Written on February 26th, 2009 at 12:02 am by Darren Rowse
7 Ways to Keep Fresh Content Flowing On Your Blog
This is the third post in a series on taking your blog to the next level.
Image by …rachel…
“How do I keep posts flowing on my blog?”
This is a question that most bloggers face at one point or another – particularly bloggers who have been blogging for 6-12 months.
The reality is that there comes a point where most bloggers feel either uninspired, unmotivated, that they’ve got ‘bloggers block’ or that they’ve said everything that there is to say on their chosen topic. This is something that we’ve all felt at one time or another – so what does a blogger do about it?
The first thing that I want to encourage you with is that all is not lost. Every blogger has this challenge at one point or another (in fact most of us face it regularly) and it is possible to break through it. They key is to persist through the tough times – something that many bloggers do not do.
At this point it is important to sit down and work out how you will generate content going forward. There are a number of strategies that come to mind for doing so – all of these I’ve used at different points and I hope that some will give you inspiration and a way forward:
1. Mind Mapping
My favorite technique for coming up with new topics is using mind maps. I outline my mind mapping technique here but in short the technique is that you take one post idea (one from your archives perhaps) and then brainstorm ways that that topic can be expanded upon into numerous new topics. You then take some of those new ideas and think about ways that they too can be expanded upon into new posts. This technique can literally help you identify hundreds of new topics to write about.
Whether you use Mind mapping or some other kind of brainstorming technique the key is to set time aside to do it. I try to do this at the start of each week and find that if I do that the writing task for the week ahead is a lot smoother – sometimes just coming up with the ideas is as hard as the writing of posts.
2. Involve Readers
One of the resources that a blog who has an established readership has (remember we’re writing this series for these types of blogs) is that it has a knowledge based within it’s readership that can be drawn upon in a variety of creative ways to help create content for your blog. There are a lot of ways to do this – but here are a few:
- Guest Posts – in every 100 or so readers there is bound to be 1 that has the knowledge, expertise, motivation and skill to contribute posts to your blog. The key is to identify them and give them the confidence to contribute a post to your blog. Pay particular attention to those leaving comments on your blog. You’ll find that some comments just go the extra mile and contain wisdom and depth that are not far off being the standard of actual blog posts. Also don’t be afraid to invite contributions by writing post asking for guest posts or having a page linked in your navigation inviting contributions.
- Reader Questions - stuck for a topic to write about? Ask your readers to ask questions. A post inviting reader questions can draw out some great ideas to write about.
- Community Written Posts – one of the things that I’m loving about Digital Photography School at the moment is that some of our best posts are actually ones that our readers provide the majority of the content and teaching for. My role is not to ‘write’ the content for these posts – but to ask a question and set some boundaries for a discussion – and then open it up for readers to add their suggestions. Examples: How do I take band promotional photos?, How Would You Photograph a Funeral? and How to Photograph Grandma?
3. Explore new ‘Voices’
One way to break out of a rut as a blogger is to experiment with new types and styles of posts. Sometimes doing so can unleash creativity and new ideas. So if the majority of your posts are ‘tips’ posts – try an opinion piece. If you always write ‘news’ type posts – why not try something with a bit of humor or controversy.
Further Reading: I’ve outlined 20 types of blog posts for bloggers battling bloggers block here to give you a little inspiration.
4. Update Previous Posts and Topics
Even after a few months of blogging you can hit a point where you feel like you’ve covered most topics in your niche. Many bloggers get to this point and simply give up the blog – however I’ve found that most posts that I’ve written in the past can be expanded upon, updated, improved or rewritten with fresh insight.
Also keep in mind that many of your old posts will only have been read by long term readers and your new readers will not have seen these posts.
Further Reading: The Why and How of Updating old Blog Posts.
5. Guest Posts
The decision to allow guest posters onto your blog has both good arguments for and against it – but it is certainly one way to keep the flow of content going on a blog when you’re a little low on inspiration or don’t have enough time on your hands to be writing content (see also Why Guest Bloggers are Great for a Blog).
Getting people to submit guest posts on a blog is not always achievable when a blog is very young and the blog has little profile – but once you gather a readership and build your reputation as a growing community it becomes easier to attract contributions from other bloggers and freelance writers looking to grow their own profile.
If you’re new to the idea of finding guest posters for a blog – start with your own readers (as described above – look in the comments section of your blog) and then also look at other blogs in your niche or even forums that are on a similar topic to your blog. I’ve also had some real success lately with finding guest posts for Digital Photography School from non bloggers, particularly pro photographers who are looking for a little extra exposure to their business sites.
Further Reading: How to Find a Guest Blogger for Your Blog
6. Hiring Writers
Another way to approach bringing others onto your blog as writers is to look at hiring a blogger (or team of bloggers) to help you create content for your blog. This has some cost associated with it – but can (if you do it right) increase the quality and frequency of posts as well as decreasing some of the admin of relying upon guest posts.
I’ve hired a small team of writers for DPS who I pay on a per post basis (as well as giving them exposure in the posts that they write) and have found this experience to be well worthwhile. For a start it has attracted a good caliber of writer to the blog, increased the knowledge base and expertise of the writing, added to the variety of topics we can cover and increased the frequency with which we can post.
When it comes to hiring writers – I’d advise starting with your current reader base – you might find that some of your regular readers would take on a regular writing job for a little financial reward. Another approach is to look at other bloggers on your topic or to even advertise on a job board like the ProBlogger Job board. I advertised for my team of writers almost 18 months ago and had so many great applicants that I couldn’t use them all and most of them still write weekly posts for me today.
