In today’s business world, content is an important, scalable way to educate, entertain, and deepen the relationship between you and your prospects and customers. You need a constant stream of content to keep you connected with your audience, but how can you do that all while focusing on running your business?
It’s easy. Simply start compiling content ideas today and create a ‘bank’ of ideas to pull from well into the future so that your content calendar is always ready to go.
Here are 7 strategies to create an endless amount of content ideas:
#1 Respond to Current Events
Struggling with what to write about? Search for the latest business news relative to your niche and write a response about it. Write about whether you agree, disagree, or have a new perspective that the writer might not have considered.
Responding to current events shows your prospects and customers that you are engaged and passionate about your business.
#2 Give Thoughts on Trends
You’ve got a lot to offer, and your thoughts about current business trends matters. Are there some trends that have surprised you lately? Share those thoughts!
Like all of my tips, add this content idea to your calendar at a chosen frequency, like once every week or two weeks, so that you don’t forget to do it! When you get busy, your content stream could be the first thing to slip. These reminders will keep you on task.
#3 Create a Top 5 List
“Know a guy” (or two) who you want to showcase? Have you found tools or resources that have made your life easier? Have you fallen in love with a blog or podcast that you’ve just got to share?
Compile a list of some of these favorites and post them for your audience. Whether you’re sharing ideas with other entrepreneurs or you’re posting information that your audience would find helpful, you’re keeping the content alive.
#4 Answer Frequently Asked Questions
Clear up confusion and create content all at once by answering the frequently asked questions about your products and services! Not only will you add to your content stream, but you’ll engender trust and drive more sales.
#5 Conduct an Interview
Adding interviews to your content calendar is one of the easiest ways to fill it with valuable, easy-to-produce content ideas.
First, make a list of experts or business professionals that you find interesting and who have some notable value to add. Contact them and schedule an interview, giving them enough advanced notice to make it easy for their schedule.
Then, create a list of questions (avoid those that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no”) that you can use for all of your upcoming interviews.
Not only can interviewing another person add to your content stream, but it can also show your desire to make connections and learn new perspectives.
#6 Add a Little Competition
Spice up your content with some competition. If you sell a product, offer a giveaway. If you sell a service, entice your audience with something free or heavily discounted. Get people involved by having them like or share your posts or even follow your pages, and reward them for it!
#7 Make a Video
These days, many customers are willing to engage more readily with a video than an article.
Take a look at the strategies above. Could you turn one of those into video content? Could you conduct your interview on video or video your answer to a frequently asked question?
If you are intentional about throwing a few videos into your regular content stream, you’ll be sure to reach a broader audience.
Keep that Calendar Full
Set some time aside for a brainstorming session to come up with as many new content ideas as you can. Using the approaches above, there’s no reason why you can’t come up with at least one hundred!
Now you have a content bank to pull from to start filling up your calendar well into the future.
Now it’s up to you to prioritize it. Keep yourself accountable knowing that lots of content mean lots of audience engagement!
