This article was originally published on 21 September 2015 and updated on 8 November 2018. 

We hope you enjoyed our article about the five reasons your business needs a blog.  Of course, we recognise that taking the leap and starting a blog can also be quite daunting. One hurdle that often discourages many business owners is the challenge of regularly coming up with new ideas and information to write about. That is why we’ve put together a list of our favourite ways to get your creative juices flowing when you are stuck for ideas.

1. Tackle a question you frequently get asked by your clients or customers.
Many businesses find there are one or two questions that they get asked by their clients or customers on a regular basis. It could be a technical question (“How do I get my emails on my iPhone?”). Or it could be a question about how to get the most out of your product or service (“How long should I let your Merlot age before I drink it?”). A blog is often the perfect place to tackle these questions.

2. How to get the most out of your product or service
Give your readers tips and tricks on how to get the most out of the product or service that you provide. Create a checklist of things they need to do or prepare before they meet with you. Provide a guide on how to maintain your product so it lasts for the long term.

3. Write about one of the biggest myths in your industry.
Is there a myth floating around your industry that often confuses your customers? Use your blog to put the issue to bed once and for all.

4. See what your competitors are writing about.
No, I am not asking you to copy what your competitors are saying. But often you may find that you can provide a different opinion or twist on the subject that could be valuable to your readers.

5. Try using hubspot.com/blog-topic-generator.
I had a lot of fun testing out this blog topic generator. Enter a few key words relating to your industry (I used words like “website”, “blog” and “business cards”). The generator will use these words to come up with a list of titles for inspiration.

6. Think of your blog as professional development.
Is there a particular question that’s been bugging you recently? Chances are your clients and customers won’t know the answer either. Use this opportunity to read up on the subject and share what you’ve learnt with your readers.

7. What did you learn at a conference or industry event you attended?
Take notes at any seminars or conferences that you attend. The information you discuss and pick up from other speakers there might inspire more blog posts in the future.

8. Share your client’s success stories.
Do you have a client or customer who had great results after visiting your business? Share their success on your blog and congratulate them for their hard work.

9. Where will your industry be in 5-10 years?
Make a prediction about the changes you will likely see in your industry over the next 5 to 10 years. Will this provide a benefit to your clients or customers? Should they prepare for the change?

10. Expand on a topic you’ve written about before.
Go back over your previous blog articles. Are there any topics or aspects of a topic you can expand on?

11. Ask your audience what they want you to write about.
Once you’ve developed a following, it can be valuable to ask your readers what they want to hear about. Post the question on social media and see what responses you get.

12. Talk about a recent mistake.
Don’t be afraid to share your “slip ups” with your readers. Let others learn from your mistakes.

13. The latest news in your industry
Is there any new development in your industry that may interest your clients or customers? If so, share them.

14. Let them get to know the people in your business
Introduce your employees or colleagues. How did they come to work for you? What are their skills?

15. Share content you found interesting or inspiring
Provide a list of must read blogs and articles that inspired or interested you. Often they may inspire or interest your readers as well.

Don’t forget to keep a list of new ideas for when inspiration hits….