Special message for you

 

Transcript Posts

 

Transcript Posts

Have you able to speak at a conference? Have you spoken on a podcast recently? If so, you can share your meeting notes as a blog post.

What’s even better is that you can use some transcribing software to take an audio recording (from your speech or podcast), and have it make your post for you. Just be sure to read through it after it is transcribed to make sure everything translated correctly.

47. Myth vs. Fact

Myth vs. Facts posts are really fun to make. Have you ever gotten frustrated correcting a newbie in your field of interest? And they fall over, and over, and over again for the same false beliefs.

You can do something about it! Create a fun post of the most common myths you hear and correct them with the facts. If you are good with graphics, this can be a great time to combine your expertise.

“Metrics to Measure” Guides

 

 “Metrics to Measure” Guides

You’re an experienced writer. You know how to run a successful website. But many people just starting out don’t know where to start. What metrics are important? How do you improve those metrics?

A brief post about the important numbers and metrics to watch can be very helpful, and maybe a great recommended post at the end of your beginner’s guide.

42. Recent Tools You Use

Have you tested out and tried any new tools recently to help your business or blog? Are you still figuring out how you like the tool and how effective it is? Talk about it!

This is not a full review, of course, but a glance at what you’re doing to improve your business. Maybe you are trying out a new social media tool, maybe you’ve changed your workflow, maybe you finally came over to using a Mac instead of a PC (About time! Welcome! 🙂 ) Whatever you decide, I encourage you to use some screenshots because images or screenshots are always helpful.

43. Free Giveaways

Maybe this post is related to a contest but it doesn’t have to be. Offer a free giveaway, maybe an e-book, and see how many downloads you can get. If you want this to generate some possibly new subscribers for you, then offer this giveaway in exchange for a name and email.

If you need some ideas, combine some blog posts into a nice ebook or maybe make some photographs you’ve taken and let them be public domain. Everyone wants to make money, but sometimes you can make money by occasionally give a few items away.

44. Guest Bloggers

So you’re frustrated at coming up with ideas? Are you going on vacation and you don’t want to write extra blog posts? Consider having a guest blogger.

Make this invitation only — reach out to bloggers your like and ask if they would be willing to guest blog for you.

45. Debates

Macs are better than PCs! Some of you probably hate me for saying that, and a few are crying out “Linux!” So let’s argue our points!

Top Take-Aways From Whatever

 

Top Take-Aways From Whatever

Have you recently finished a book? Maybe you’ve taken an online course? Write a post about your top 10 takeaways from that resource.

This is like a review, but will be a lot shorter and probably in a list format. Strive to make your take-aways easily readable and shareable.

37. Think Out Loud Posts

If you’re anything like me, you are an extroverted thinker. Instead of trying to figure everything out before you post, just write a post with your unfinished thoughts — think out loud!

Granted, it will help if you have your thoughts at least organized, but don’t feel like you have to have a perfect solution to the problem or the finished plan for an idea. Just write freely and post.

38. Rants

Yes! Go on a rant about something! Speak your mind! Be free to share your frustrations! Just remember that whatever is posted on the internet stays on the internet, and you have the potential to start a firestorm.

So go ahead and rant, but for your own sake, I’d encourage you to do ample research and to have someone else read your post before you publicize it. While rants can easily become viral content, they do have the potential to burn relationships.

39. Pop-Culture Commentary

Share your thoughts on the latest pop-culture news and events. Is there a recent movie that has been released? A new television series that you are hooked on? Talk about it.

Pop-culture events are popular by definition. Your blog post can ride the wave of popularity while at the same time provide you a fun distraction from your normal posts.

40. Beginner’s Guides

Beginner guides are popular because the beginners in any hobby or industry are anxious to learn more and more. You can mentor from a distance by creating a beginner guide that helps meet their needs and provides great content for your website.

Find Funny Videos for Blog Posts

 

 Find Funny Videos for Blog Posts

We posted about humorous posts, but to take a different spin on it, consider creating a series of posts. Whether you offer a Monday Morning Humor or another day, the point is to find something that you find humorous and to share content regularly.

