When you’re a blogger or social media marketer, your mission is really to become a producer of valuable content in the form of videos, blog posts, or articles… Value means sharing tips, strategies, ideas, or concepts that will help improve the lives or businesses of others.
As a social media and blogging coach, one of the most common questions I get asked is, ‘Katie, how do I come up with new content ideas?’
This is where most new bloggers get totally stuck… But coming up with new content ideas is actually fun and easy when you have the right strategies and tips to guide you along. So today, I’d like to share a few juicy strategies for creating magnetic blog posts and videos to help YOU along your journey to becoming a content-creating superstar!
Ok, so matter what your niche is, you can always get inspiration for content ideas in your daily life… As you read books, ebooks, go to seminars, watch movies, have conversations with friends, etc, you can train your mind to always be thinking about ways to turn these experiences and learned skills into content. I keep a running journal of content ideas as I come up with them throughout my day, so that when it comes time to sit down and create a video or a post, I have a whole list of ideas to choose from.
For example, let’s say you you just went snowboarding last weekend… And your niche is teaching people about online marketing. You can create a post about your experience snowboarding and how certain principles and concepts also apply to online marketing. So maybe you could talk about how snowboarding:
- Takes a certain amount of courage and risk, just like starting your own business.
- Requires that you stay focused and in the present moment because distractions can cause an accident… And being truly effective and successful as an entrepreneur also requires present moment awareness and focus.
- While learning to snowboard, it is inevitable that you will fall down, but what’s important is that you pick yourself back and up and keep going… In business, you will experience setbacks here and there when you’re learning and growing, but as long as failure isn’t an option, you just need to pick yourself back up, dust yourself off, and continue full speed ahead.
So use your own life as continual inspiration! Just make sure you always apply the ideas and insights you come across to your specific niche and how it benefits your readers or followers. And as you learn or come across new information, turn around and share it!
So now that you’ve got an idea for how to come up with the inspiration behind your content, let’s talk about ideas for how to structure it… Below are 5 high-converting and extremely powerful strategies for delivering your content…
1. Create a ‘How To’ post or video: Teach something! Most people are always eager to learn new information and strategies that will help them get to where they want to be in life. For example, ‘How To Create And Optimize Your Facebook Fan Page.’
2. Make A List: List reasons, steps, excuses, biggest mistakes, top strategies, etc. For example, ‘5 Steps To Cultivating Authentic Power‘.
3. Ask A Question: Questions automatically get the brain to produce an answer, whether internally or out loud. Asking a question in a blog post or video encourages people to want to read or watch the content and contribute their answer! For example, ‘What Does True Freedom Mean To You?‘
4. Give A Direct Benefit: Clearly stating the benefit in your blog post or video title is very powerful and will definitely help you captivate a larger audience. For example, ‘2 Tips To Unblock Your Energy For Increased Clarity And Creativity‘. In this example, having more clarity and creativity is the direct benefit to the reader.
5. Define Or Reveal Something: This type of post or video is great for peaking curiosity. For example, ‘The Secret To Doubling Your Productivity And Success in 2010.‘
So there you have it… Take these ideas and run with it! Get out there and become a people magnet with your amazing, valuable content! It’s an easy feat when you get into the flow and you follow the strategies outlined above!
Hope you got some great value out of this post today! Please leave me a comment down below and let me know what you liked the most and what you’re excited to go out and implement! And don’t forget to share this post with your Twitter and Facebook friends and followers!
Great ideas are meant to be shared! 
We’ll talk soon…
To Your Unstoppable Success,
February 10th, 2010 at 11:41 am
Hey Katie,
Yet another great post.
I find myself struggling from time to time to come up with new content so your ideas are extremely helpful. I mainly do the “How To’s” and the “Lists” and from time to time “everyday experiences”. Writing ideas down is extremely helpful.
Thanks again for your insightful posts and I always look forward to learning from you.
Have an awesome day!
Adrienne
Adrienne´s last blog ..Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway
February 10th, 2010 at 3:48 pm
Katie,
There are some GOLD nuggets in this post, and you’ve broken down the process in a simple way.
If you’ve never written a blog post, it can be overwhelming when you think about creating enough content for an entire site.
Thanks for sharing your article templates (and demonstrating smooth internal linking to some of your best posts).
Have a fantastic day!
Nicholas Klein´s last blog ..Pro Blogger: How Do I Choose the Best Free WordPress Theme for My New Blog?
February 11th, 2010 at 9:17 am
Hi Katie,
Thanks for sharing these terrific ideas about writing magnetic posts. I think one of the hardest things at the beginning (for a new blogger) is to find ways to translate life experiences into “valuable content” that can truly benefit others. It’s really a whole new way of perceiving one’s life and takes some real thought and self-confidence. It can be very daunting at first!
Your clearly stated suggestions will be helpful to so many people!
Thanks for creating a straightforward vision of what’s possible and demonstrating with the content of this post (and all your posts!)
Have a beautiful day!
Buff
buff´s last blog ..Growing Pains
February 12th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
Thank you for the tips and the advice. I have been some difficulty getting attention to my blog and increasing my reader count. Been looking for a bit of guidance, cause I think I need it! So thanks for that.:)
Chris´s last blog ..Discount Tire Stores
February 15th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
Great Katie
This actually has been really helpful because I do know and do all 5 of these but for the past little while, I have had a hard time with new content. This has given me a few idea’s of things that I had not really relized that was good content.
Steven´s last blog ..Reactive vs Proactive – There Is A Major Difference For Your Business
February 16th, 2010 at 11:46 am
Hey Katie,
First off let me say that YOU ROCK. Now as to the content: I find that the most impactful posts that I have written on my blog all come to me through whatever it is that I am studying or experiencing at the moment.