Another quick tip on hiring writers – you can also hire them for short periods. As long as you’re up front about the length of the period that you’re hiring for I’ve found that bringing on a staff writer for a couple of months when you know you’re going to be away or have your attention on another project can be well worthwhile doing.
Further Reading: How to Advertise for a Blogger
7. Develop an editorial calendar
One technique that can help a blog grow beyond its infancy is to begin to think longer term about the content that you produce. I personally find that when I only think a day ahead about the content for my blog that it can be difficult to build momentum in the content that I’m writing. It’s also difficult to keep coming up with topics.
A way to help overcome this is to set aside time either on a weekly or even a monthly basis to map out the direction for your content in the period ahead.
This enables you to do some brainstorming/mindmapping (see point #1 above) and set the course for your blog. Doing this takes some discipline and can feel like a chore when you sit down to do it but the result is that it gives you a lot of freedom and can take the burden of having to come up with topics from your shoulders.
I find that the months I set out a plan for the content on my blogs are much better than the months that I do not. I usually find on these months that I end up writing a series of posts and that readers really respond well to the momentum that I build.
Another spin on the idea of an editorial calendar that I know some bloggers have a lot of success with is to set different ’styles’ of posts for each day of the week. For example:
- Monday might be ‘tips’ day where you write a ‘how to’ or ‘tip’ related post
- Tuesday might be ‘review’ day where you review a product related to your topic
- Wednesday might be ‘news’ day where you summarize the latest news in your niche
- Thursday might be ‘link’ day where you link up to another blog in your niche
- Friday might be ‘opinion’ day where you express your opinion on a topic
- Saturday might be ‘reader discussion’ day where you post a question or poll for readers to interact with
- Sunday might be ‘from our archives’ day where you highlight an old post on your blog
The sky is the limit in terms of the types of posts that you write (look at the 20 types of blog posts list that I mention above for other types to consider) – the key is to find types of posts that are relevant to your topic and that readers respond well to. This might feel a little contrived or structured for some bloggers, but I find that many bloggers find it to be a freeing experience, particularly to get them through a tough period.
What Would You Add?
I have literally scratched the surface with this post on how to keep fresh content flowing on your blog. I’m certain that among the readership of ProBlogger that there are a lot more ideas – if you’ve got one, please add it to the comments below. Together we can break though this ‘bloggers block’!
Further Reading: Battling Bloggers Block – a compilation of a series of 25 strategies that are designed to help you get through bloggers block.
Tags: Bloggers Block, content, Writing Content
145 Responses to “7 Ways to Keep Fresh Content Flowing On Your Blog” - Add Yours
Jay Marlin
February 26th, 2009 12:12 am
Hi Darren,
This came at the perfect time. I was sitting here the other night just staring at the screen, stumped. It was as if my mind had completely shut down. The ‘mind-mapping’ turned on a light for me. I guess I’ve got more ideas floating around that I realized.
Thanks for the tips.
Chung Bey Luen
February 26th, 2009 12:18 am
It is not motivation that keeps you writing. It is writing that keeps you motivated.
David at Animal-Kingdom-Workouts.com
February 26th, 2009 12:26 am
Despite my limited blogging experience in the fitness niche, I’ve found readers comments to be the most helpful when trying to decide what to write next. Reading other blogs in your niche can also be helpful. Finding an interesting article, but then adding your own unique twist to the material.
- Dave
Kat Scholtz
February 26th, 2009 12:28 am
This may seem too obvious to add, and you’ve kind of covered it in each point, but conversation with people who share your interests is often the greatest source of content for me. Especially when we disagree – so find some people you disagree with.
Ganesh
February 26th, 2009 12:29 am
I was just about to update my blog. It had been a while since I hit that publish button.
As you had mentioned, I used to sit and think ahead on my upcoming posts. This helped. Lack of other ways of keeping ideas flowing really affected me.
Thanks for the other options listed here. Yet another option of helping in idealess phase is to indulge in one activity and taking your readers along with you during this experimental phase like testing a new blog’s launch…
Nate @ Debt-free College
February 26th, 2009 12:42 am
I have heard that asking readers for advise is a good way to do it. First, it involves the readers and makes them feel like they are a part of it. And second, it makes it really easy for you to know what your readers are interested in.
Thanks,
Nate
http://debtfreecollege.blogspot.com
Faith
February 26th, 2009 12:59 am
Thank you for this series. It is SO helpful since I am at the 6 mo point. I appreciate especially the ‘calendar’ by day concept in this post as it relates well to my industry.
I love your blog!
Marc
February 26th, 2009 1:02 am
Damn… now we can never say we have a shortage of content, lol
Tamal Anwar
February 26th, 2009 1:02 am
I know Darren you’re not here to read this comment because you’re on vacation. This article is cool and informative, I figured out the ways of getting new ideas coming for blog. I call it my blogging test lab where I develop ideas. Thanks for this wonderful post!
Monica
February 26th, 2009 1:03 am
Ooh, I love mind mapping! Another thing I do is pick up a PEN AND PAPER and (gasp!) write by hand. It’s amazing how this seems to fire different synapses in my brain. New ideas come to light and the block is lifted. Great tips!
Zliggo
February 26th, 2009 1:04 am
Thanks for the great tips. I have blogs that died because I can’t add fresh contents. This will definitely help me.
Terry Heath
February 26th, 2009 1:07 am
One way to keep writing is to keep writing. If you keep the juices flowing, they flow more easily.
