Blogging has given me a great network of friends and colleagues. I’m thankful for these relationships. They are full of ideas and value. And perhaps even more importantly they remind us to share more openly our little tricks. Things that help us, and might help others, become more successful.
It was one of those relationships and discussions that I want to share with you. The topic was blogging and more specifically ideas for blogging. This challenge is probably the number one cause of thousands of abandoned ghost blogs littering the Internet.
5 blogging tricks and resources I use:
- Google Reader (of course) – This is the cornerstone of most bloggers’ creative stream. I am constantly adding and subtracting to the flow of blogs I’m watching. I like to use the sharing feature and relatively new “people you follow.” I’m a big fan of using my social network to filter content.
- Twitter – Another biggie, but it’s a little hard for me to harvest it effectively. I don’t have the time to watch it consistently. So, I tend to dip into the stream more than drink from it. As a result, I tend to use it more for news and discussions than blogging inspiration.
- Delicious.com – In my experience, consistently capturing the ideas is the Achilles heel of most writers. We have little ideas and epiphanies all the time. However, if they’re not captured they float away—absent when you need them to write. This is where delicious.com comes in handy for me. One simple button on my browser taskbar and I am continually creating a clip file. I simple bookmark and tag “towrite.” Check out what my idea river looks like right now.
- Google Analytics – This is a big one that bloggers miss all the time. Your web logs are full of keywords and phrases that people came you your blog looking for. Often times I find that I really haven’t answered their questions (even though Google apparently thinks I was a pretty good source). So, take advantage of those little hints in you web analytics. I wrote more about this strategy in a guest post on WriteToDone.com. Bonus tip: This is a great SEO move. It helps strengthen your control of that keyword, likely to get linked to, increases visitor time on site, and makes those visitors more loyal.
- Hints from Friends – I recently found this list of 100 blog topics from Chris Brogan. He is encouraging you to blog about these topics. Take advantage of these great seeds. You’ll be helping us all out. These are things people want to know. I put them in my Delicious.com towrite file and I have a printed copy by my computer.
Can You Help Me with Ideas?
I know there are a lot of people that read this blog that I don’t even know. People that visit that are full of great ideas or even write their own blog. Help me discover you. Leave a comment with your blog URL and maybe even a short description.
I want to come by and visit. I want to put you in my Google Reader and Delicious.com idea river. I want to point to your great works so the whole Better Closer community gets a better filter for great stuff.
Will you help me? Please leave a comment and show-off your stuff.
Did you enjoy this post?
Join my weekly newsletter for exclusive content or connect with me directly: On Twitter (@billrice) or on Linkedin.
Want more information about Kaleidico's lead management software or services visit www.kaleidico.com.
{ 26 comments }
I like to browse my niche on article marketing sites like http://ezinearticles.com (probably one of the best). Just the volume of titles I can quickly scan tend to trigger ideas. The other advantage is there are a lot of SEO types working these sites so there are some good keyword triggers in there too.
This is a great idea. I have found myself doing the same. There are several good community orient website too, like http://bizsugar.com that I use and browse for ideas.
Thanks for the comment!
Another great resource for ideas are forums. There are so many great communities out there specific to your topic of interest. I am a member of several that provide thought provoking ideas and also give excellent feedback on things that I'm writing about.
Great idea. This is probably really powerful considering forums are full of questions–the type that people Google and will land them on your website.
I'm off to surf a few web forums for ideas…
Paul, thanks for the comment and the idea.
I'm a newish blogger, but I get most of my ideas from my coaching clientele and my personal dinner party conversations. I find if I stick to combing the internet for ideas that my writing tends to be a lot of the same ol' same ol'. But if I write based on recent observations/conversations, then the results are much more authentic.
Bill, I think the first place to look at is where you have your Google search results. I use one of the simple to read tools for this purpose only.
The questions your readers entered into their search engines to find your blog are great sources of inspiration for articles… and if you do it regularly you will also learn a fair bit about your audience. It also helps you to move towards writing content that connects with real people. This also helped me to structure my blog content better.
Sometimes there are phrases and sometimes there are full questions, but I started doing this with new blogs, and every day I had at least 1 very good idea for a new article.
