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5 Ways to Generate Blog Topics

Even a seasoned editorial team can run dry on fresh blog topics after a while. Keeping your readers interested takes a lot of strategy in addition to creative minds. Consider the need to include long-tail keywords, which account for 70 percent of all web searches, and you can see why you need a plan for generating blog topics and effective titles. Read on to find out about five effective methods for coming up with the content that people are searching for. 

[RELATED: Learn how to increase blog traffic with long tail keywords!]

1. Search Google Keyword Planner

Google's Keyword Planner is a free AdWords tool that's designed for crafting effective Google ads, but it can be just as fruitful when you're planning new blogs. Start by typing in a key term related to your industry, and Google will give you the top related keywords. You can sort the keywords by average monthly searches; this helps you determine which terms are most likely to earn your blog organic traffic. Once you see what people are searching for, you can use the data to guide your blog topics. 

2. Browse BuzzSumo

BuzzSumo is a content analytics site with free and paid versions. You can search using keywords, and BuzzSumo will show you the analytics for relevant web content (including blogs and news stories). For instance, if you search for "best wedding destinations," BuzzSumo will show you blogs and articles that have already been published on this topic and how many social shares and backlinks they earned. By scoping out what has performed well for other companies, you can start to generate your own blog ideas. 

3. Put an Ear to Social Media

If you have social media pages, you can use your engagement metrics to see what users are most interested in. For instance, perhaps your posts answering common questions get a lot of comments and shares. You can use this information to inform the need for an FAQ blog post. You may also want to run a poll on your Facebook page asking what people want to learn more about. Taking the temperature of your current followers can eliminate the guesswork around what people want to read. 

[RELATED: How to add Facebook reviews to your website (and why you need them).]

4. Consider Seasonal Topics

Bear in mind that readers often search for topics that are timely and relevant in the moment. To that end, you should look at the calendar to see what holidays or other milestones are coming up. Depending on your industry, you may want to write about national holidays, or you could write a blog about an annual industry conference. 

5. Use a Blog Topic Generator

Really stumped? Consider using a blog topic generator like the one offered by HubSpot. Just enter a few nouns that you want to talk about in your content, and the site will spit out a few options for you. Keep in mind that some blog topics generated with these tools may be a bit click-baity. Still, it's a good place to start. 

Blogs must always answer a question that users seek. Remember to implement long-tail keywords in your title and body, and pay attention to the rise of semantic search. Google is rewarding blogs that don't keyword stuff, but rather naturally include relevant terms and links to quality resources. If your blogs provide real value, you'll be rewarded by Google and your target readers alike. 

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