Many writers accomplish this with a journal. This allows you to try different writer’s voices, explore topics (they don’t all have to be personal!), and let go. It also gives you a resource to go back and find ideas for blog posts.
Luke
February 26th, 2009 1:10 am
being as I’ve only just started I’ve got too many ideas if anything! But I’m sure they will dry up over time….
I’ll put this one in the bookmarks for later reading and inspiration
thanks copyblogger for another good series
Peggy Duncan
February 26th, 2009 1:26 am
Excellent ideas. I keep a Blog This list. When I run across something I’d like to blog about later, I add to the list. I also ask myself “What did I talk about today?” and “What did I learn today?”
Haider
February 26th, 2009 1:27 am
Hi Darren,
One of the problems I’ve had keeping content flowing is trying to write long posts about a complicated topic. Complicated topics need a lot of thinking, which sometimes dries up my blog from fresh content.
To overcome this, I now categorize my posts into long/complicated posts and short/simple posts, so that the short posts can keep my readers regularly engaged in my blog while I write the longer posts.
Another way to approach this is to split the longer posts into a series of posts, so I can have fresh content flowing all the time. I can then combine the posts into a single page, or even a report!
Amrit Hallan - Writing Services Provided
February 26th, 2009 1:31 am
You must also keep some time aside for reading. Reading is quite stimulating and it often fills your mind up with new ideas. Of course visiting quality blogs (like this one) too provides you with lots of fodder.
Kevin Boon
February 26th, 2009 1:49 am
Darren awesome post as usual. You hit on most of the points I would consider and have added some new ones.
Question: I’m having problems finding good photos for my blog posts. Any suggestions?
Michael
February 26th, 2009 1:59 am
Darren, great post! It reflects some of my current issues with my magazine.
How do you pay people on post basis? Is it a flat payment or do you pay them for a certain post size?
John Samuel
February 26th, 2009 2:00 am
I would suggest that if you write about more general topic, you will never run short of topics to write unless you are bored of blogging. But if you start blogging with a current buzzing trend, you can not be sure whether the topic will have anything new to write after a period of time
Travis Campbell
February 26th, 2009 2:04 am
Darren-
Thanks for doing this, you are a great example so many can learn from.
Along with point #2 in your post…
One thing I’ve been trying out, for those who “join” my site (I have a special report), I’ve been asking them a question on the email confirmation page, regarding their #1 frustration when it comes to marketing online. I’ve had a ton of my own challenges, but the blog isn’t mine, it is the readers, and I believe for it to be successful they should drive the content.
I review those responses to get a feel for what people need, and then respond in a future post. I’m surprised with many of the ideas that have come from this process.
Thanks again for a great post.
Omkar
February 26th, 2009 2:09 am
excellent article & darren, this series completely rocks…
Matt from Debt Free Adventure
February 26th, 2009 2:27 am
Two things Darren:
Firstly, what software do you use for MindMapping? I love MM too, but have found so many different tools that is gets confusing. There are web-based editors and client editors. I’m very interested to know which you use. Thanks.
Secondly, I carry a pocket sized moleskin journal with me at all times an write down ideas. If I didn’t do this, I remember maybe 10% of my original ideas. Carrying the moleskin (which I just started a few weeks ago) has enabled me to build a wealth of ideas in just a short amount of time.
Thanks for your post!
DebtFREEk!
Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach
February 26th, 2009 2:38 am
Look thru your RSS feeds and find a topic that is interesting…and then write your take on it. Works every time.
Data points, Barbara
Brendan
February 26th, 2009 2:46 am
Some more:
* Tag RSS feeds with items that you think you want to respond to, so you’ve got a constant flow of blog post ideas
* Use the Delicious ‘auto-post’ feature to create a post of your day’s bookmarks so you get two things done for the price of one
* Keep your posts short and sweet so you don’t take ages every time
* Download an offline editor such as the Live Writer that means you can get an idea for a post wherever you are (providing you have your laptop handy), which you can then embroider with beautiful filigree images later, then hit publish.
Belkis
February 26th, 2009 3:02 am
Funny, the other day I was having “Bloggers Block” and I didn’t know what to do. Out of the blue, one of my readers said, “You can post a few tips I have on your site.” I read it and then I had a few things to add on his tips. It was a great post because I was collaborating with a new person for my site, something I have not done.
Mohammad Afaq
February 26th, 2009 3:03 am
I plan on hiring writers and guest blogging and I think it will help me increase my traffic, great post anyway. Thank you
—————————————————————
Mohammad Afaq
http://afaqtrafficblog.blogspot.com
Diana from Guerrero Ink
February 26th, 2009 3:09 am
I run a variety of blogs and find that there are different influences that come into the content production of each one.
For my animal blog I tend to pull from questions I get from clients or topics I have discussed with other professionals. Most often I find news related to both wild and domestic animals that I can write about.
For my community blog I tend to just post about what is going on. The most interest comes from the “dirt” in my community or tidbits related to the local challenges (high altitude cooking, etc) but the most traffic comes from posts that deal with problems faced by visitors…such as tire chains for the snow.
My other blogs I update infrequently but when there is breaking news. Over at Guerrero Ink I post about once a month and discuss clients or review software or a discovery that might be of use to local mountain businesses and some of the Internet savvy in our area (<30% of the community).
Thanks for the ideas they will be good to have for the future. I am in the process of working on an editorial calendar but it has proved to hard to pull that together.
PoLR
February 26th, 2009 3:29 am
Great post,
One of my favourite tips is:
Speak to friends that aren’t in IT, it’s amazing what can be thrown up this way – things you may take for granted.
