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Can't Think What to Blog About? Try this...

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Marte Cliff Copywriting

You want to blog regularly - every day, or maybe even more than once a day. 

But... sometimes the "Idea well" runs dry. 

Here's a siimple way to re-use old ideas (or to generate multiple posts from a single new idea). The idea generator

First go back through your traffic and choose an older post that did well. 

The idea behind that post can serve as the idea for today's post - and perhaps for several more - if you follow a formula based on the simple plan outlined in this article.

Your categories might be different. For instance, you can write to buyers or sellers. And those buyers and sellers might represent both different levels of experience and different niches. 

Who were you writing to in the successful article? Think about the other prospects who would benefit from this information presented from a slightly different angle. 

Next, look at your structure and format. What did you use in that successful article? How can you present the same idea in a different structure and/or format? When you choose a different approach, you can write about the same idea to the same audience and your post will still be new and interesting. 

If you create a chart for yourself based on your audiences and the writing structures and formats that you use, you might find that a single idea can be the basis for half a dozen posts - each written to a different audience and/or in a different structure or format. 

 

Image courtesy of Dreamstine. 

Comments(17)

Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Great idea Marte. When I am pushed for time and need a blog, I go back and copy a post of mine and freshen it up with new photos and information. I change it up to ceate a different approach as you say. I can get it out pretty fast that way.

Jun 24, 2013 02:11 AM
Trisha Bush-LeFore
Preferred Properties Land & Homes - Walla Walla, WA
Providing Realtor Services in the Walla Walla Area

Marte,

Thanks for the ideas in your "Can't Think What to Blog About?" post. You're right that sometimes it's difficult to come up with a new  idea that's really interesting and that will appeal to others. Life and new situations can change how we see things making previous posts take on new life, which we can share.

Jun 24, 2013 02:22 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Debbie - Sometimes "time is of the essence!" 

Trisha - Yes, and people who are looking at real estate from different points of view might need slightly different information. 

Jun 24, 2013 02:33 AM
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Super advice, Marte.  BTW, not sure if you saw the post I wrote the other day about needing to laugh at yourself sometime.  I mentioned you at the end since I thought you might get a kick out of it.  I think I wrote it Fri (or else Sat).

Jun 24, 2013 03:29 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Hi Debbie. No I didn't see that - I've been absent from my computer most of the time since last Tuesday night when my 9 year old grand-daugher came to visit. It was just the two of us from Thursday through yesterday, so I've been completely occupied. I'm going to go look! 

Jun 24, 2013 03:38 AM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Marte, I do this sometimes---the formulas that worked on sucessful posts in the past do make for good future posts for sure.

Jun 24, 2013 05:40 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Yes, and when you know it works - use it! 

Jun 24, 2013 07:11 AM
Susan Haughton
Long and Foster REALTORS (703) 470-4545 - Alexandria, VA
Susan & Mindy Team...Honesty. Integrity. Results.

What a great idea - thanks so much for the suggestion.  I'm sure I will be using it a time or two. 

Jun 24, 2013 12:21 PM
Emcee M. Arah
Remax Excellence - Silver Spring, MD - Silver Spring, MD
Realtor w/Architectural Dimension, AHWD CRS B-Arch

This is a VERY good suggestion, Marte. Thanks so much for the idea of how to re-energize past ideas.

~Emcee

Jun 24, 2013 12:33 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Susan - I can't take the credit for the idea, since I got it from another blog post. And I'm with you - I'll be using it a time or two. 

Emcee - You're welcome. I always think it's fun to share the ideas that come my way. 

Jun 24, 2013 02:31 PM
Francine Viola
Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA - Olympia, WA
REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs
Thank you for this! I so often feel the need to have original posts and recreate the wheel each time.
Jun 25, 2013 06:59 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Francine - Yes, I've been doing the same. Now I'm going to try this system. 

Jun 25, 2013 08:16 AM
Elva Branson-Lee
Solid Source Realty GA - Atlanta, GA
CDPE - Atlanta Real Estate & Short Sale Agent

Great suggestions, Marte, as "writer's block" is the very thing that derails my commitment to blogging daily.

Jun 30, 2013 11:26 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Elva - Sometimes when it's time to write my weekly newsletter and I'm fresh out of ideas, I just come here to Active Rain and see what everyone is talking about. It jump-starts my thinking. 

Jun 30, 2013 12:50 PM
Bryan Beckstead, KOmKards, Care-Connect-Communicate, on auto pilot, 24/7.
Start MAXIMIZING the Internet.... Kommunicon.com - Priceville, ON
Become a KOmKard owner today,

Marte, 

your  suggestion of  coming  here to the Rain and seeing  what is making the rounds, then use your system of adding, subtracting our  personal slant on topics that are receiving traction on other blogs is a a great way to jump start us when we are stalled. 

 

Apr 28, 2014 09:30 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Bryan - We do sometimes have to use tricks on ourselves to keep the idea well full.

Apr 29, 2014 11:03 AM
Charles Ross - eXp Realty LLC
eXp Realty LLC Salina Group - Salina, KS
Love To Help People

Excellent information. Thank you for sharing. Have a wonderful day and a blessed weekend.

Feb 12, 2023 03:51 AM