When it comes to creating content for your website or blog, it can sometimes be difficult to know what to write about. This post is here to help you generate some content ideas.
When it comes to creating content you can either…
Be a facilitator, by providing access to and curating other peoples/experts content, and providing additional insight and commentary in order to provide additional value.
You can create your own unique content from scratch, although this takes more time and effort.
Or you can document your journey and provide insight to those following you. This can have the added bonus of ingraining recently learned knowledge for yourself, and giving you an opportunity to better understand what information you’ve just acquired.
There are really only 3 types of content
- Escapism and entertainment content – fun stuff, games, videos, movies, that are humourous, clever, insightful, inspirational, scary, emotional, intriguing or interesting
- Information and utility content – calendars, diaries, to do lists etc
- Social content – around people and community
It’s important to understand that context matters. So make sure your content bares some relevance to your website and business. For example it doesn’t make any sense talking about the latest gadget releases if you’re trying to promote a gardening business. Keep your content relevant to your target market, help them or entertain them in a way that adds value for them.
Content can be made up of:
- Opinion
- Expertise
- Information
- Insight
- Access
- Passion
Be cautious of the following pitfalls…
- Focusing on the wrong topic,
- Using the wrong media,
- Or both
In order to ensure you don’t fall foul of these pitfalls, you must have some understanding about the type of people you’re wanting to attract and cater for.
Ask yourself…
- What do your visitors want to know?
- How can you best provide value for them?
- What content will help built, trust, credibility and generate some goodwill with your target audience?
Some additional info
Chart your own progress
- Your journey to build your business – moving your business online
- Your progress in a new job
- Learning a new skill – learning SEO, PPC
- Put sale techniques into practice
- Sell something different every day testing your sales skills
Cover current niche trends
- Current photography trends/techniques
- Software trends
- Explore the topic more freely and in-depth
Cover local issues
- Real estate – local amenities, history of area – reasons why it’s good living here
- Local relevant events
Content formats
Content can come in many formats, here are a few ideas…
List pages
- Check lists
- Resource lists
- Lists of lists
- News lists
- Demonstration
- Series
Infographics
- How-to guides
- Researched statistics
- Timelines
- Did you know
- Flow charts
Whitepapers
- Research
- Trends
- Topical guides
- Beginner overviews
- Downloadable guides
Live Blogging
- Event coverage
- Covering fast changing situations
- Live Q&A’s
Round-ups
- News round-ups
- From around the web
- Summing up events
Q&A’s
- Q&A for interviews
- Q&A FAQ
- Informal Q&A
Opinion pieces
- Controversial posts
- High level breakdown
- Forecasting trends
- Deep dive
- New angle
Interviews
- Industry leaders
- Innovative companies
- Topical expert
Some more content formats (excuse any duplicates to previously mentioned types)
- How to’s
- Content curation
- Case studies
- Charts/graphs
- Ebooks
- Email Newsletters/Autoresponders
- Cartoons/illustrations
- Book Summaries
- Tool Reviews
- Giveaways
- FAQ’s
- Q&A session
- Webinar
- Guides
- Dictionary
- “Day in the life of” Post
- Infographics
- Interview
- Lists
- Mind Maps
- Meme
- Online Game
- Helpful Application/Tool
- Opinion Post
- White Papers
- Vlog
- Videos – screencasts, talking heads, illustrations, graphics, film roll
- Podcasts
- Templates
- Surveys
- Slideshares
- Resources
- Quotes
- Polls
- Podcasts
- Pinboards
- Photo Collage
- Original Research
- Press releases
- Photos
- Predictions
- User Generated Content
- Company News
- Announcements
- Timelines