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3 Places to Find Inspiration for Content

You’re sitting in front of your computer, hands ready to go on the keyboard, and then you freeze. You know you need to write something engaging, whether it’s for your website, your blog, or a Facebook post, but you have absolutely no idea where to begin.

It’s okay. We’ve all been there.

So where can you go for inspiration when you are stuck? Here are 3 ideas:

1. Look to others in your industry

One of the best ways to find inspiration is to look at what others in your industry are talking about. Can you offer a different viewpoint or advice on a topic?

You may also want to interview other experts in your industry. Let’s say you’re a social media consultant and you’re attending a conference. Ask the speakers for a quote for your blog or website after the presentation. Most likely they’ll love to be featured and you’ll look good by association.

2. Interview your employees or customers

Create a simple system to gather topic ideas from those who know your business best … your employees. If you have a store, place a fishbowl somewhere with some blank forms and have your employees submit ideas. If you are on online business, create a private link somewhere online or through an email for employees to submit ideas online. You could even make this fun and create a contest for others to vote on a few of the ideas.

Alternatively, ask one of your own customers if they want to be featured in one of your posts. This could be a loyal customer or even a new customer. Write about their business challenges and how they’ve overcome them. Customer stories are an engaging way to create more visibility for both your business and theirs. Ask them to share the story with their own network as well.

3. Go Social!

• Facebook: Search Facebook for groups or Pages relevant to your business. “Like” these Pages or join these groups. You’ll begin to see their posts in your newsfeed. If you see something interesting, hit the “Share” button below the post, add your own commentary, and then share it on your own page.

• LinkedIn: Similar to Facebook, you can join various groups on LinkedIn and watch the conversations going on. You may see someone there you want to connect with and interview, find an interesting article you want to link to, and/or get ideas from questions people are asking.

• Twitter: People use Twitter for linking to quick content, articles, and news. Follow those in your industry and watch what they post for ideas. You can even search for people asking questions related to your business. Let those questions fuel the content you create.

Go find some inspiration.

There is a lot of information online so read and monitor to find inspiration for your own content ideas. So, go for it and let the ideas come streaming in.

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Gina Watkins is a leading expert on e-marketing for small business – and has a real passion for helping businesses to succeed. Her ongoing series of dynamic lectures are filled with real-world examples, humor and results-driven wisdom garnered from more than two decades of sales, business development and marketing experience. In addition to owning her own business, she is an award-winning direct marketer, has been featured on WUSA Channel 9’s Mind Over Money show, Dr. Gayle Carson’s Women In Business radio show, Morgan State’s Briefcase Radio program, and in numerous other media. In her role as Constant Contact Regional Development Director, she’s presented to more than ten thousand seminar attendees about the keys to success with easy, affordable, highly effective technology tools that grow trusted business relationships.

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