22 Mar How To Choose What To Write About On Your Blog

Every blogger will have trouble generating content ideas at some point or another. For new bloggers, the problem can be that there are too many thoughts just as much as it can be an actual lack of inspiration. Whatever is bringing you to this article, we’ve got some tools to help you stave off writer’s block and get back to creating content you love.

Consult Your Niche

You don’t have to have a well-defined niche as soon as you start blogging, but it certainly helps when you need to search for inspiration or organize your thoughts. Even just the process of narrowing your content focus can provide insight into what to write about and what not to write about.

Don’t have a well-defined niche yet? Check out our article on How To Find Your Niche as a Blogger for more help!

Make a Mind Map

Whether you have too many thoughts or too few, making a mind map can be very helpful. Write your content focus in the center of a piece of paper (e.g. “vegan meals” or “party cocktails”) and then spend some time charting out the larger subcategories in the space around it, eventually ending up with the most specific ideas at the outer edges of your map.

You’ll be surprised how much this simple exercise works to help you brainstorm and get your thoughts organized. It’s especially helpful for those who work better when they can picture ideas visually instead of just describing them with words. Before you know it, you’ll have not just one new idea, but several.

Know What Your Audience Wants

Sometimes it’s easier to come up with ideas when you focus on your audience rather than yourself. After all, this blog isn’t just for you! Is there anything your readers might want or need that you can provide?

Things All Audiences Want

In broad strokes, there are a few common things audiences tend to want when they come to a blog. They might want to learn something new, be entertained, solve a problem, find reassurance, or just feel inspired. Try thinking of ways you can meet those needs. Maybe your readers would like to read a detailed how-to with pro tips you’ve learned over time, or maybe they would like to see a recipe that uses a unique featured ingredient. Maybe they would enjoy hearing a story about your cooking triumphs (or failures).

Getting More Focused With Keyword Research

We’ve talked about things all audiences might want, but what about your particular audience? Getting in touch with your audience demographics and search behaviors will give you more specific fodder for your blogging efforts. A little keyword research can go a long way in telling you what your readers are looking to find within your niche.

There’s a few tricks you can use to accomplish this. Try typing a keyword into Google and see what the suggested searches are as you type. This is a quick and easy way to see a few things people commonly search for related to that topic.

Another tool we love is Answer The Public. This site takes keywords and tells you what questions people are asking about those keywords, all in a helpful visualization.

See What Your Competition is Writing About

Now, obviously you want to be unique and avoid just mimicking what everyone else is doing, but looking at what other bloggers in your niche are doing lately can be a great starting place for new ideas. Maybe there’s a trend you could be trying for yourself or explaining your stance on. Maybe you’ll come across an ingredient or technique that sparks inspiration. Whatever you find, just make sure to make it your own, and don’t forget to give credit when needed.

Still Stumped? Try These Writing Ideas.

• Teach your readers how to use an uncommon ingredient
• Create a step-by-step recipe post for a dish you’ve perfected over time
• Tell a story about a dish that inspired you and how you recreated it
• Create a list of tips and tricks for using a certain cooking tool/appliance you love (or hate).
• Create a list of dos and don’ts for specific kind of dish, ingredient, cuisine, etc.
• Explain your position on a recent trend within your niche
• Answer some frequently asked questions within your niche
• Create a holiday dish/menu that fits within your niche