record Your Thoughts
We all have minds that tend to wander and moods that can quickly shift. Recording and sharing your thoughts throughout an entire day can be an interesting experiment that tests just how hard it can be to stay focused.
90. Share Your Fiction Writing
Again, break from your routine. Write a short story or poem.
91. Ask for Feedback
With the internet, it seems like everyone suddenly has an opinion. Instead of waiting for the comments about your work, directly ask your readers for their feedback. Hopefully, they will provide some compliments along with some constructive criticism.
92. Write a Conspiracy Theory
Sure, a lot of them seem far-fetched and highly improbable, but you can stir up some controversy by chipping away at what people commonly accept to be true.
93. Record a Skype Interview
Go beyond the typically written interview and set up a call with an expert in your field. Post the conversation to your blog let your readers weigh in.
94. Create a Glossary
Every field is full of abbreviations, acronyms and language that can be difficult to grasp for outsiders. Provide a glossary as a quick reference guide and help amateurs become experts.
95. Write an Open Letter
Directly address a specific individual. Tell them your thoughts and publicly post the letter on your website. Who knows – you may just get a response from that person.
96. Develop a Quiz
You can easily generate an online quiz in just a few minutes. Just think about how popular silly Facebook quizzes are.
97. Provide Insights from a Recent Conference or Industry Event
Not everyone can attend trade shows and conferences, so highlight the event for your readers and tell them about the key takeaways.
98. Talk about Social Media Influencers
In any given industry, there are a handful of people who dominate the social media domain. Discuss these people, how they have built their profiles and how your readers can connect with these influential people.
99. Create a List of Online Tools
Share the online tools that you use on a regular basis in order to make your day-to-day run more smoothly.
100. Highlight Industry Changes
Include articles or websites from 10-15 years ago. It is always interesting to see how things have changed and how far they have come. Your readers might even enjoy a good laugh at old design practices.
101. Make a 101 List!
Go beyond the “Top 10.” Come up with a 101 ideas or even 365.
Still dragging your feet when it comes to starting your own blog? It is easier than you think and now that you have plenty of post ideas, it is time to start publishing. Click here for a step-by-step guide.
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