In 2020, 77% of Fortune 500 companies had public blogs – an increase from 54% in 2019. That’s because blogs are good for business. They can help you with a whole host of stages in your inbound marketing funnel, from attracting strangers to your site and converting them into customers to delighting those customers and turning them into promoters of your business.
Blogging is a great way to share your company's story and teach your customers something new. But coming up with ideas for what to write about can be tough – especially if you're just starting.
What makes a good blog post? Will your content make readers want to stick around and maybe even share it with their friends?
Whether you're looking for ideas for your first blog post or you're a seasoned pro, here are 13 excellent content ideas.
1. How-To Posts
These are always popular because people constantly search the internet for answers to their problems. If you can provide a helpful solution, they'll be more likely to become a customer or client. For example, a home renovation company could write a post titled “How to Prepare Your Home for a Big Renovation” and recommend their company at the end.
2. Industry News
Keep your finger on the pulse of your industry and share the latest news and developments in your blog posts. This will show that you're an expert in your field and help you attract new readers interested in what's happening.
3. Comparison Post
In a comparison post, you take two (or more) products or services and compare them side-by-side. This is an excellent way to showcase your product's features and benefits and show how it stacks up against the competition. Just be sure not to make your post too sales-y.
An example of this in practice could be a post that compares the top three CRMs for small businesses, highlighting the unique benefits of your CRM product. Or something more general, like Slack’s comparison post on “The difference between formal and informal meetings.”
4. Case Studies
Case study is an excellent way to showcase the results you've achieved for your clients or customers. Especially for service businesses, case studies are a great way to demonstrate the impact you've been able to make in someone's life or business.
Take a wedding planner, for example. They could write a case study about an outstanding wedding they planned where everything went perfectly, and the couple was thrilled with the results.
5. Client Testimonials
Let your happy customers do the talking by sharing testimonials in your blog posts. This social proof will help boost your credibility and attract new leads looking for a company they can trust.
6. Expert Interviews
Interviewing experts in your industry is a great way to add fresh perspectives and valuable insights to your blog. It's also a great way to build relationships with influencers who can help promote your content.
7. Industry Research
Share your findings from any surveys or research you've conducted on your industry or target market. This original data will make your blog post more authoritative and help you attract new readers.
8. Product Reviews
If you offer products or services, write objective reviews of them in your blog posts. This will show that you're an expert in your field and help people make informed decisions about doing business with you.
Product reviews may be structured a little like this: an overview of the product, a list of pros and cons, and a final verdict or rating.
Look at this review on Byrdie (a beauty and style blog) called “After Tons of Research, We Uncovered the 25 Absolute Best Jeans on the Market”. The title alone is enough to make anyone interested in jeans want to read on, and the rest of the post doesn’t disappoint.
9. Guest Posts
Sometimes, it's helpful to bring in outside perspectives by publishing guest posts on your blog. This can add fresh voices and new ideas to your blog and help you build relationships with other bloggers in your industry. Those in the B2B space can particularly benefit from guest blogging, as it can help you establish trust with potential customers.
These types of posts have benefits for both the guest author and the blog host. The guest author gets exposure to a new audience, while the blog host gets fresh content and a break from writing.
10. Q&As
These can be in written or video format, but they're always popular because people love learning from experts. Share your knowledge and help your readers by answering their questions in a blog post. For example, a pet store could do a Q&A with a veterinarian on the most common health problems pet owners face and then recommend products their clinic may offer.
11. Gated Content
If you have high-quality content that you want to keep behind a paywall, blogging is the perfect platform. You can generate leads by requiring people to submit their contact information before they're able to access your gated content.
For instance, if you're a web design company, you could blog about the ten biggest mistakes people make when designing their websites. Then, they would have to submit their contact information to view the rest of the list.
12. Listicles
People love reading lists because they're easy to digest and usually contain valuable information. If you can come up with an interesting angle, a listicle blog post is sure to be a hit with your readers. You could even combine product reviews with a listicle or make your listicle a gated piece of content as per our example above.
13. Guides and eBooks
If you have a lot of information to share, consider packaging it into a comprehensive guide or eBook. This type of content is usually fairly lengthy, so it's best to break it up into a series of blog posts. That way, people can read it at their own pace.
Why Blogging is Essential for Digital Marketing
If you're not blogging, you're missing a huge opportunity to reach new customers and grow your business. Blogging is essential for digital marketing because it:
- Builds thought leadership – By sharing your company's story, you can position yourself as an expert in your industry. This will make people more likely to do business with you when they're ready to buy.
- Generates traffic – A well-written blog post can attract new visitors to your website looking for the information you're providing. Once they're on your site, you can convert them into leads and customers.
- Improves SEO – Search engines love fresh, relevant content. By regularly publishing blog posts, you're giving them the fuel they need to rank your site higher in search results. This will help you get more organic traffic and reach more people with your message.
- Customer engagement – Blogging is a great way to start a conversation with your customers. You can use your posts to get feedback and learn more about what they want and need from your business.
- Brand reputation – A strong blog can help build trust and credibility for your brand. This is especially important if you're selling products or services online. By providing helpful information and demonstrating your expertise, you can show potential customers that they can rely on you. Keep an eye on your Google E-A-T score to make sure you're maintaining a good reputation.
- Lead generation – Every blog post is an opportunity to collect leads. Include a call-to-action (CTA) at the end of each post that encourages readers to sign up for your email list or download a free guide. You can then use these leads to nurture them into customers.
Conclusion – Keep Your Audience in Mind
These are just a few tried and true ideas when it comes time to write your next blog post. Remember, keeping your audience in mind is the best way to come up with an effective and interesting topic.
What would they like to read? What would be helpful for them? Answering these questions will help ensure that your next blog post is a hit. With a little effort, you can come up with a topic that's both interesting and informative and will resonate with your audience.