This is the one tactic that helped me write a daily blog post on two different blogs for a full year.
Clients and dinner conversations, what great sources. After all, blogs are supposed to be conversations, right?
I wish I had thought of that. Thank you!
BTW, I love the motivation over at http://liveaudaciously.com/blog/. I'm going to visit there to get my engines recharged from time to time.
Cindy,
I agree web analytics and your search results are a never ending fountain of targeted blogging ideas. I also like how you emphasize really trying to connect with your people and audience on an individual level.
Folks, listen to Ms. King she is the master of cultivating a very tight, targeted, and loyal community following.
Thanks for commenting Cindy. You advice is always valuable and appreciated.
That's a great idea! Keep me up-to-date on how that works.
I just noticed a post from Matt Mullenweg, of WordPress, on there integration of the Twitter API on WordPress: http://ma.tt/2009/12/twitter api-support/ That might be a perfect tool for your strategy.
I also stopped by your blog–How to Make Your Powerpoint Slides Tweet For You! is great: http://www.channelship.ie/blog/post-1727-how-to.... Especially in this new “backchannel” conference presentation format world.
Great post, Bill! Thanks for the tips. One of the best things I've done to help me blog more consistently is to carry around a notebook (similar to your use of Delicious.com) to write down ideas as they come up. Then, when it comes time to write a post, I just flip open my notebook, read down the list, and look for a topic I can write about right then.
Thanks again, Bill!
I blog because I had more material than I could always include in the quarterly magazine I co-publish, Escarpment Views. There are interesting things going on that our growing audience wants or needs to know about, between publication dates. So many of my ideas come from our audience and advertisers. I also write about our advertisers as a way of starting or continuing conversations. We're even starting to hold free giveaway draws for gifts from advertisers. This is more free promotion for them and rewards our active blog audience. And the reason I follow Better Closer is to learn more about selling ad space. So far, finding ideas to blog about has not been a challenge.
That is a great point. I always have a legal pad in my bag and by my computer as well. Sometimes low-tech is even better.
I also like your point of scanning the list and looking for something, “I can write about right then.” I think that is one of the magic elements of having a great capture process and a LONG list of topic. Too often we only remember the complex topics, causing us to avoid writing in those little breaks in our schedule.
Thanks for the comment and coming by to visit.
Gloria,
You have a great niche to blog about and I love how you are expanding to serve you audience. Thanks for telling me what you are looking for from me too. I will get some posts in the queue on selling ad space.
Hey Bill thanks for the link to Chris. In my industry (mortgages) we have had plenty to write about lately but there are times when i may have a bit of a block. I am very new to blogging having been a long time lurker. I am finding the more i learn the more i realize i have a lot to learn.
My site is http://www.chicagolandmortgagesolutions.com and i am targeting Chicago First Time Home Buyers.
Roy Paeth
Chicago First Time Home Buyer
Hey Bill…I use everyday scenarios and circumstances to stimultate my writing. Like you, I focus primarily on sales and I find that I can get some type of sales lesson to write about from almost anything that happens to me in real life. I also get a lot of inspiration from my workshops and the conversations that evolve.
Nothing is better than direct experience. The best bloggers are at the core story-tellers, and experience makes the best. Thanks for the comments and best of luck on the workshops. I'm sure you are dishing out a lot of inspiration yourself.
Isn't that true. Lots of changes in the mortgage business. Has blogging been good for generating customer inquiries in your mortgage business?
Bill i am really only 3-4 weeks in to serious blogging so far. In the 3-4 week i have generated two closeable loans so i will say i am happy with the results. If my blog can generate 2 closeable loans a month then it is well worth it. I would like to bring this number up to 4 and then add on a couple of additional blogs that target different niches such as reverse mortgages.
Roy Paeth
Chicago First Time Home Buyer
Very nice. I would certainly call that a success and real ROI. You should check out an expert blogger (probably a competitor) in your space: http://themortgagereports.com/. Assuming you haven't already. He's a great guy and VERY smart.
Thanks Bill i will definitely take a look at his blog. I think with the attrition our industry has gone through there is enough business to go around.
Roy Paeth
Chicago First Time Home Buyer
I try to put myself in my readers (and potential clients) shoes and write my posts from their point of view – what information are they looking for and why?
