There is a sea of blog posts out there, and some are bound to catch your eye while some fall flat. But what makes the spectacular blogs stand out from the not-so-spectacular ones?
While there are no absolute answers to this question, most successful bloggers follow a few tips when searching for their next topic. And luckily, you can implement these tips when thinking about your next blog topic, too.
#1 Data is Your Friend
Using analytic tools like Google Analytics is a great way to find out which blog posts do well and which miss the mark. And if you haven’t started posting, yet, you can still use analytics to find out which pages of your site your visitors are spending the most time on and what information they are looking for. Some ways to use analytics include:
- Viewing “Average Time on Page” to see which pages hold visitors the longest
- Use “Comparison View” to see how blog posts compare to your site average in terms of data
- Look for patterns in the data and adjust accordingly
Every marketer’s data dashboards will look different, so play around with it and see what you can dig up.
#2 Scout Out the Competition
Scouting out the competition has been an age-old technique as long as businesses have been around. Whether you’re a supercenter researching how your competition stocks their shelves or a local financial advisor learning which products your neighbor down the street is selling, learning all about your colleagues is key. It’s no different with blogging.
We don’t suggest copying any posts or plagiarizing, but following your competitors with integrity is a good technique. Signing up for their newsletters, reading their blog, or visiting their websites are all honest, straightforward ways to gather information about their marketing strategies.
#3 Remember Your Tribe
When you’re creating content for your business, your focus should be to educate and nurture a loyal audience. When your blog content is catered toward your audience and provides useful information, you’ll enjoy benefits like increased traffic, brand improvement, and being seen as an influencer in your industry.
We’ve talked before about building your online tribe, and understanding how to do this (and why it matters) is one of the most important steps in building your blog.
Think about who your most loyal clients are and what information they would like to see. You can use the analytics in Step #1 to get some of these answers. This will be the foundation of your next blog post. This process is an example of tribal marketing, which, when used properly, can help you with your SEO efforts, increase your web traffic, and generate increased leads.
Next time you are faced with a blank screen and your fingers seem frozen, think about the three steps to get yourself started: gather data, find ideas from other bloggers, and write to your audience. After, you will be well on your way to finding the perfect blog topic.
