One of the biggest struggles of being a blogger is dealing with writer’s block!
In fact, it’s one of the most common fears that hold bloggers back from actually starting their blogs in the first place.
Does the following sound familiar?
“I’m struggling with the idea of coming up with great content on a consistent basis. What if I totally burn out and run out of ideas?”
“I started the process to create my blog, but I’m fearful that I won’t have enough to say!”
This is totally you, right? (It’s totally all of us!)
Don’t worry–while posting great content on a consistent basis may sound like a terrifying task to commit to, it’s really not! Whether you’ve been blogging for 0 days or 5 years, here’s how to ensure you’ll never run out of ideas to write about.
Batch Brainstorm
The first and most important step to make sure you never run out of content? Schedule brainstorming sessions. When you sit down and dedicate an hour or so to researching topic ideas, you can plan out your content months in advance!
Sit down in a quiet room, free yourself of distractions (close your email, turn off your phone) and get creative!
Check the calendar
Not only does seasonal content make brainstorming a snap, but it’s also great for things like Pinterest and SEO! Your audience is likely going to be looking for seasonal content, so dedicating a few posts to a certain holiday is a no-brainer.
Consider major holidays like Thanksgiving and St. Patrick’s Day as well as silly holidays, like National Guacamole Day or National Puppy Day.
Do a roundup of your favorite content
Roundups are a snap to pull together, and your audience loves to read them! Due to this fact, roundups are great to work into your editorial calendar on a regular basis. They also do extraordinarily well on Pinterest–i.e. 25 spring outfits to wear right now, 12 wardrobe staples every girl needs in her closet, 12 ways to integrate more veggies into your diet, etc.
The possibilities with roundups are endless–they can be anything from a “links I’m loving” roundup, to recipes, to your favorite Instagrammers, to bloggers, favorite spring shoes, and more.
Create a series
Speaking of doing roundups on a regular basis, it’s a great idea to think of a few “series” topics for your blog. Not only does this make brainstorming easier, but it’s an easy way to create a consistent stream of content.
Your series can be anything under the sun! Some thought starters for the series could be–profiling another person, sharing tips on a certain topic, sharing your favorite drugstore buys each month, sharing what you purchased each month, easy cooking tips, etc.
They can also be weekly, biweekly, monthly–however often you’d like! It’s always nice to have something planned that doesn’t require extra brainpower, and actually will allow more room for creativity in the long run!
A great example of someone who nails series on her blog is Cupcakes and Cashmere. Four of her weekly posts are series. How easy is that?
Do a Q&A
Do a Q&A session with yourself! What are some things your audience doesn’t know about you? I remember one night a couple years or so ago, I was up late with major writer’s block.
I decided to write a “10 things you don’t know about me” post, and I had no idea how it was going to go over. Turns out, it was a huge hit!
Your readers always want to know more about you behind the scenes. A Q&A post is a great way to build a rapport with your audience, and it doesn’t even require any brain power 😉
Conduct a survey
If you’ve joined our email list (you can do so above or below this post!) you’ll know that surveys are our best friend. Why guess what your audience wants to read? Just ask them! This is a win-win for both of you.
They do the work for you when it comes to brainstorming content, and in return, they’ll always love what you post!
A simple way to do this is to administer a survey through Google Forms–ask both multiple-choice questions as well as a short answer to get the most insight.
You can see an example I did on my blog right here!
Now, if you’re a new blogger and don’t yet have an audience to poll, think of what friends and family would qualify as “your audience.”
For example, when I first started out, I wouldn’t ask my mom for ideas, because she’s not my audience.
But my best friends from college? Totally–because they fit my audience. They’re independent, educated, city-dwelling twenty-something women who are looking for everyday inspiration and attainable style tips.
Now, if they were independent city-dwelling twenty-somethings who wore designer, high fashion clothes? No. They wouldn’t be my audience. As long as you keep this in mind, your friends and family can be a great resource.
Peruse Pinterest
Pinterest is the best ever place to go when I’m lacking in the creativity department. (How can you not feel inspired while perusing Pinterest?)
This helps me brainstorm in a couple ways: A. What are you seeing on Pinterest that you could do better than anyone else?
Often I click on pins that have hundreds of repins, only to read the article it linked to and think, “wow, I could’ve done that way better!” Obviously, you’ll put your own unique spin on it, but it definitely gets the creative juices flowing!
B. Browsing what others have pinned in my niche gives me new ideas on topics I could be writing about.
Maybe I see a few pins of home tours and the sight of a cute couch gives me an idea for a “cute sofas under $1000” roundup. Create a secret board to pin to labeled “blog post thought starters” and pin those pins to that board, noting in the description what your idea is.
Give advice
Consider what questions you typically get asked by friends and family. What topics do people typically seek your advice on?
What do you discuss at dinner with your girlfriends? What do you talk about on the phone with your mom? Perhaps you just went through a new life stage–like having a baby, getting married, or buying a house.
What can you write about to give advice to those who are going through the same experience? Or maybe you just bought a new curling iron–write about what factors you took into consideration when purchasing.
Write a review
What type of review would fit into your niche? Perhaps you’ve recently returned from a big trip to Europe–if you’re a travel blogger, you could write about 5 charming sidewalk cafes in Rome. Or if you’re a style blogger, you could review the best shopping spots in Florence.
A beauty blogger? Review 10 favorite travel-sized beauty essentials you should always have in your makeup bag.
Another example is to do a review related to a product you often get asked about. Maybe you are the skincare guru to your readers (or even your friends, assuming your friends fit the description of your audience).
What products have you used lately that they might want to know about?
Or maybe you do restaurant reviews–think about what type of dish you usually order at brunch. Maybe a roundup of the 5 best Eggs Benedicts in Chicago would be a snap to pull together!
Get personal
Feeling frustrated? Overwhelmed? Happy with where you are in your life? Write about it! My most personal posts always do extremely well.
When you write from the heart, people can tell, and they relate to you on a deeper level. Plus, it reminds your audience that you’re not just a “blogger”–you’re a human, too!