20 Blog Topics To Get You Unstuck

March 17, 2009 · Comments

20 I’m often asked how I come up with so much content so often and so consistently. One truth is that I write all the time, and that my discipline of writing all the time means I’m more practiced and skilled.

Another answer is that I have a mindset for framing posts that will hopefully be useful to my community, while also being worthwhile to my business (I derive a high percentage of business referrals from my blog posts).

I wrote down a bunch of ways that you could come up with material. You might not like all 20 ideas. The goal might be to look at what I’ve written for ideas and come up with your own list. In fact, it might even spur you to write 20 blog topics for your industry or community. Here’s hoping this is helpful.

20 Blog Topics To Get You Unstuck

Questions You Might Answer

  1. What challenges are my potential customers facing. Do I have any advice for them?
  2. What have I read lately? What points were interesting? Can I add more to it?
  3. What bugs me? Can I write about another way to approach it?
  4. Who do I admire? Can I write something about them that explains how to emulate those traits?
  5. What has the potential of helping (hurting) me or my community in the coming months? Are there possible ways out of it?
  6. What kinds of tools are missing from my environment that would help things along?
  7. Which companies or parts of an industry might benefit from your ideas?
  8. How do other industries compare to what my community is thinking about?
  9. What kinds of thoughts will inspire my audience to contact me (or support a cause, or buy your product, or support your interests)?
  10. What do I want to know that I can ask my community?

vintage camera
Pictures help stimulate the writing process.

Fill in the Blanks

  1. How ___ is like _____.
  2. __ Ways to Convince the Boss to Try ____.
  3. How do I _______?
  4. Here are some new ways to ________.
  5. My personal recipe for ______.
  6. If I ran the _____.
  7. Three improvements to your company’s _______.
  8. Your first steps into ______.
  9. If you find yourself stuck, try _____.
  10. Restarting now would _____.

photo credit cappellmeister and npmusikchild

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader.

ChrisBrogan.com runs on the Thesis Theme for WordPress

Thesis WordPress theme

Thesis is the search engine optimized WordPress theme of choice for serious online publishers. If you’re a blogger who doesn’t understand a lot of PHP, Thesis will give a ton of functionality without having to alter any code. For the advanced, Thesis has incredible customization possibilities via Thesis hooks.

With so many design options, you can use the template over and over and never have it look like the same site. The theme is robust and flexible enough not only to accommodate a site like ChrisBrogan.com, but also to enable the site to run far more efficiently than it ever has before.

  • This was so freakin' helpful this morning... Just when I thought I had a little writers block!
  • Another juicy morsel. Thank you (redundant I know...). Hope to have some fresh fodder for my blog after attending RETech South in ATL this Thursday and Friday. Wish it was a 'Brogan' event, but I intend to get lucky and meet you in person somewhere. In the meantime, many thanks for this post.
  • I agree that writing all the time is the key. If you produce copious amounts of content some of it's bound to be good. Also read as much as you write.
  • LOL, I had to reread the fill in the blanks just to get what it really means. I could say its helpful to most bloggers, but not for people who do niche blogging...
  • Thanks, great post. Needed this. Another tip: make time to write posts! Even if you have no problem coming up with topics for posts, time is usually the issue.
  • Very timely. I'm trying to get other folks in my company interested in blogging. Most ask the question, "what should I blog about?". This is a very helpful list.
  • Nice post, Chris. Again.

    Replace 'blog' with 'presentation' and there you have some pretty good topics for talks too...
  • Thanks Chris! I was feeling a bit stuck this morning, until I read your post.
  • I like to do some brainstorming before start writing a post, and so far it helps. Still learning though. Just like Samuel said, otherwise, time is an issue. Therefore another big Q in my mind is, WHEN can I have time to sit down and write.
  • Great creative tips! I will pass on to my office.

    Thanks ~ C
  • my experience has been that writing is not the hardest part, but coming up with the great topics that practically write themselves. I put a mindmapping app on my iphone on which i jot down ideas as they come up, and then add notes later as my brain percolates on them. by the time it comes to writing, i usually have a handful of topics with notes and all. couldn't live without it.
  • Just what I've been looking for! Thanks Chris!
  • Ted
    Chris,

    Great post, I would add that if you want to write a lot is to track how much you are writing. Paul Silvia writes in his book "How to Write a Lot" to keep a log and have daily goals in writing. 2000 words is not much if you break up the amount in 200 or 300 word chunks.

    Ted
  • Great post! Thank you so much Chris.
    Just when I was pondering what to write about today...
    I also find it a difficulty with the time constraints not to mention the "block".
    but of course getting into the habit, I know can help reduce these, I guess that is what I need more of.
    Thank you for sharing!
  • Thank you Chris! This is very helpful. I get writer's block all the time.
  • I was thinking of starting a blog for work, and this has helped me come up with a few more ideas before I get started.
    Thanks Chris.
  • Nice job, Chris.

