If you’re constantly asking yourself, “What should I post today?”, there’s an easier way to find ideas.
Instead of guessing, look at what people are already searching for.
Your future customers are asking questions every day. They’re searching Google, comparing products, reading reviews, watching videos and trying to solve problems.
Your job is to find those questions and create useful answers.
Start with what people are asking
Think about the questions you hear from customers, followers or people interested in what you do.
Each question can become a blog post, video, infographic or social post.
You don’t always need to invent a new idea. Sometimes the ideas are already sitting in your comments, DMs and emails.
Use Google Trends
Google Trends is one of the easiest places to start.
It lets you compare topics, see how search interest changes over time and explore what people are searching for in different locations.
Don’t automatically choose the biggest topic. Look for something that is relevant to the people you actually want to reach.
Try AnswerThePublic
Another useful tool is AnswerThePublic.
Enter a topic such as:
digital products
and it can surface questions and phrases people use around that subject. The service describes itself as a search-listening and content-ideation tool for discovering questions and searches from audiences.
You might discover ideas such as:
- How do I create a digital product?
- What digital products can I sell?
- Where can I sell digital products?
- Can beginners make money from digital products?
Now you have several potential articles instead of one broad topic.
Look at AlsoAsked
AlsoAsked is useful when you want to go deeper into the questions surrounding a topic.
It focuses on the kinds of related questions that appear around Google's “People Also Ask” results and can help map the questions people have after their initial search.
Start with something broad like:
content marketing
You may then find more specific questions that are much easier to turn into useful content.
Those smaller questions are often where good blog ideas begin.
Check your own Google Search Console
If your website already receives traffic from Google, Google Search Console can be even more valuable because the information comes from your own site.
Its performance reports show the queries people used when your pages appeared in Google Search, along with impressions and clicks.
Look for searches where your site is already appearing but where you haven’t created a strong article yet.
Find the problem behind the search. Stop guessing
The next time you don’t know what to post, don’t stare at a blank screen.
Spend 15 minutes looking at:
Google Trends
AnswerThePublic
AlsoAsked
Google Search Console
Then check your comments, emails and customer questions. Find one problem people are already trying to solve. Then create the best answer you can.
Find the question. Solve the problem. Create something useful.
Visit Digital Studio Shop to find out more.