Blogging-to-make-money.com
February 26th, 2009 3:44 am
I agree. There are some times that I tend to look at other’s topics and use them to create my own article.
kent
February 26th, 2009 4:09 am
Readers’ comments inspire me. but you really hit the nail right on the head. I am hitting the ground running.
Terra Andersen
February 26th, 2009 4:27 am
I generally find the best topics to write about when I ask my circle of colleagues and friends what they’re currently struggling with in certain areas.
I also have learned that note-taking is integral. I am constantly clipping notes and links from the internet for reference or writing inspiration.
Elizabeth Stanfill
February 26th, 2009 5:08 am
Hi Darren,
One of my favorite bloggers does a theme with a part one, part two, etc. It is a great idea to take a post and divide it up in parts.
I love the mind mapping technique.
Elizabeth Stanfill
mike
February 26th, 2009 5:28 am
I take a break for a few weeks. Think of more ideas, then come back to blogging again. Burnout can happen if you keep doing it with no rest.
Natalie Friton
February 26th, 2009 5:55 am
Thank you for #7! I was managing editor of a print magazine for a while and was pretty intense about managing our calendar. I had a “duh” moment just now and will be creating a calendar for my blog(s).
I’d also add to work with blog ideas of other bloggers. I have been able to take blog topics about social media, Twitter, etc and apply them to my niche in the marine industry.
Wayne
February 26th, 2009 5:56 am
I’ve taken a week or two off and tried to stay away from the computer when the well has dried up in the past. I mean, I’ve only been blogging for a little over a year, and in all that time, I’ve dried up once, taken a couple weeks off and now I’m hitting the ground running again.
Time off is important!
Mind- mapping is excellent too. I’m currently mind-mapping an entire series I’ll write this year on creating a blog from concept to promotion. It will take an entire year, but the thing is, I’ll have my topics laid out for me, with plenty of flexibility to account for change and excursions into offbeat areas.
Speaking of which, posting a completely off-beat and random post sometimes garners a number of comments that can be helpful in getting things back in gear.
Sometimes you have to grind em to find em I guess.
Jake
February 26th, 2009 6:00 am
I like your ideas about building momentum around your articles. I think that this idea can work well to getting others to keep coming back to your blog. Great post.
Robby G
February 26th, 2009 7:12 am
Wow, honestly I think this is the most useful post I’ve seen on this blog yet. Not to disregard your previous posts, I think you have the most useful blog for bloggers out there, it’s just amazing that after all these years that you can write such amazing posts still. I had to bookmark it and give it another few reads in the future when I come upon the problem of needing fresh content. Thanks a lot mate. Keep ‘em coming!
Jobs For Writers- Make $200-$300 Daily
February 26th, 2009 7:19 am
I think hiring writers is the best one. I don’t think content spinners will work, especially if you are trying to entice your readers with up to date and valuable information. These are good tips. I think you have to write on something that you like and aspires you.
Ross
February 26th, 2009 7:22 am
I love Alltop.com for ideas when I get stuck. Just put in your industry and/or subject area. The aggregator takes you dozens of stories on the subjects. And I always find something I can spin my own take on.
Kristin T. (@kt_writes)
February 26th, 2009 7:29 am
Thanks for more great ideas. I tried the “reader question” concept about a month ago, and it was a lot of fun. My original idea was to have my readers ask me 25 questions, as a play off the popular Facebook meme “25 random things about me.” I ended up loosely dividing the questions readers asked me into three categories, and created three posts with my responses. Some of the questions were really challenging, others were just plain fun.
Twitter has been another great way to pull together post ideas or even actual posts. Sometimes I quote a tweet as a intro/hook for a post, and build on it from there. A few times I’ve pulled together a series of tweets around a topic (like a home improvement project), or within a 24 hour period (like 24 hours in Chicago), and the tweets become the framework for my post.
Heather Bestel
February 26th, 2009 7:37 am
Great post.
I will certainly use all these suggestions to take my blog to the next level.
Thank you so much
Heather
matutu nyabange
February 26th, 2009 8:09 am
As I was reading the comments,I saw Kevin Boom you are having trouble in finding good fotos to add on your Blog,There is this website called Picapp.com its a great site where you can find tons of FREE fotos,including celebrities,politicians etc..its a great site i would recommend you give it a short!
David Turnbull
February 26th, 2009 8:33 am
Nice list, luckily I’ve already got a pretty similar system worked out.
One good idea is to pump out as much content as you can when you’re in the zone. Just write an article, save it as a draft, and move onto the next one. Then, in a few days go back to each article and fix them up.
By doing this I wrote 20,000+ words (about 15 articles) before I even launched. And at one post per week that lasts nearly 4 months.
Blog Income Report
February 26th, 2009 8:34 am
I certainly know the feeling of “blogger’s block” and anything that can be done to help it is great. I especially like the idea of assigning posts to different days, might have to look into that further!
Steven Lewis
February 26th, 2009 8:40 am
Over the years, I’ve advised only a couple of your points above on the same subject (Hire writers & switch up writing style)… however, this article opened up my mind to a different approaches for writer’s block that I’ll begin to implement myself. Thanks for the advice, valuable.
andy li
February 26th, 2009 9:27 am
Very nice post. As a new blogger, I’m still trying to find my niche and find good content to write about. Often times, I find myself stuck and lost and just empty-headed.
These are very effective ways to break out of the blogger’s block and provide fresh content for our readers. Thank you.
Brad
February 26th, 2009 10:38 am
BAM! I like #7 the best! While I tend to write towards a pretty focused niche, I still manage to wander all over the place. That is a great idea and should give me enough structure to keep on track.