The best part is that you are not a creator of content, but merely a content curator. You don’t have to worry about writing anything if you don’t want to. And the best part is that funny posts are often shared, which means your website can gain lots of exposure simply because of a comedic YouTube video.

34. Conference Posts

Whenever you attend a conference, consider posting about the major speeches, seminars, etc. Usually, there will be keynote speakers. So write about those people. Give summaries of their speeches and highlight the main points or the questions that were left in your mind after they spoke.

Other people may tweet about the conference, so you can even embed any relevant tweets that you mind find while researching and writing.

35. Event Summaries

Along the same lines as giving updates while at a conference, you can write a post that is a concise summary of the conference.

Questions You Should be Asking

 

Questions You Should be Asking

The “Should Ask Questions” (SAQs) is also a great avenue of inspiration. Where FAQs are questions that your visitors are usually asking, your SAQs are the questions that an informed visitor knows to ask.

Much like new drivers who may be ignorant of the basics of car maintenance (i.e.: average annual maintenance costs), your post can help educate your readers on questions they should be asking and why it is important to ask those questions.

29. Twitter Posts

Scour the Twittersphere and see what’s popular. You can embed popular tweets and provide your commentary on them.

Whether you are embedding tweets from your favorite people, most loyal followers, or random people posting on a certain Twitter campaign, you can develop a blog post in a matter of minutes.

30. Contests

Running a contest doesn’t have to be hard work. Just think of a need for your company or blog and offer a prize for the most favored contestant.

The trick for a successful contest is not spending lots of money, but to know both your needs and what is desirable from your readers.

31. Screencasts

The beauty of screencasts is that they are a 2-for-1 gain for you. A screencast can be a simple recording where you walkthrough a feature or you show a cool and new way to use your product.

You can create a screencast in a matter of minutes, through in maybe 30 minutes of editorial work, and you can use a platform like YouTube to host the video. With the benefit of YouTube, you can even begin to get more YouTube subscribers while entertaining and informing your blog readers.

32. Time-Saving Posts (how to)

No one likes to waste time. “Time is money”. As a result, many people are searching for the next big thing in time management.

Local News (Non-Business)

 

 Local News (Non-Business)

Another fun post you should consider writing about is a post about the local news in your area.

This type of post can be especially helpful if you run a business that works in that community. Even if you run a recipe blog, the post can show your readership that you are well-rounded and involved with your community, which can help people relate more to you.

26. Presentations and SlideShare

Like the infographic post, you can create a PowerPoint presentation or a SlideShare about whatever piques your interest.

If you are looking for inspiration, head over to SlideShare and see what others have already done. Remember, you don’t have to share the best presentation. Just focus on providing good content to your readers.

27. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Frequently Asked Questions are fantastic posts because it is likely that your readers have already googled these terms in hopes of an answer. OptinMonster has written posts that answer these common questions and they have performed well.

You can do a couple of things. You could write one long post answering all the frequently asked questions. But it may be more beneficial to create a blog series.

You don’t have to tell your readers it is a series. Just answer a common question once a week, and you will have great content that is likely beneficial for SEO as well.

Parody Posts

 

Parody Posts

Parody posts are similar to general funny posts but are focused more on taking something that is commonplace in your industry and making to comedic.

Whether it is Michael Moore’s Guide to Being a Conservative, to a support group for Introverts who love to give speeches, your readers are ready for a post to lighten them up.

22. Funny Posts

Just the other day I read a post about 20 reasons to stay away from North Carolina. Do you know what it contained? 20 reasons, written as negatives, that actually highlighted the beauties of North Carolina. This funny post doesn’t need to be related to your normal blog. This one is purely for fun.

Whether your post is ironic or filled with sarcasm, consider writing a parody post and give people a smile. Who knows, your “20 Reasons Why I Want a Pet Platypus” may just be a hit 😉

23. Quizzes

We all enjoy quizzes, especially if we can compare our results to everyone else. It makes us feel smart. So why don’t you create a fun quiz for your readers?

Don’t forget to add a social share to the bottom of your quiz results for others to see and join in.

