Having Trouble Coming Up with Blog Post Ideas for Company Blog?
The Bad News: You are experiencing writers block. The Good News: You already have a handful of blog post topics at your disposal. My advice: Stop overthinking it. It is important to remember that you are writing a blog post, not a novel. Many business owners agonize over the thought of blogging simply because they believe they need write ground-breaking masterpieces. As a result, they develop writers block. For this reason, I decided to share a “go-to” list of blog post ideas for entrepreneurs who are experiencing writers block.
Company Updates & Upcoming Events
Use company changes and upcoming events as an opportunity to write fun blog posts. New hires, new products, new services, new locations, new operating hours, upcoming promotions, specials and events are all things that you should write about.
If you make a change, write about it. Provide your readers with details about the change. It is important to remember that even if you do not find these topics very interesting, your customers do. Company updates and upcoming events are newsworthy and should be shared with your company’s online community.
Exercise:
First, think about the past month and make a list of changes at your company. Next, think about any new projects you have coming up and write them down. Now, do the same with all other company events. Finally, highlight the most important company changes and upcoming events from your list. Now, you have a list of blog post ideas to write about.
Expert Advice & Recommendations
Your customers view you as an expert in your field. Regularly writing about your industry helps reinforce their opinions. Here is an easy way to generate blog post ideas about your industry. Think about the questions new or potential customers regularly ask your business. Think about the questions that annoy you the most because you have answered them a million times. Next, write them down, then write down the answers. You just created a list of blog post ideas.
Do you use any specific products or tools so often that you even recommend them to your customers? Great! Write a review. Your customers do business with you because you are a trusted resource. In other words, they value your opinion. Why not let them read about it?
Exercise:
First, think about a common question your customers ask. Next, type the question out at the top of a document or write it down on a piece of paper. Then, write a detailed answer to the question. List every step you take to solve their problem or answer their question. Finally, post it to your blog.
When you post common questions and answers on your company blog, your website becomes a helpful resource to your online community.
Personal Stories
Most people like getting to know the people they do business with. Blogging makes it easy to share your brand’s personality with your customers and potential customers. Here are some “personal story” blog post ideas:
Company Story:
Every entrepreneur has a reason for becoming their own boss. Why did you open your business? Did you want to solve a problem? Did you want to help people? Did you think you could do a better job than your previous employer? Write about it. Sharing your experience and writing about motivation behind opening your business shows authenticity and adds purpose to your brand.
Lessons Learned:
Making mistakes is human. Admitting you make mistakes is honorable. For this reason, try writing about the mistakes you have made and the lessons you learned afterward.
Personal Achievements:
Have you recently won an award? Did you help your company achieve an important milestone? These are credibility builders and should be written about.
Exercise:
First, think about the day you started your business and write or type the date. Now, start writing the answers to these questions: Where were you? Why did you do it? What challenges did you face to get to that point? What has changed since that day? List out some of those changes. What lessons have you learned? I bet you just thought of a few more blog post ideas.
Industry trends
As a business owner, it is important to stay up-to-date on your industries top trends. Writing about industry trends attracts readers to your company’s blog — and if you link from your blog post to relevant product/service pages on your site, you might just find yourself generating high-quality sales leads.
Most professionals are pretty good at analyzing industry trends and determining which trends are “trendy” and which trends will last. Share your professional opinion on your blog and back up your opinion with research and stats. Be ready for people to debate or disagree with you and be okay with it. After all, you are the expert. In the rare case that you get it wrong… admit it… and write about it.
Exercise:
Write an opinion piece about a trend within your industry. Is the trend here to stay or is it trendy? Is it helpful or is it wasteful? What are the pros and cons? What made you formulate your opinion?
Behind the Scenes
We are living in a post-reality TV world. Consumers are cord-cutting and social media is dominating the flow of information. People are watching YouTube and Facebook live-streams instead of watching mainstream network television. Young people subscribe to YouTube channels instead of watching MTV. Why?
Authenticity. Streaming displays actual reality where “reality TV” was scripted. People are genuinely interested in behind-the-scenes information.
Exercise:
Pick one day next week to document some activities and projects you are working on. Grab a screenshot, picture, or video and show what you do.
Try recording a video that reflects your typical work day. Bring your audience to work. Share projects you are working on, people you are networking with or share challenges you are facing as a business owner.
Give your audience a behind the scenes look at what it is like being you. What seems mundane and boring to you is often valuable or entertaining to others.
Introduce Your Team and Partners
Share your company’s vibe and culture with your customers by writing about your staff members and valued partners. You probably have awesome team members that contribute to your company’s culture. First, introduce the people who make an everyday customer experience so wonderful. Next, write about how grateful you are for the team. After that, write about your favorite partners and suppliers. These people are key elements of your brand’s image. If you are proud of them, let the world know it!
Exercise:
Pick a team member or business partnership that you are proud of. Conduct an interview with them and ask some “getting to know you” questions. Learn some fun facts about them and write about it. Again, do not overthink this. Have fun and keep it authentic.
Local Community News and Events
Does your business help the local community through charity or promotional events? Write about it. Do not be afraid to tell others why your business is an asset to the community.
Promote other people and companies you admire within your community. Engage with other business owners in your community and share inspiring stories about them with your customers.
If you are struggling for local ideas try reading some local news stories and see what you find interesting and what your audience may find interesting. Summarize the news article into your own words and then link to the original source.
Exercise:
Take a few minutes to make a list of business events you attended or hosted over the past two months. Write a blog post that explains how and why your business was involved and tell the reader what the outcome was.
Do Not Overthink It.
The best digital content comes from a place of truth and authenticity. If you share what you already have going on at your company, you will never have a shortage of awesome blog post ideas. Just remember not to overthink it.
Happy Blogging!
Jean Templeton is a public relations director and copywriter who works with small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs to help grow their personal brands and businesses.
Jean is the co-founder of Consonant Marketing and believes in creating content that is organically produced and custom made. She is professionally trained in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and specializes in Creative Writing and Public Relations.