Gary McElwain
February 26th, 2009 10:59 am
Darren
Thanks for the ideas. I like the calender idea, it gives you a formula to follow. Therefore no blank outs. Great idea with a lot of room to expand.
Gary McElwain
أطياف مصر
February 26th, 2009 11:22 am
thanks Darren .. but I hope u talk about blogging under fear that we feel in our countries .. that makes us finishing our ideas quickly then we really don’t find ideas to write about ..
Paul Morales
February 26th, 2009 11:47 am
Awesome post, I always wonder how you come up with great and lengthy posts day in and day out. Good job.
jan_geronimo
February 26th, 2009 1:18 pm
1. Interesting links I find in twitter. Zero in on those you can use for your blog. Write them all down for your future post ideas.
2. Your reader is not only there for you to be updated in your niche. You’d find creative inspiration from it as well especially if your reading list is varied and not limited to your blog topic.
3. No brainer tip: read Problogger. :)
Mohammad Afaq
February 26th, 2009 1:36 pm
Great post, I will really use these tips what I need them. Thank you.
Mike
February 26th, 2009 1:55 pm
I tell myself, what else is there to write about…and then I go and find 5 other great reads to distract myself. Truth is there are a million things to write about. The key is to stay organized like you have suggested, make a game plan.
aormahand
February 26th, 2009 2:16 pm
another super wise post! thanks for all the phenomenal advice.
all the best,
aromahand
Robin
February 26th, 2009 2:23 pm
A great list to have. I still have a lot of pending content, for my main blog, so what to write won’t be an isssue for awhile, just getting to it. I have a couple other projects going and keeping organized, while working on them and learning new software at the same time . I will be keeping these tips in mind in a couple months though. I have a feeling they will come in rather handy.
Shay
February 26th, 2009 2:35 pm
You’re 100% right about these and I especially agree with the last point. I run a music blog and ever since we added an ‘upcoming releases calendar’, it’s helped us to never run into a bloggers’ blog because there’s always something on the list that needs to be written about =) Great tips!!
Rick Second Chance Letter
February 26th, 2009 2:48 pm
It is interesting to me that after I read a post on this site then I want to comment I have to go to the top of the page and click the comment button. Who thoutht that one up?
I comment on other blogs for inspiration for my own.
Rick
wayne
February 26th, 2009 4:53 pm
Damn… now we can never say we have a shortage of content, lol
Paul Foreman
February 26th, 2009 7:47 pm
If any readers wish to view further Mind Map examples pop over to my Blog for inspiration.
Sarah
February 26th, 2009 7:59 pm
Thank you for this post – I have been blogging since July 2008, plus I work full time, so I have been in the situation where I have limited time to do the creative part of writing a blog entry, but find most of my evening spent on deciding what topic I should actually write about! Mind-mapping for me this weekend I think – I can’t wait :-)
Kevin
February 26th, 2009 8:49 pm
Darren,
I took your advice and made an event calendar with posts on my blog, showing visitors the next 5 days/posts.
Not only does it keep me motivated and allows me to brainstorm ideas ahead of time, but it allows visitors to anticipate a new post. In fact, Google Analytics tells me readers are loving the page.
Mark Harrison
February 26th, 2009 8:56 pm
Good points as I think coming up with new, interesting content is the biggest challenge I face. I finally decided to swallow my pride and let a few guest writers blog for me and I just wish I had done it sooner. Guest writers give your blog a different and fresh perspective and most importantly, it makes your blog come alive again.
Dean Saliba
February 26th, 2009 10:18 pm
One option that I use is to visit other blogs in my niche and see what they are writing about.
Is that wrong?
Christopher
February 26th, 2009 10:35 pm
What I do is browse around my site’s forum and get ideas from user’s posts there.
David Thompson
February 27th, 2009 12:20 am
Mind mapping is my favorite technique, I find that a well toght out posting flows , and keeps readers involved.
Rajeev Edmonds
February 27th, 2009 12:49 am
Very helpful series Darren.
Giving me all the bits and pieces to build a better blog. I haven’t yet tried brain-mapping. Will definitely give it a shot.
Dipoh
February 27th, 2009 1:16 am
If you really love blogging and you have passion with it, there is no way you get un-motivated. If there are instances you get uninspired to write, I guess it is time to refresh and ask yourself if blogging is really what you want to do. Blogging is a daily task that requires heart and time management… so, we should be inspired everyday to do it. I get many ups and downs in blogging but I take it as a challenge to keep on moving. I tell myself that one day I will be a problogger like Darren Rowse.
This is a very helpful article. It helps bloggers who are losing hopes to blog again ;0
Agent 001
February 27th, 2009 1:18 am
Writers or Bloggers Block is the very big issue for any blogger. Guest post and hiring writers can be helpful but not for long run.
7. Develop an editorial calendar, is very nice Idea. I used to do it but I was unable to maintain it as I had to do my studies as well.
Nice tips.
Tea Party Ideas
February 27th, 2009 3:20 am
If I ever need inspiration I just Google a funny phrase and see what comes up. It usually leads to a post of some kind.
Make Money Online Tips
February 27th, 2009 3:43 am
The money and the comments is what keeps most bloggers motivated. Its sometimes good to leave a comment on a blog encouraging and thus keeping them motivated.
Carla
February 27th, 2009 5:52 am
For me mind mapping is key. In 10 minutes I can come up with over 30 new topics to write about.