When I started blogging last year, my first posts answered the questions I get asked most frequently by clients – not only is a great resource for my target audience but it's an invaluable tool when meeting new clients. Instead of having to explain particular issues in detail every time, I can send clients links to my posts beforehand and then follow up on specific questions they may have.
The blog is hosted on WordPress.com, and linked to my web-site, so I have their search info and can tailor posts to suit frequent searches queries, in addition to Google Analytics data. I've also written posts in response to industry news stories, articles I've read, TV programmes I've watched and events I've attended, as well as updates on recent business successes.
Although my blog is on a niche topic – home design & improvement – I find it useful to look at popular blogs in fields like Social Media just to see how they approach a topic – Do's & Don'ts, 10 Top Tips, 5 Things to Avoid etc., then think about how I can apply this to my own subject.
Whenever I have or find an idea that could be a post I note it on an index card (I know, I'm old school!) and keep them in a box beside my desk – ready to use next time I'm looking for inspiration…
Getting into your readers/customers shoes is a great first step. After all, that's what it is all about right? Helping them.
I love the index card idea. One idea per card–easy to flip through, sort, carry, and file. Simplicity. My favorite theme.
I love the blog too. The pictures are fun and add great relevant texture. Everyone should check out: http://livingroomblog.ie/ and better design your living space.
I try to put myself in my readers (and potential clients) shoes and write my posts from their point of view – what information are they looking for and why?
When I started blogging last year, my first posts answered the questions I get asked most frequently by clients – not only is a great resource for my target audience but it's an invaluable tool when meeting new clients. Instead of having to explain particular issues in detail every time, I can send clients links to my posts beforehand and then follow up on specific questions they may have.
The blog is hosted on WordPress.com, and linked to my web-site, so I have their search info and can tailor posts to suit frequent searches queries, in addition to Google Analytics data. I've also written posts in response to industry news stories, articles I've read, TV programmes I've watched and events I've attended, as well as updates on recent business successes.
Although my blog is on a niche topic – home design & improvement – I find it useful to look at popular blogs in fields like Social Media just to see how they approach a topic – Do's & Don'ts, 10 Top Tips, 5 Things to Avoid etc., then think about how I can apply this to my own subject.
Whenever I have or find an idea that could be a post I note it on an index card (I know, I'm old school!) and keep them in a box beside my desk – ready to use next time I'm looking for inspiration…
Getting into your readers/customers shoes is a great first step. After all, that's what it is all about right? Helping them.
I love the index card idea. One idea per card–easy to flip through, sort, carry, and file. Simplicity. My favorite theme.
I love the blog too. The pictures are fun and add great relevant texture. Everyone should check out: http://livingroomblog.ie/ and better design your living space.
I try to put myself in my readers (and potential clients) shoes and write my posts from their point of view – what information are they looking for and why?
When I started blogging last year, my first posts answered the questions I get asked most frequently by clients – not only is a great resource for my target audience but it's an invaluable tool when meeting new clients. Instead of having to explain particular issues in detail every time, I can send clients links to my posts beforehand and then follow up on specific questions they may have.
The blog is hosted on WordPress.com, and linked to my web-site, so I have their search info and can tailor posts to suit frequent searches queries, in addition to Google Analytics data. I've also written posts in response to industry news stories, articles I've read, TV programmes I've watched and events I've attended, as well as updates on recent business successes.
Although my blog is on a niche topic – home design & improvement – I find it useful to look at popular blogs in fields like Social Media just to see how they approach a topic – Do's & Don'ts, 10 Top Tips, 5 Things to Avoid etc., then think about how I can apply this to my own subject.
Whenever I have or find an idea that could be a post I note it on an index card (I know, I'm old school!) and keep them in a box beside my desk – ready to use next time I'm looking for inspiration…
Getting into your readers/customers shoes is a great first step. After all, that's what it is all about right? Helping them.
I love the index card idea. One idea per card–easy to flip through, sort, carry, and file. Simplicity. My favorite theme.
I love the blog too. The pictures are fun and add great relevant texture. Everyone should check out: http://livingroomblog.ie/ and better design your living space.
Comments on this entry are closed.