Some Creative Ideas to Help You Through A Slump
By Sheila on Apr 10, 2010 in Blogging Tips
I am constantly on the lookout for new information to help me come up with new ideas for writing blog posts. I came across this list of post ideas that I think can help anyone get their creative juices flowing.
Keeping your blog interesting and fresh isn’t just a case of posting regularly, you also need to mix things up and use different styles of posts to keep your readers engaged. Here are five different styles you can try out to make your blog more interesting.
1. The inspection post
One of the easiest ways to make money with your blog is to review products that then pay you a commission for any sales that you make. The inspection post is one where you take a closer look at a product and review it for your readers.
An effective inspection post will cover the positives as well as the negatives. People want to know what’s good and bad about a product before they buy it and the more honest you are the more likely they are to buy the product through your affiliate link.
2. The insights post
Offering insights to your readers is a great way to write an engaging and interesting post. Sometimes you might have a great tip to share that doesn’t warrant a whole article but would make a great short post. Say you blog about cake baking, a useful insights post could be as simple as instructions on how to grease a muffin pan so that the muffins turn out easily. You can add even more interest by making a short video to show your readers how it’s done.
3. The index post
Readers love lists. It doesn’t matter whether it’s 15 Great Ways to Build Traffic to Your Website or the Top 10 Kitchen Utensils Every Baker Needs. Whatever niche you are in you will be able to compile a useful index post. These resource lists are popular because they are easy to scan and can help people find the information they need quickly and easily.
The other great thing about index posts is that they have the potential to go viral. People love to share index posts with their friends via Facebook, Twitter or the other social networking sites, compile a useful list and before you know it you will have a whole new set of visitors.
4. The interview post
Interviews are a great source of interesting and engaging content for your blog. You could offer to interview an expert in your niche, or the author of a useful book. It will take some work to set up the interview as you will need to contact prospective interviewees to ask them to take part. Once they’re on board you simply need to compile an interesting list of questions and ask them to complete the answers by email for publication on your blog.
5. The instruction post
People turn to the Internet when they want to know how to do something. So instruction posts can be really useful. Spend some time in the forums and see what problems people have and then create a blog post walking them through the solution step-by-step. Including screenshots or images can help to get your message across, and videos are even better.
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18 Comment(s)
By John @ Family, Fitness and Finances on Apr 11, 2010 | Reply
Hey Sheila,
I like the insightful, indexing and instructional posts. I agree, it is important to mix it up a bit. I have thought about doing an interview, but as you mentioned, it would take a lot of work to get it set up. With my crazy schedule, I just don’t have the time. Maybe some day…
By Sheila on Apr 11, 2010 | Reply
Hi john – One of the best (and easiest) interviews I’ve done online is when someone sent me a list of questions as the interview. Might be easier than trying to run someone dowb and figure out when you are both available.
By Mrsblogalot on Apr 11, 2010 | Reply
These are some really great avenues Sheila. I love reading the instructional posts. I need much instruction so they always come in handy (-:
By Rick Vaughn on Apr 11, 2010 | Reply
Writing a blog post can be drudgery to say the least. However, if you have a vision of how the post should look ahead of time you are way ahead.
By Lisa - Alterity on Apr 11, 2010 | Reply
Great idea for posts. I have heard of the list and instruction ones and try to incorporate them when I am at a loss for posts. however, I really dont know if I ever want to get into the paid review posts unless they have something to do with my business. Would be kinda funny for people to go to a beaded jewelry blog and find a paid post for jello pudding cups!!!
By Sheila on Apr 11, 2010 | Reply
mrsblogalot – I love instructional posts too. Sometimes I print them out and stick them on the wall so I can check off what I want to do, otherwise I just save it on the computer and forget about it.
Lisa – I signed up at a couple of the paid post sites but have rejected every lead and offer – I just can’t put a paid post on my site.
Rick – Very true – The drudgery that is, I try not to force it. I usually write mine in my head ahead of time. Also whenever I come up with an idea I add a draft to my blog so I don’t forget about it.
By Dr. Ann Voisin on Apr 12, 2010 | Reply
Yes, I think your suggestions are very good.
I especially like the first one, that is, reviewing different products and services, and paying the blogger commissions for sales.
We do that at the College, and several bloggers have made and are still making a livable wage simply referring students to us. We pay about $500 per student on a referral who enrolls in a full program.
So, I have seen this suggestion work.
And, as times get tougher and tougher, the US Department of Education is now encouraging people to take their degrees online. In 2009, the DOE published a study showing that online grads actually have learned more than face to face college grads.
That’s not really surprising seeing as online students must be self starters by definition.
They also tend to be a little older and thus more mature.
So, good suggestions all around. As online education becomes important as a tuition reducer, and as authorities see the results of the 2009 study, it should open up more positions to the public in the recruitment area.
Dr. Ann Voisin
By Dr. Ann Voisin on Apr 12, 2010 | Reply
Hi, I’m afraid Akismet threw my comment in the trash. As a neighborly gesture, would you consider rescuing it. Forgot that if I put one of our scholarship providers in the website box on this site, Akismet will automatically trash it.
If you do rescue the comment, I would love to hear from you.
You can also come on over to our scholarship provider’s site and get a backlink.
They are a Do Follow site and would never dream of trashing your comment sight unseen.
They are http://www dot ToysPeriod dot com.
Dr. Ann
By Sheila on Apr 12, 2010 | Reply
Dr Ann Voisin – Once a comment is approved your following comments shouldn’t have any problem going through automatically. Let me know if you have any more issues with this. I know you’ve commented before so I don’t know why they aren’t going through. Thanks for visiting!!
By Buggys on Apr 12, 2010 | Reply
So true. I did a tutorial once about 6 months ago and I still get hits on that.
By injaynesworld on Apr 12, 2010 | Reply
Thanks, Sheila. I will definitely commit these ideas to memory… Wait. Considering how bad my memory is, maybe I should write them down.
By Sheila on Apr 13, 2010 | Reply
Buggys – You should add a link to your tutorial here then you might get even more hits from it.
injaynesworld – I always write things down (and then I forget where I wrote it) Lately I’ve been telling the kids and husband to remind me of things, that way, I have someone to blame when I forget.
By waterrose on Apr 13, 2010 | Reply
Thanks for sharing all of the information that you do. It is so helpful. I think I need some lists…
By Kay | Letterheads on Apr 13, 2010 | Reply
Sharing some tutorials on how to do stuff are really nice, I am fond of reading those kind of stuff because people nowadays want to do things on their own. Thank you for sharing this post!
By cebu on Apr 13, 2010 | Reply
exactly. Reviewing products needs to have an honest opinion because most followers use the experience from other people to make their decision most of the time. They usually needs an approval from other people. If you were able to weigh down all the necessary cons and pros then you’ll be able to gain targeted audience.
By Sheila on Apr 14, 2010 | Reply
cebu – I totally agree with you.
By Jen on Apr 14, 2010 | Reply
I love interview posts. They are just plain fun as long as I like the person I am interviewing, and of course I would or I wouldn’t bother interviewing them.
By Shelly on Apr 15, 2010 | Reply
I’m in a little slump right now so this is helpful. I do have an interview coming up (my first) so I’m pretty excited about that. Great tips. Thanks