Trina
February 27th, 2009 8:08 am
This will be a good reference page. Revisiting certain topics with a fresh spin can be good, but too often and readers get bored. And so do I.
ed
February 27th, 2009 8:10 am
Thanks for the notes. Sometimes I think how could I possiblably run out of something to write about? Getting the right topic to flow at the right time can be tricky.
County Foreclosures
February 27th, 2009 2:34 pm
Along with keeping content fresh I believe making sure the site is user friendly and appealing to the eye keeps users coming back.
ilivemybliss
February 27th, 2009 3:26 pm
This post was especially helpful. My blog has been neglected for a few months now… time to freshen it up with some good content and get my brain and fingers working again! Thanks!
Orbe
February 27th, 2009 4:22 pm
We can make connections between 2 completely different subjects if we look careful enough. That connection can be the source of a new article.
Dena Crain
February 27th, 2009 7:03 pm
Another tip is to check out your niche elists. What topics are under discussion there? Have you an opinion? Why not write about it on your blog? Or tackle some parallel issue?
kovshenin
February 27th, 2009 7:42 pm
Everything was great except hiring ;) Thanks
sagar
February 27th, 2009 11:25 pm
nice article!!!
need some more focus on mind mapping..pls elaborate…
farouk
February 28th, 2009 12:17 am
good ideas, keep it up:)
dp
February 28th, 2009 12:55 am
Great ideas, I like the calendar idea, planning is good for when the inspiration comes to you!!
Thanks
Nick Stamoulis
February 28th, 2009 4:38 am
It gets to a point where you really need some out of the box thinking in order to get new material on your blog.
Make Money Online
February 28th, 2009 11:43 am
Great tips i find keep a post schedule and braining storming new post ideas essential. It also helps to check out related blogs for inspiration.
Richard Hill
February 28th, 2009 8:24 pm
Great ideas that I will use on our sister company’s Fizzblog. I use material from PR releases quite a lot for inspiration too.
Tom - Home Business Tips
February 28th, 2009 8:35 pm
I get the “writers block” quite often and to get new ideas for posts I visit forums to see what people are discussing.This gives me new ideas for posts.
Bacterial Infection
February 28th, 2009 9:20 pm
I think your section about involving the reader is excellent. This is a great way to keep visitors returning to your blog
Vishal
February 28th, 2009 10:01 pm
The article is good and thought provoking. I feel that ‘hiring writers’ could also lead to healthy discussions on various topics of interests.
Thanks.
Kevin - Hiking 411 Blog
March 1st, 2009 1:20 am
Thanks for the post. I also pay attention to what blogs seem to receive the most views/comments and then concentrate my discussion on those topics. Being an adventure/travel blog I am going to use my Appalachian Trail Thru Hike to hopefully attract more followers as well.
http://timeoutdoors.blogspot.com/
Shafar
March 1st, 2009 2:12 am
Great post! Was at correct time for me!
Balbir
March 1st, 2009 6:02 am
a very good article for new bloggers, but please let me know whether including auto generated content from rss feeds into my website is legal in terms of adsense TOS. please help me with my question as iam new to blogging.
Sorin
March 2nd, 2009 1:01 am
Very great post..thank’s from Romania
Lisa
March 2nd, 2009 5:28 am
I love using mind maps but I’ve never used it for blogging. So far I just write out about whatever comes to mind. But I’m still new and haven’t really found my direction yet.
Faith
March 2nd, 2009 9:30 am
The calendar suggestion was perfect for me…I too am at the 6 mo point. I find saving a file of topics, interesting posts, etc. in my documents helps me immensely.
I love your blog too!
Rose from FineCraftGuild dot com
March 2nd, 2009 4:52 pm
I certainly am a ‘mindmapper’ as you call it. I also find that going through a project leads me to write a more advanced post on the same topic, and I prepost it for next year!
Also, I love going to other people’s blog in my niche and browse around. Invariably, I find either something I like to write about, or am inspired to execute a project in more meaningful ways.
I guess, that notch-above gives me the extra traffic in the end.
Tyrone
March 2nd, 2009 11:12 pm
I used to always think that how the flow of fresh content on my blog can be made possible. After reading this I have got so many ideas and I am feeling so much energetic that it’s now not a issue for me to keep flowing the fresh content on my blog. Thanks for such a great post.
Sebastien
March 3rd, 2009 12:02 am
Guest posts are a great idea if you have writers block. This can help you come up with other ideas you never thought about.
Mind mapping is also a very useful exercise and there is some software out there to help you.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Web Design Seattle
March 3rd, 2009 9:16 am
Loved the picture of the guy with the ‘typewriter’ blogging. What a funny visual. Will definitely share with others. Thanks for the chuckle. :)
Lou
March 3rd, 2009 1:13 pm
Hello Daren, Great Post! I found that when I buy a magazine related to my niche or even subscribe to one, It helps me develop new ideas. I also like to Google my niche and explore the web to see whats going on out there. Another good way would be to join a forum related to a niche. This will help brainstorm hot topics related to a discussion on a particular thread. :-)
James
March 3rd, 2009 10:40 pm
Hi Darren.
Some excellent tips here. I’ve reached the 6 month turning point on my blog and noticed that reviewing, updating and modifying previous posts does help.
Linking to previous posts add some life into old posts. Blog maintenance is a key role in blogging.
Mark Wiens
March 4th, 2009 4:05 am
It also depends upon the blog niche. If the blog relates to eating, there is always something new to eat or try and then blog about.
One of the best things for me to do when facing writers block, is to go on an excursion, as simple as taking a hike. It is usually when I am not thinking about the blog that the ideas start to come to me.