I find that if I am studying a particular subject and take what I have learned and make a blog post regarding it that not only does it allow me to share my knowledge with others it also serves to deepen the understanding on my own behalf.
To Our Massive Success,
John
John Chatman´s last blog ..Are Your Dreams Big Enough?
February 17th, 2010 at 4:12 am
Hi Katie,
Great information. My favorite tidbit was about keeping a journal of ideas. I’m relatively new to blogging and always appreciate good advice on how to create content.
Katie
February 17th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
Thank you Katie for this great article. It reminds me of more diverse ways to go about blogging and posting videos. It also challenges me to think outside of the box. I’ve realized that doing pillar articles such as tutorials and lists are somehow easier because I’m not trying to create content I’m just listing how to do something. Again thank you for the great article. You are helping so many people!!
Jarrod Clark´s last blog ..Stand Firm Against The Attacks of The Enemy
February 19th, 2010 at 5:45 pm
Hi Katie,
A truly valuable post, thank you. I like your idea of using your own life as your inspiration for creating new posts. That way your posts are unique and come from real experience. I think they get the message across a little better when they’re from everyday experiences that everyone can relate to.
Cheers, Lynn
Lynn Glaser´s last blog ..22 Ideas For Finding And Creating Blog Content
February 21st, 2010 at 6:43 am
WOW Katie!
This is some awesome blogging information! You are truly the blogging queen!
Even though I’ve been blogging for awhile it’s easy to get off track with the most effective strategies. Thanks for reminding me of those ideas above.
Appreciate you sharing the wealth and I know this info will be helpful to sooo many people!
Much love and appreciation!
Amanda´s last blog ..The Epitome Of A Good Life Is Gratitude, Growth, and Giving Back
February 26th, 2010 at 1:17 am
I’ve just read this article again for inspiration and I had to send you a comment. Katie you’ve been such a great help with me and my blogging. Thank you for all you do!
Jarrod Clark´s last blog ..What Lane Are You Traveling In Life?
February 26th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Hey Katie, just stumbled onto this post, dunno how I missed it… did you send out an email broadcast for this one?
Anyways, I was recently having trouble brainstorming new content for my blog. I figured stuff that may be interesting or relevant to me may not be interesting or relevant to my readers. Then I realized that the ONLY stuff I should be blogging about is stuff that’s relevant and interesting to me, because it is with that stuff that I am able to DEFINE my audience. By infusing your own interests with value, bloggers are really able to put the law of attraction to work.
As always, thanks for the post!
Garrett
Garrett Miller´s last blog ..Twitter – Autoresponder (Web) 2.0
February 28th, 2010 at 8:54 pm
Hey Katie,
You are an AMAZING women and i truly appreciate your blog to no end, you seem to be just a wealth of knowledge when it comes to personal development and social media!!
I will be following your teachings very closely to deposit in to my ” Value Bank ”
Thanks……
Billee Brady
Billee Brady´s last blog ..Keyword Research Services Are Wasting Your Money
March 1st, 2010 at 12:30 pm
Hi Katie,
Thank you so much for this golden tips!
March 1st, 2010 at 2:43 pm
Katie – this is great stuff. I retweeted it and also plan to repost it on my blog.
March 1st, 2010 at 6:49 pm
Katie,
Life experiences can be the best teachers. I am finding that blogging has helped me look at life differently. To an extent, your blog is an ongoing journal of what you’re living.
You’re always a great source of inspiration and energy:)
Darlene Davis´s last blog ..Bodyblade The Unique Exerciser
March 2nd, 2010 at 10:19 am
Katie “I love you” Wow – thats how I felt when I read the post “How To Easily Create *MAGNETIC* Blog Post And Videos.” I can see that if you yourself are inspired then other can be too!
Patrick´s last blog ..Make Money Online.
March 4th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Hi Katie,
Your post has been very helpful to me. I am ready to start blogging, but have been unsure of what to write about. Thank you so much for the ideas and “how to’s”!
Have a wonderful day!
March 7th, 2010 at 3:20 pm
Thanks Katie!
Shannon Tecson´s last blog ..Amongst Other Gifts You Can Gain Through A Home Based Business
March 9th, 2010 at 5:30 am
Hi Katie,
Your content is amazing. I read an article that you posted on betternetworkers and glad I found you:).
There is so much recycled information whether it is a blog post or an article, that if you are not adding value it is just a waste of time.
I tell people all the time about the value of an magnetic attitude espcially if you are going to get your information from a “gallery of reusuable information”. I personally like to make my header attractive and use an example from personal experience.
Have a great day!!
Tommy
Tommy DiPietro´s last blog ..Would Super Mario Be A Super Blogger?
March 11th, 2010 at 9:35 pm
This is great Katie, thank you for all the wonderful tips. I will get better at blogging. When I first began my blog, it was at first a personal journal. Now, that has shifted into what can I contribute? What content can I give? I can see that through my own personal growth, I do have a lot of ‘value’ to share. Now the challenge is to put that into words. With your outline here I find this very helpful. Thank you so much! I appreciate you for helping us along the way!
Love you much,
Shannon
Shannon Tecson´s last blog ..A Lesson Taken From The Movie "Alive"
March 16th, 2010 at 11:56 am
Hi Katie:
Thank you for your tips, the first question we should ask ourselves id how can we give valuable information to our readers. How can we help them a little bit.
Thanks again,
Carina
Carina´s last blog ..Are you losing money online? Avoid this overlooked mistake.
March 17th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Thanks Katie for this awesome blog post, will certainly use this information
Yannick van den Bos´s last blog ..5 Steps To Success: Believe In Yourself! (Step 3)