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Writer’s Block? 25 Ways To Generate Ideas To Blog About

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with RealeFlix(R)

If you have a business (or personal) blog, chances are you have run into the dreaded horror that is writer’s block.  You sit in front of your computer, dazing at that blinking cursor in hopes that you will come up with that next great topic to write about.  Sometimes this strategy will give you new ideas, but when you feel that telepathic bond with the blinking cursor just isn’t working, here are 25 great ways to help you generate ideas to write about for your business blog.

The list below is just a sample of ways to generate ideas.  If you have any other ideas, feel free to share them in a comment.

  1. Scan The Twitterverse: Chances are anything you can think of is being talked about on Twitter.  Use Twitter’s Search to find what people are talking about in your niche.
  2. Utilize RSS Feeds: Take RSS Feeds from sources you enjoy reading about and plug them into an RSS Reader.  This allows you to quickly learn about what your favorite authors/sources are writing about.
  3. Follow Related Blogs: Find blogs related to your niche and see what topics they discuss.
  4. Write A Response: Instead of just writing a comment on someone else’s blog, make an entire post about it and show it to the originating author.
  5. Create A Series: If you are covering a large topic, break it up into multiple parts instead of just one large blog post.
  6. Answer Questions: Make note of the questions people ask you and write a post about them.  Chances are, other people will have the same questions.
  7. Record Your Ideas: Any time you think of an idea to blog about, make sure to write it down so you don’t forget later on.
  8. Ask Your Readers: There’s nothing wrong with asking your readers what they want you to post about.  It will probably even  give you multiple ideas.
  9. Visit Forums: Learn about what people are discussing in niche forums and write posts about the popular discussions.
  10. Go Offline: It’s not always about finding ideas online.  Newspapers, magazines and books are great places to generate ideas as well.
  11. Update Old Posts: Have an old post that needs updating?  Write a new post about it!
  12. Use The “Wonder Wheel”: Google’s Wonder Wheel is a great way to generate ideas.  You just enter a keyword/phrase and it will continuously generate “wheels” of related keywords.
  13. Write Case Studies: If one of your clients has had great results with your help and services, why not post about it?
  14. List Influential Bloggers: Provide your viewers with a list of bloggers that they may find interesting.
  15. Discuss Events: If there is an event coming up that you will be hosting or attending, why not write about it?
  16. Review Something: Have you recently tried a product or service your clients may be interested in?  Write an unbiased review about it.
  17. Discuss Myths In Your Niche: Every niche has myths associated with it in some way or another.  Address them in your blog to help clear any confusion among your audience.
  18. Get Guest Bloggers: No one says you have to write all the blogs yourself.  Think about getting guest bloggers!  Guest bloggers get the recognition for writing on your blog, and you get free content: it’s a win-win situation!
  19. Announce A Challenge/Contest: Post about a challenge or competition you think your audience would be interested in.
  20. Evaluate Statistics: If you have analyzed some statistics that you think your audience should know about, be sure to share them in a blog post.
  21. Talk About Future Predictions: Discuss any shifts or changes you predict will occur in your market.  Make sure to explain your predictions to help give them credibility.
  22. Respond To Criticism: It someone criticizes you or your business, make sure to publicly address it.  This helps prevent any false assumptions or impressions from arising with your audience.  You can also discuss criticisms that aren’t affiliated with you or your business.
  23. Compile A Definition List: Every industry has a set of terms that may be ambiguous to the average person.  Clear the water and define these terms in a way that anyone can understand.
  24. Provide Recommendations: If you know of someone or something you used that you were very pleased with, share it with your audience.  Recommendations are always appreciated.
  25. Interview Someone: Find an expert or someone affiliated with your niche and interview them.  If it is an audio interview, you can use transcription tools or services to make it into blog posts.
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Comments (6)

Team Honeycutt
Allen Tate - Concord, NC

Those are some good tips on how to write a better blog! Thanks a lot!

Mar 23, 2010 05:50 AM
Michele Cadogan 917-861-9166
Fillmore Real Estate 2990 Av U, Bklyn , NY 11229 - Brooklyn, NY
Licensed Real Estate Associate Broker -

Hey thanks for this post/list  I just started blogging so this list will come in handy.  Thanks again

Mar 23, 2010 12:00 PM
Robert The Earl of Real Estate
St Pete LUXE Living Group - Saint Petersburg, FL
The Earl of Real Estate

Love the interview someone topic / idea.  If any of you are ever looking for a S.M.E. feel free to give me a call for your interviews.

Mar 23, 2010 02:51 PM
Andy Chaudoir
Professional Inspection Services - Georgetown, Texas - Georgetown, TX
Your Home Inspection Connection in Central Texas

Hello Josh - Thanks for the list.  I have writer's block and I hardly ever write!

Mar 23, 2010 08:28 PM
Josh George
RealeFlix(R) - Camas, WA

I'm glad to hear that all of you found this useful. It has definitely helped me with generating new ideas.

@Michele: Getting started in blogging can be a pretty daunting task.  Just make sure to dedicate some time to doing it on a daily basis and it will become second nature to you in no time.  If you have any questions about it, feel free to ask me.

@Andy: I remember when I rarely ever wrote anything I had constant writer's block!  Surprisingly enough though, if you spend some time to doing it daily, it really helps prevent it from occurring.  I think the reason being is because it forces me to think of new creative things to write about as well as gets me to find new and useful resources.

Mar 24, 2010 08:23 AM
Coldwell Banker Camelot Realty
Coldwell Banker Camelot Realty - Mount Dora, FL
Homes for Sale Mount Dora Realtor

Josh,

The list is very helpfull.  Thanks for sharing.

Trying to figure out our blogging strategy.

 

May 26, 2010 05:51 AM