My advice is to hang out, interact with others, do things, and new ideas should emerge.
doublebanker
March 4th, 2009 6:39 am
I schedule my daily posts 2-3 days in advance…and with 3-4 posts daily it seems to work best to spend 2-3 hours getting posts organized for a few days.
Daily Gif Blog
Df
Sanjeev Bhadresa
March 4th, 2009 12:04 pm
As a new(ish) blogger, I’ve bookmarked your ideas to come back to when I get stuck!
Thank you!
TipsGoda
March 4th, 2009 3:35 pm
Its been hard for me to keep up with this posting thing.got so many ideas but i guess i dont plan well enough.
thanks for this valuable info.
now looking for someone to be my guest author at my blog.
Its a blog on tips on dating and relationship.
anybody interested?
http://www.TipsGoda.com
NeoTechie
March 4th, 2009 3:49 pm
Reading other blogs helps to brainstorm ideas for posts.
Janrafi @ Earn Money Online
March 4th, 2009 4:36 pm
I make many drafts but i rarely get to finish them. Someone the drive to make fresh content disappear if I put them in drafts even just for a while. Someone will always beat me to the hilt regarding the topics i just thought about.
Viraal
March 4th, 2009 4:41 pm
Hi good set of ideas. Another set of idea could be thinking on existing issues and researching on it or just explaining those issues.
One example of how I came up with an article by using this technique is
http://snippetwall.com/2009/03/04/how-many-times-have-you-found-what-you-search-for-on-google.aspx
Nick
March 4th, 2009 5:07 pm
Yet again, you come through with great tips. Thanks very much. I’m going to have some guest posts and hire some writers for my new political blog. Thanks again for the info.
Andrew
March 4th, 2009 6:51 pm
Good advice and thanks. Yes as a new blogger we find it hard to write sometimes.
http://endlessgoals.com/
Sumit
March 4th, 2009 11:36 pm
I’d say.. Look what others are blogging about in your niche. Simplest way to find new topics to blog about!
Do-follow Blog
March 5th, 2009 3:36 am
Right i dont have money so i will try some of idea’s of yours where you don’t have to spent money. Nice advice thank you for that.
Nidosz
March 6th, 2009 2:28 am
Hi Darren…what a good point of views you wrote in this article man..
Wow …you surely a real “Guru” .
I agree on the points you wrote like “Develop an editorial calendar”. It surely sound that to make sure that a blog will be successful for long term….we really have to plan,
Yea,,,,man…I am also new to blogging world. Around 3 months and sometimes I myself feel that it is tough to keep on writing good content for my blogs,,,,because it require a genuine passion , determination , and surely hardwork.
But,,,,I will try my best man…
Yolanda
March 6th, 2009 5:59 am
One issue that I have noticed with having guest writers is that they do not like to be edited so make sure you are specific when inviting them.
Albert @ Market Opinions
March 6th, 2009 4:34 pm
Great article on how to keep your blog flowing with on going articles because I know at times you feel like you are trapped with nothing to post about, but in reality you got plenty of things that you haven’t mentioned.
Matthew Tiller
March 6th, 2009 7:36 pm
In my experience the bet way to keep your blog flowing with content is to constantly gain outside perspectives. There really is endless things to write about across all chosen topics, if you can mix say for web design: Cultural influence in combination with technical mumbo jumbo, mixing concepts can create very rich content! This always gives way to new ideas for me and diversifies how people perceive my business.
Manuel
March 6th, 2009 7:43 pm
Subscribing to newsletter / press releases also helps me a lot.
Bryan
March 6th, 2009 8:00 pm
I’ve found a wealth of information on EzineArticles. I like to bulk up on information from there when I’m working on a new posting.
Joe
March 6th, 2009 11:30 pm
A big part of this is going to depend on your niche, and just how much there is to talk about…Personally speaking i cant even keep up with all the content that can be published on my site…I have never faced bloggers block due to the fact i could literally post about 20 new things every single day, non stop…Some of your pointers though are good ideas for those who do face bloggers block and work with blogs/niches which arent full of everyday news like some other niches may be…
Interacting with your viewers i have found to be very valuable though…Carrying on conversations within the comments with your readers insures they will come back
Posicionamiento Valencia
March 7th, 2009 6:01 am
Time, time and more time to update every day with fresh and amazing content.
Make Extra Money by Guest Blogging
March 7th, 2009 4:17 pm
All the tips presented here are very good, especially the guest blogging tip. The map minding technique is a very scientific approach to come up with new ideas, and I am definitely going to try it out.
Make Extra Money by Guest Blogging
TechPaparazzi
March 7th, 2009 5:54 pm
Thanks a lot….For sharing ur experience ….I think ur posts are mostly of ur blogging experience
india
March 7th, 2009 10:37 pm
In order to make more flow one have to update its content daily or once in a week. So that it can become visitor friendly.
dollarsites.blogspot.com
March 8th, 2009 12:32 am
Thanks, i have been battling on updating my blog
Onna
March 8th, 2009 10:05 am
I am fairly new to blogging, started about 6 months ago, but this post is so helpful to me! Although I still have ideas that I want to post your mind mapping idea will be very helpful. I think starting to do that every month, will really help me! Thank you very much!!
I also like the idea of having topic days! I find so much wonderful information in your blog!
Carl
March 8th, 2009 4:11 pm
Thanks. I never have a problem with ideas, it’s taking the time to write them down. Mindmapping is a good tool to use.
no deposit game
March 9th, 2009 3:25 am
From a SEO perspective you can try to find what kind of keywords people are searching in your industry… and then write articles revolving around those kewords.
