It's one thing to start a blog, work out a timetable for making posts and create a calendar to ensure those posts go out the door. These are administrative tasks and fairly easy to tackle once you have a plan and the right tools for the job. It's another thing entirely to constantly come up with blog ideas for new posts and then write those posts — especially if writing is not something you particularly enjoy.
That's why we're here to help with seven blog post ideas to keep you blogging for many posts to come.
1. Share What Inspires You
What pushed you to start your own business? Who influenced you growing up? When did you first discover your passion?
This is a great go-to because you can rely on the source of inspiration to provide most of the content. "This inspires me for this and this reason, and here it is."
Let's say you're a baker. Why not share the recipe for your grandpa's chocolate pie? Link to your favorite cookbooks and write up a quick review? Embed a video of that Julia Child appearance on Late Night with David Letterman you saw when you were twelve and that first made you think about the food industry as a potential career?
1. Share What Inspires You
What pushed you to start your own business? Who influenced you growing up? When did you first discover your passion?
This is a great go-to because you can rely on the source of inspiration to provide most of the content. "This inspires me for this and this reason, and here it is."
Let's say you're a baker. Why not share the recipe for your grandpa's chocolate pie? Link to your favorite cookbooks and write up a quick review? Embed a video of that Julia Child appearance on Late Night with David Letterman you saw when you were twelve and that first made you think about the food industry as a potential career?
2. Explain How to Use Your Products
If you sell any sort of product, other than something like socks, many of your customers probably aren't using them to their full potential. And considering some of the people you see on TV these days, some of your customers might not even be using socks to their full potential.
This doesn't need to be straight up "Plug A into B" kind of instruction, though it certainly can and often should be that. You can suggest various ways to use your products that your customers may not even think to do. Or make suggestions that are tangentially related to your product. Let's say, for example, that you sell freezers or coolers or fans or anything at all that would have to do with summer and a need to cool off: show customers how to make colorful ice cubes.
You can even find ways to do this if your product is very simple (like socks or sunglasses):
"5 Places You'll Need Your Sunglasses Near <Your Store Location Here> This Summer."
"Best Local Beaches to Remove Your Socks for a Bit."
3. Answer Common Questions
Have several people asked you variations on the same question? Write a blog post answering that question in detail! That'll cut down on the number of people who ask in the future, give you a place to refer people who continue to ask, and answer the question for those folks who may not have had the time or inclination to ask on their own.
The question doesn't even need to be common. If someone asks a question and you immediately think, “That's a good question!" Write a post about it.
4. Highlight Great Customer Feedback
Did a customer send you a great testimonial? Discuss and post it.
Get a great review on Yelp? Discuss and link to it.
It's not even a bad idea to engage with negative feedback to show how you're handling it and how your business is improving as a result of it.
5. Post Snapshots
It humanizes your business to share photos. Post pics of employees packing boxes, customers smiling and making purchases, the world right outside your door, new products you've just received, pets that customers brought to the store, pictures of you or other people enjoying your products. Just be sure to make a comment or two to share alongside them.
6. Discuss Running Your Business
Talk about the day-to-day of starting a business. Millions of people either have a business of their own already (of course) or would love to start one (also, of course). Some of these people are your customers who you can inspire.
Discuss useful tools, experiences you've learned from, favorite software programs, tax advice, and anything else about the business you're willing to share that you think could be helpful. It will keep some people coming back to read more.
7. Do Something Nice
Highlight other products you enjoy using. Do a short profile of a regular customer who makes your day with their jokes or friendliness. Post about upcoming events in your area. Discuss non-profit organizations and charities you'd like to see more people support. Posts don't necessarily need to be specifically about you or your business to be effective.
There's only one thing left to do: take one of these blog post ideas and write a post of your own!
If you sell any sort of product, other than something like socks, many of your customers probably aren't using them to their full potential. And considering some of the people you see on TV these days, some of your customers might not even be using socks to their full potential.
This doesn't need to be straight up "Plug A into B" kind of instruction, though it certainly can and often should be that. You can suggest various ways to use your products that your customers may not even think to do. Or make suggestions that are tangentially related to your product. Let's say, for example, that you sell freezers or coolers or fans or anything at all that would have to do with summer and a need to cool off: show customers how to make colorful ice cubes.
You can even find ways to do this if your product is very simple (like socks or sunglasses):
"5 Places You'll Need Your Sunglasses Near <Your Store Location Here> This Summer."
"Best Local Beaches to Remove Your Socks for a Bit."
3. Answer Common Questions
Have several people asked you variations on the same question? Write a blog post answering that question in detail! That'll cut down on the number of people who ask in the future, give you a place to refer people who continue to ask, and answer the question for those folks who may not have had the time or inclination to ask on their own.
The question doesn't even need to be common. If someone asks a question and you immediately think, “That's a good question!" Write a post about it.
4. Highlight Great Customer Feedback
Did a customer send you a great testimonial? Discuss and post it.
Get a great review on Yelp? Discuss and link to it.
It's not even a bad idea to engage with negative feedback to show how you're handling it and how your business is improving as a result of it.
5. Post Snapshots
It humanizes your business to share photos. Post pics of employees packing boxes, customers smiling and making purchases, the world right outside your door, new products you've just received, pets that customers brought to the store, pictures of you or other people enjoying your products. Just be sure to make a comment or two to share alongside them.
6. Discuss Running Your Business
Talk about the day-to-day of starting a business. Millions of people either have a business of their own already (of course) or would love to start one (also, of course). Some of these people are your customers who you can inspire.
Discuss useful tools, experiences you've learned from, favorite software programs, tax advice, and anything else about the business you're willing to share that you think could be helpful. It will keep some people coming back to read more.
7. Do Something Nice
Highlight other products you enjoy using. Do a short profile of a regular customer who makes your day with their jokes or friendliness. Post about upcoming events in your area. Discuss non-profit organizations and charities you'd like to see more people support. Posts don't necessarily need to be specifically about you or your business to be effective.
There's only one thing left to do: take one of these blog post ideas and write a post of your own!
Ezra Meyers Ezra is a freelance writer focused on web development, email marketing and baseball. He lives in Los Angeles, but wishes he lived in Tokyo.