24. Surveys and Polls

Surveys and polls are like quizzes, but more for your benefit rather than testing your reader’s knowledge. You can survey and poll your readerships to figure out new features for your products, to get ideas for your blog, and more.

Share What Others are Saying

 

Share What Others are Saying

Often times people get stuck trying to write brand new content when you can instead write a post that acts as a collection of recent discussions.

Scour a few blogs and listen to a few podcasts. Then write all your favorite quotes, ideas, and topics into a blog post and share your post of quotes for your readers to enjoy.

19. A Glance “Behind the Curtain”

Beginners in any industry or field want to be just like their heroes. If you’re a fan of basketball, you want to be like Michael Jordan or Kobe. If you are in tech, you want to be the next Steve Jobs. We all want to know how they accomplish the great things they did.

For this post, share your daily or weekly routine with people. Let them see “behind the curtain” into the real life of your business. You don’t have to share corporate secrets or anything. The idea is to let people job shadow you via a blog post.

Syed Balkhi’s blog is full of behind the scenes like this one and this one.

20. Inspirational Stories

Although controversy sells, so does inspiration. Share some good news. Share about a major breakthrough your company had that really put you on the map. Talk about how your grandfather inspired you to start your craft.

Inspirational and hopeful stories go viral because it is something people want to experience themselves. So share your story of hope and watch it inspire others to do the same. Your success is a story that needs to be told.

Advice from the Experts

 

Advice from the Experts

This one is similar to interviews, but it’s a lot easier to compile and are a lot likely to go viral. Why?

Because it’s a combination of Listicles and Interviews. You can message multiple experts with your question (via email, twitter, or another social network).

Since it’s a single question, it’s a lot easier for these busy individuals to answer.

Then you can compile all of the advice into one post.

Looking for an example of an experts list? Here’s an example from RazorSocial and another one from Social Media Examiner.

12. Reviews

We all look for reviews before purchasing. It is what everyone does nowadays. So why not write a review for the latest gadget or service you’ve bought?

Spend a few minutes of your day, write down the pros and cons of your product, and give your recommendation. While it may not seem like a lot of work for you, it can bring in a lot of traffic.

Here’s an example of a good review article.

13. Comparisons

After you do the review post, you can follow it up with a comparison post. Think through a few alternatives that one can work through and present the ideas altogether.

In a similar style to a review, a comparison is like a group review. While you are not going as in-depth as a review, you are able to be more widespread with your thoughts and opinions.

You can combine a comparison and infographic like this article (WordPress.com vs WordPress.org) or you can do a traditional comparison like this: best WordPress Gallery plugins compared.

14. Video Blogs

Video blogs, or “vlogging”, is becoming more and more popular these days. Video blogs give you the luxury of discussing a lot of content with relatively little effort.

Instead of spending time writing out a blog post, using special formatting, adding images, etc, you can just set up a webcam and speak your mind.

Gary Vaynerchuk does a great job of this in his helpful AskGaryVee Show.

15. MP3s

If you want to post more on your website, but don’t like doing videos, then you should consider podcasting. While you can definitely build your podcasting into a full show, you can begin with simple MP3s where you share your thoughts.

Just remember, as you build out your audio presence, you need to make it easier for your subscribers to tune in to your show. They may read your blog and check out your occasional MP3s, but you will likely want to eventually have a page on iTunes, Sticher, etc.

One of OptinMonster’s users, Michael Hyatt has an awesome podcast that I recommend you check out.

Want to start your own podcast? Here’s an awesome guide on how to start a podcast.

Top Tools: Start your own podcast today with one of the best WordPress podcasting plugins from our list!

16. Resources

Everyone likes to figure out the best way to do something. Your readers are no different, so help them out.

Whether it is toolsets, books, websites, whatever, compile a list of resources and share them with your readers.

Just be sure to give them more than just the name of the resource. It’s important to explain why you are recommending it.

You can even turn your resources page into a call-to-action like our co-founder Thomas Griffin has done with his book Breakthrough Leadership.

17. Problem and Solutions

Have you ever wondered why news stations always talk about something going wrong? Conflicts and problems draw crowds. But in this instance, you can highlight a problem where you have a solution.