    I printed this post out and will keep it handy on my desk for inspiration. :)
  • marcocarbajo
    Excellent post Chris! A great tool that every blogger should use and I'll be sure to pass it along. Thank you :)
  • Thanks Chris, Very helpful....
  • Mike Meikle
    Great post sir! Words of wisdom for us newbie bloggers out there.
  • Thanks for sharing. I guess today we’ll see a bunch of quite similar looking posts titles. ;)
  • Great Post... I´ll keep it to help me in the future. Well Done
  • how timely. I was just helping a client this morning with writer's block.
  • One technique i used today with a client to stimulate ideas was to ask him to think about conversations he had with his customers just yesterday about their challenges and objectives. It worked well because these topics were fresh on his mind.
  • Thank you. I frequently have this problem. I also have the problem that I have so many ideas, I don't know where to start.

    Stay True and Real.

    Thanks again.
  • Thanks for the thoughts.
  • Perfect timing! We have been trying to come up with new and interesting topics to talk about with our work in China. We always have great stories, but we want to be more informational. Thank you for some great topics that we can try to use.
  • Nice Chris ...

    I've been using this one for a bit: 100 blog topics i hope you write

    Thought i'd help keep it alive! it's great.

    http://twitter.com/franswaa
  • Oh, so THAT'S how you do it! Thanks for the outline; forwarding to some of my new blogging clients. And if I haven't said it lately, thanks for sharing your brain and inspiration with the rest of us.
  • Jocelyn
    i found this off of a twitter comment. great stuff. thank you so much. and i agree about substituting the word 'presentation' for the word 'blog'.....lots of ways this could be very useful.
  • Excellent starter kit for bloggers today. I just preached this myself on my own blog!

    Great job, Chris.

    Trish

    http://www.trishlawrence.com/blog
    @trishlawrence
  • Your blog post is way more useful than your "cake" session at #SXSW
    May be my concentration was all on the cake, and thanks for feeding the hungry.

    Regards,
    Subhankar Ray
  • Mr. Chris,

    Thanks, and how did you know I was stucK?

    Filing this for reference now and in the future.

    George
  • Gotta love that when there is a will to write, there will be a way to do it. Just takes some critical thinking and a bit of imagination and someone to kick start you on your way! Thanks for the tips...
    Debralee
  • you always create value, I am going to listen.
  • Deanna
    Perry,

    Love your stuff! You are always so helpful. These prompts are also good for article writing ideas (framed around keywords, of course). Great info...
  • Deanna
    Sorry Chris ...

    Perry Belcher sent me the link ... I assumed it was his blog. Oops. It's still great info though ... just wanted to post my correction and give credit where credit is due! I'm bookmarking this blog for sure!
  • Sometimes I look at subject titles from emails on a completely different topic (like religion) and discover the concept can be re-applied to my topic- (Fitness).
  • This hit the spot. I have a tendency to think only say something when you have something to say. This format gives space for something to be said. So with that let me get to it :) thanks chris!
  • When I tell other people about you and your blog I always tell them that you are the "popcorn popper" of ideas. Your prolific productivity reminds me of a popcorn popper. The "fill in the blank" idea is especially ingenious and I can't wait to use that same idea on my blog. Ever since I read your post about having a "core" or "kernel" for my blog, I've been pondering the question of "What questions am I trying to answer for MLMers who want to market online?" This fill in the blank idea gives me one more avenue with which to explore this question. As always, blessings and thanks.
  • Chris, what a great way to build buzz for your biz! I love blogging and I love your ideas! Check out my latest post: "Favorite Celebrities on Twitter!

    @23Kazoos
  • Great post. A nice reminder that there are so many ways to approach post for a company blog.
  • Awesome list Chris I will include this in our blog training module.

    How important is having a schedule, e.g.: Always Blogging Monday, Wednesday and Friday?
  • Great post. I like number 11 best. That's a useful exercise for lots of things. I also find great ideas on Twitter. I simply post a Tweet asking my followers what sort of photography questions they have and then I am usually flooded with ideas. Thanks Chris.
  • Short & Sweet.

    Really one of the best blog advices I have seen in a long time. And all the tips you put here is things all of us easy can adapt.

    This article rocks Chris :)

    Cheers...
  • Timely ideas! I haven't posted anything in my blog site for almost 3 weeks now. Yes, I know I procrastinated. What do you know, I should have used that as my topic. Now the choice is whether I should microblog through Twitter, which I'm currently hooked or do my usual 500 words at wordpress blog. Ooops! There you go that's another topic to consider. I guess it's having an inquisitive or curious mindset.
  • With a new blog on the cards for me in the next couple of weeks, this post has been hugely helpful in getting me focused on the job in hand!!

    Thanks a mil Chris
  • These are excellent tips! I've bookmarked (Delicious) the article for future reference.
  • Very helpful not only to Bloggers but to writers of all varieties. Love to hear more about what inspires you.
  • You are an angel for posting these tips. I'm ramping up to write new articles and this list is boosting me beautifully into a whole new momentum!
    Thanks!
    Linda -
  • Thankyou for the post, very helpful insights.