Another idea would be to check out yahoo answers, see what kind of questions are related to your industry..
K Z
March 9th, 2009 6:22 am
Thanks Darren, i am new to this blogging think, and reading about improving blogging. This post is certainly a helpful hand to always find a new idea of your post. Getting fresh and unique post is difficult for me at that stage but i will certainly find new topics to write about for my blog.
Alex
March 9th, 2009 6:23 am
I am a novice blogger and honestly I am having a difficulty what topics to post. It’s nice to know that you shared your blogging experiences. Thank you for those great ideas.
Mohammad Afaq
March 9th, 2009 7:15 am
This is the question I had in mind when I started blogging that I am just a 15 year old blogger and I won’t be able to keep up with the posts and I won’t be able to post regularly but Thanks God I didn’t have this problem by now.
I know that I will have to face this pretty soon. I think that every blogger has to face this problem once in a while. Great post and I think that it will be helpful for all the people who blog and mostly for advanced and old bloggers.
Thank Darren
——————————————————-
Mohammad Afaq
Free Website Traffic
Internet Affiliate Marketing Programs
March 9th, 2009 12:03 pm
When I lack inspiration I turn to humor. You can still make your post relevant and humor can be the most effective teaching method.
Dave
Tadukau
March 9th, 2009 6:47 pm
Thank you for this post. Amazing! You’ve mentioned some things like I never thought before. Now I can understand more clearly what makes one blog stand out of the crowd.
Web Programmer
March 9th, 2009 9:53 pm
Great Article. These points are spot on, you couldn’t have said it any better.
I especially like option 4. Update Previous Posts and Topics, simply because it is so true, you can never update your past posts and topics enough.
seorick
March 10th, 2009 12:07 am
this brainstorming also helps with articles, and ad copy for various writing techniques.
MrD
March 10th, 2009 3:27 am
Hi, Another technique I find works is to check out the long tail search terms users are finding your site with. Use Analytics or something similar and get all the long tail search terms together in one massive list. Then, as said above, try a brainstorming session and expand on the subjects your users are searching to reach you.
Louis Cheung
March 10th, 2009 4:14 am
I run a blog about Finance, which means I can never run short of things to write, but it is indeed very hard to be motivated. In fact, there are too much I can write.
Swingers
March 10th, 2009 4:47 am
Darren thanks for another great article. I have several couples who write guest posts on are blog and some of them are great writers.
I have thought about offering a “pay per post” in hopes they could contribute such great stuff a little more often. What is a good starting price to pay someone who has no traffic incentive. Few of my readers, including those that write for me have their own webiste so traffic and linking is not as much of an incentive.
Simon Stapleton
March 10th, 2009 4:53 am
This is a really helpful post. I was beginning to run out of ideas after a pretty hectic editorial calendar. I’ve written some big pillar articles over the last few weeks and I was verging on running out of juice. This post has inspired many ideas that I will be pursuing! Particularly using the mindmap technique.Thanks
seorick
March 10th, 2009 7:35 am
Whenever you are searching for a few ideas for new blog posts lead off with an enquiry that is standard for your subscribers or readers. Searching through the answers that you would find for them will lead to new ideas and draw them all together for a brand new blog topic post.
Stephanie Valentine
March 10th, 2009 7:49 am
Thanks for the great mindmap idea. I sometimes have a little trouble keeping up with myself, my ideas, and my energy. This will help me get and stay organized as well as inspired. I’m going to share this post with some of my business partners as well — they have some trouble from time to time staying inspired, too.
Maria
March 10th, 2009 8:37 am
Thanks for the great post!
I use http://www.mind42.com/ for my mindmap. A great and cheap tool to organize your thougths and topics!
Maria
http://www.MariaAbroad.com
Etienne Chabot
March 10th, 2009 1:43 pm
This is a great post. Altough I tend to agree with most of your recommendations, I think they mostly apply to Professional Bloggers (yes I know you are Problogger!) but most blogs aren’t maintained by professional bloggers but by people who are doing blogging as a second “job”.
Your post made me think about something when I got back from vacation this week and my blog has been left dead for seven days. See it here http://etiennechabot.wordpress.com/2009/03/09/blogging-break-vs-blog-robotization/
Joyce Jacobsen
March 12th, 2009 7:41 pm
Thanks for the great tips on the different ways to keep fresh content on your blog. This has really helped me keep the juices flowing….I was having writers block. Thanks again.
Joyce Jacobsen
Conflict Israel
March 13th, 2009 7:55 am
Keep the content fresh and ideas flowing , easier said than done but since I have started following the problogger blogs I do not feel as alone.
Viruster
March 17th, 2009 8:16 am
Thank you very much for the post. This is where I usually stall… keeping a flow of fresh content… There are times I end up staring on a brick wall and dont know what to post. I worry too much that any post I do is already covered on another site… and my post wouldnt be that original anymore… I guess it is a a psychological problem that I have to go away from. I am still struggling right now on how to come up with a new articles… I guess I will slowly try it your way
Inchirieri Masini
April 22nd, 2009 1:13 am
Like your site, and all the great tips that are mentioned on it, it has really helped out. Thanks!
Stuart
June 6th, 2009 8:59 pm
This list is excellent, I use it every day. It’s amazing how much content can be created from brainstorming and expanding on old topics.
One thing I would add is get inspiration from similar blogs. Obviously don’t copy, but you can expand on or debate or give an alternate view on topics that others are talking about in your niche.
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