    Bape Nerd | Official A Bathing Ape Nerd
  • Thanks for this great post! How simple can it be when you put it this way even when my mind plays trick on me:/
    These helpful insights make me start believing I can and so I'm writing a post right now... tnx for unblocking me!
  • This is great info for anyone who writes on a regular basis. If we're honest about it, we ALL get writers block every now and then. I'm saving this post!
  • Hello Chris,
    Great Post! That begs my question since I read this a couple of days after you posted it. How do you schedule writing, reading and networking with others all into the same day?
    Kevin
  • I love these short and 'to the point' posts :) You've definitely helped us battle the blogger's worst enemy - blogger's block.
  • Fantatsic post. I am going to utilize these helpful tips.
  • I definitely think that this type of an exercise is good to get the brain back in gear. Got away from writing every day and now I am working on a few projects that need comments/consultation with readers.

    Excellent post!

    Thank you Chris,

    Peter
  • Great tips as always Chris. We could all use a little blog inspiration since twitter arrived. @jordanwillms
  • consaas
    i love it
  • Great post Chris! Blogger's block is something I'm trying to help solve with my startup and I don't think there can be enough resources for it. Coming up with original, authentic post ideas will always be a challenge. Too bad I didn't run into you at SXSW, although I'm pretty sure I saw you from across the convention center a few times. ;)
  • Thanks, Chris! I was just at the bookstore yesterday and found a series of mini-books on this premise related to journalism, writing a diary, etc. It would be an interesting community exercise to develop a blogger-focused anti-writers block series. I'll be keeping these topics handy!
  • Another trick is to try writing your blog posts well ahead of time. It may seem hard to come up with topics for TODAY ... but if you are coming up with a topic for two weeks from now, the pressure is off and the ideas come flooding in!
  • THANK YOU Crhris
    I’m trying to get my assistent and associates in my company interested in blogging. the first thing they says is “what should I blog about?” and why?
    This is a very good list.
  • I truly appreciate you taking the time to share this . Look forward to more posts from you
  • Very creative list. I also find that writing with templates really make a difference for me. Take one of the items in the list above and create a template like

    "Three Common Challenges of Parenting Teens (topic for example)

    Challenge 1 -
    Solution -
    Challenge 2 -
    Solution -
    Challenge 3 -
    Solution -

    Depending on your topic you could potentially run out of challenges and hopefully solutions.

    Just like this post - Chris just came up with 20 questions that he asks himself and that we could ask ourselves - and viola! one amazing post.

    And, with a template for how good ideas are generated, we can too. :)
  • oops ! that should've been

    Depending on your topic you could potentially NEVER run out of challenges and hopefully solutions.

    Melody Campbell
    Virtual Buzz Coach
  • When the "writers block" strikes next time, this information will help me get new and fresh ideas for new posts.Thanks!
  • Thanks Chris,
    I find your blog to be of infinite inspiration when I sit down to write my tech articles.

    I appreciate you insight, which is always timely. Be well!
  • TonyB
    Hi Everyone,
    I have a carpet cleaning business in Houston,TX that was doing pretty good until the economy went bad, and with it my clientele. I have a website for the business but I dont
    know what I have to do the get it to show up in a search. Right now it's somewhere in the yahoo/google netherworld (LOL).

    Is there someone on here that can give me some insight or know of anyone that coud give me insight on how I can get my local website on the front
    page of a Yahoo or Google search to increase my business without it costing me 5 or 10k $$$? If so please share with me.

    I thank you and my hungry over-eating children thank you.

    thanks,
  • Tony,

    Email me at wahmwed@yahoo.com with the Subject "need SEO help".

    I have a tip that may be what you need.
  • Kevin
    Hello fellow members, my name is Kevin and I am a search engine optimization consultant. If you have a website but aren't getting enough traffic or you're not getting any business from it, I can help.

    For the members here, I am willing to analyze your website to diagnose any problems with your site for free. I have 4 years SEO experience and I can get most websites to rank on the 1st page of Google with in 30-60 days for your keywords. If I can't then I'll just tell you I can't.

    By now I'm sure how you realize how important it is to be on the 1st page of Google is, so if you want more traffic to your website, getting on the 1st page should help you achieve your goal.

    To get started just drop me an email with your site information and I'll do the rest.

    The average cost for my SEO services are usually between $200-$400

    Please contact Kevin at: seoexpert9639@gmail.com
  • I have to agree with all your opinion.. Great job!
  • Thanks for all your ideas...even if I don't use any but I will...at least it opens up my mind to think of more on my own.
  • sajwest
    I just started started blogging again and this is SO helpful! I might have just developed a crush on Chris! :D

    THanKs!
  • Thanks, Chris! I used #4 to help me get started today.
  • Thanks Chris! I was starting to get writer's block, and then I found this article. While not "giving" me a topic (or 20) to write about, it gave me 20 ways to think of a new idea for an article.
  • Great Post.

    Really helpful to use this when writing.
  • very helpful thank you! Information anyone can use
  • thanks it did help.
  • mbt1451
    That’s something,That's what I was thinking.Brilliant idea.
blog comments powered by Disqus

Previous post:

Next post: