Do you struggle to come up with blog post ideas? Blogging can be exhausting… and inspiration can sometimes wane. Here are 9 tips to inspire great blog post ideas!
You sit down to write a blog post but you may be feeling one of two things:
1- You’re invigorated and full of energy… overflowing with ambition and ideas.
2- You’re exhausted and ready to settle down for a long nap.
If you’re feeling sluggish, then chances are you’re running low on blogging inspiration. I’m here today to provide some inspiration to help you curate some awesome ideas for your blog!
Are you ready?! Let’s go!
Check out these 9 tips to inspire GREAT blog post ideas! #blogging Share on XWhat do you write about?
Consider what you write about. Do you have a niche? What are your categories? What do you like to write about the most?
What’s hot right now?
Check out the headlines, posts on Facebook, and the popular pins on Pinterest. What are people excited about? If it’s something you’re familiar with, tap into the excitement and write about it.
What’s the season’s inspiration?
Is there a big holiday coming up or a perhaps the chill of winter could inspire some post ideas? Tap into the seasons and write about them.
Idea lists
If you search the internet, you may be surprise to find LOADS of idea lists! Here are a few notable ones that I thought I would share:
- This blog post idea list by CoSchedule is amazing! Loads of inspiration in here!
- OptinMonster created this unique list of 103 ideas.
- Ryan Robinson’s list of 155 blog post ideas is quite extensive!
Look to YOUR blog for inspiration
Look at your analytics. What search engine topics bring people to your blog? What are your most popular posts? Can you write about these topics/themes again and put a refreshing spin on it?
Look to OTHER blogs for inspiration
Did a blogger write something that really made you think? Karren, over at Oh My Heartsie Girl wrote a post about how she was going through blogger burnout. After writing a lengthy comment, I realized I could write a whole post about blogger burnout… so I did. Your fellow blogging buddies can be a HUGE source of inspiration.
Blogging challenges
Many blogging groups provide periodic theme-of-the-day challenges. Try looking up old archived challenges and see if any ideas inspire you. You don’t necessarily have to commit to a 30 day challenge… just check them out for inspiration.
Do something else
Go for a walk. Try a new craft. Do something with friends. The real world provides loads of material to write about.
Always have a blog post ideas list
Ideas can come at any time. I type the ideas I have into my phone. Later on, I transfer them onto my blogging ideas sheet. I also document their theme/topic/season so that the process of filling out my monthly editorial calendar is simplified. 
Today I’m sharing my two-page ideas sheet with you (it’s two pages because I couldn’t decide between one of two quotes to put at the top of it). Simply click the download button at the bottom of this post to claim your ideas list.
This two page document has all the space you need to record your blog post ideas. Keep your inspiration for content organized and accessible.
How do you come up with your blog post ideas?
SHARE WITH OTHERS
Great tips and I will say for some reason at the beginning of the year, I am also brimming with new ideas and usually can come up with so many new articles to write and this year is no exception, but still always so appreciative of any added advice, so thank you for sharing here :)
I have a CRAZY amount of energy this year. Usually I’m a little dreary in January. I hope I can ride this “wave” of inspiration until spring!
Great ideas! I, too, am full of ideas right now and I am also doing a blog challenge that I created! EEP!!!! I’m sure, as time moves on, those ideas will fade, but for now, I’m riding the wave! :-)
I have a lot of energy this year… it’s weird because I’m usually not that way in January. I’m riding the wave too!
Congrats on the blog challenge. You can do it Lisa!
These are all great post ideas! Inspiration is everywhere. I just need to find time to write more! Nice to *meet* you on #sitsblogging
Thank you so much for stopping by Gracielle! Yes inspiration is everywhere… living life and doing things outside of the home is probably what gives me the most blog post ideas. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on blog post ideas as well.
Thank you for these tips! I feel like I’m “brimming with ideas” right now, but I know that pretty soon work and life will again bog down my mind and I’ll be trying to come up with fresh ideas.
I’m glad you enjoyed these tips. I’m full of ideas right now too. I think there’s something energizing about 2015 because that seems to be the consensus. Thanks so much for stopping by Laura.
Thanks for the inspiration ideas. I like the “look to your own blog” tip. That will probably be useful for me in a year when I have lots more to draw from. And, MamaMiss’ two page idea sheets are so cool. I think I’d love to download them…for now I’ll pin them and this post!
I’m overflowing with ideas this year. It’s CRAZY! 2015 is the year of energy and enthusiasm so far!
I love Mama Miss’ 2 page idea sheet. Thanks for pinning Amanda!
Wow! These are great. I have a few writing goals to accomplish this year and this will definitely help. Cheers!
I’m glad you enjoyed these suggestions Cece! I hope these ideas inspire and motivate you to keep the content flowing!
Thanks for stopping by.
Great tips! I have such an overabundance of ideas right now after taking a much-needed break at the end of December. I’m definitely feeling energized, but I do have moments where I feel completely uninspired. I have pinned this for future reference during those moments! Thanks for sharing, stopping by from Sharefest.
I’m full of ideas right now too… more so than any other January I’ve experienced. I’m enjoying it!
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and for pinning!
Great tips! Thank you, I really enjoyed your blog.
-Jenn
I’m glad you enjoyed these tips! I hope they help you out with curating new ideas for blog posts.
Thanks for stopping by and connecting.
Great ideas! It’s hard to come up with a topic sometimes and this is a good resource to refer to in the future. Thanks for sharing!
I’m glad you enjoyed this Marie! I hope it helps if you’re ever in an idea-slump.
I find inspiration in reading other people’s blogs too. Sometimes a title or a blog post in list format gets my thoughts going. Also, just listening and watching people everyday. You’re bound to think of something just doing everyday things like shopping. I, too, use my phone to take note of a topic before I forget it….because I have forgotten one or two along the way.
Yes! A title can often provoke all sorts of thoughts. I don’t know what I would do without my phone. So many ideas strike when I’m nowhere near a pen and a piece of paper!
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on this Serena.
Great list of ideas, Jennifer! I’m bookmarking this for those times I encounter writer’s block.
I’m glad you enjoyed this Tara. There are definitely times that writer’s block strikes and it’s always good to have some strategies to spark inspiration.
Hi!
Those are all great ideas for acquiring inspiration. I can personally testify that going back into the real world does indeed do wonders for inspiration! When I was working over the past summer, I had billions of post it notes with ideas all over my work desk. All the conversations with co-workers and time spent in my mind being bored triggered topic ideas. I couldn’t wait to get home and write!
~Monica
I’m so glad you enjoyed my ideas for inspiration!
The real world is definitely full of inspiration. It’s so good to just step away from the computer and DO!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on methods to inspire blog post ideas.
I do feel sluggish lately!
I keep an ideas list. Sometimes I feel really.. impossible, like I can’t bring life to anything. In those cases, I walk away for a bit! It helps a lot. Or I look to other bloggers for inspiration.
Great list here!
I usually feel sluggish in January but not this year. So weird.
I need an ideas list otherwise, I start to flounder. You’re right though… sometimes you have to walk away and take a break.
Thanks for sharing. I’m glad you enjoyed this.
I definitely have a lot of ideas to blog about. Sometimes they just don’t fit the theme of my blog and the categories, so I usually throw them out. However, I think if it’s something that I truly am excited about, I wouldn’t hold back. I would just mention that it’s not part of my normal blogging topics. I’m also still trying to get a handle on writing for the season and/or holiday coming up. I need to have a better calendar layout so I can SEE which days my posts land rather than just the date. Thanks for a lot of wonderful ideas!
I just buckled down to do the editorial calendar thing because often my seasonal inspiration hits AFTER the holiday has passed… then it’s pretty much useless.
I’m glad you enjoyed this and thanks for sharing your perspective on curating blog post ideas.
Love this list Jennifer – thanks for including mine :) !!
I’m glad you enjoyed this Melissa and it’s my pleasure haring your ideas list!
Great tips! I am overwhelmed and exhausted, but have some ideas. I like the idea of the running list as the little space I have in my blog planner isn’t working!
I love keeping a long list of ideas (and having the space to document their theme/category because I have a few niches in which I write).
I’m glad you enjoyed this Carol. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts on curating ideas/inspiration.
Hi Jennifer! Always serving us such treats! There are times when we are all dry as bones, digging for a spark to write about. I have been often inspired by other people’s writings. Great universal themes are like seeds that get tossed into our gardens. There’s always the hope of a new shoot!
You always seem to have plenty of ideas. What a blessing that is. I hope you will keep writing and inspiring us all in this wonderful new year.
Blessings always,
Ceil
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Ceil. I’m full of ideas and inspiration this year… which is odd because usually I’m sluggish in January.
Wishing you a lovely day!
Really great tips Jennifer! I’ve definitely gone through those periods of writes block, but having a running list of ideas has really been helpful. I do the same thing you do, put them in my phone then write them down. :)
I’m glad you enjoyed these tips. I don’t know what I would do without my phone list. There are so many times that inspiration strikes and I’m nowhere near a pen and paper.
You are always writing such great pep-posts for bloggers. I definitely feel excited and pumped up for 2015 and I feel like by the time January is over, I’ll be back to my routine and the idea machine will be back up and running. With the help of posts like these, of course. :]
This year I’m overwhelmed with ideas… I seriously don’t have the time to do/share all of them!
I’m looking forward to what you’ll share in 2015!
Love this Jennifer! Honestly, I did not keep a list of ongoing post ideas until just a month or two ago. Probably why my posts were all over the place and at times without any quality. That is seriously the best thing I’ve done for my blog! Love all these tips!
My list of ideas keeps me SO organized… I don’t know what I would do without it. I have several niches, so the running log keeps me focused when I need to write in a particular theme like homeschooling or parenting.
I’m delighted you enjoyed this!
Hi Jennifer,
Some excellent ideas in your post and in the comments as well.
Further to your “What’s Hot Right Now” idea and Monica Geglios comment of “going out into the real world for inspiration”, I find that going into the newsagent or supermarket or magazine store and looking at the magazine covers is a great source of potential blog topics.
Magazines tend to have a main headline article, plus numerous sub headlines – all of which are easy to read on the front cover without the need to pick it up and find the article itself.
Magazines are usually grouped in topics or genres – so it’s easy to find a topic that interests or is relevant to you and your blog.
Magazines usually have bigger budgets and research staff behind them, so it’s a safe bet to suggest that they aren’t going to waste time or cover real estate on a topic or idea that no-one will be interested in.
And if physically going out to the mall or shopping center and browsing the physical magazine racks isn’t your thing, then the magazine section of Amazon is just as good.
Thanks for sharing !
Matthew
Wow! That is a fantastic idea Matthew! I’ll have to remember that when inspiration is low.
I also stumbled across another source of inspiration… looking at photography. I find I look at a photo and a story comes to mind which would works with it.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on how to inspire great blog post ideas.
Hi Jennifer,
You always have the best blogging tips! I am full of creativity right now myself and I have more ideas than I know what to do with, which is a first for me! Hahaha Usually I am scrambling for ideas to write about. As soon as I am done with this comment I am going to start and ideas list so that I don’t forget any of them! Thank you for sharing these ideas/tips with us.
Hope you are enjoying your evening.
Much love,
Lysa xx
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Lysa!
I’m full of ideas right now too. I don’t have enough time to write all of them– hence the ideas checklist.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on creating great blog post ideas.
Great tips! I feel full of ideas and exhausted at the same time. I definitely needed this bit of inspiration:)
I’m so delighted this gave you some inspiration Simone!
Thanks for all these great tips! Needed this.
I’m so delighted you found these tips for inspiration helpful Donna.
Those are great tips, Jennifer! Thank you for sharing them with us :)
I’m so glad you enjoyed these tips Sarah!
Hi Jennifer, I started the year feeling like number 1, but am already feeling like number 2…Hopefully I will revert back to feeling like number 1 again just as quickly!
Some great tips as usual!
I often get ideas for blog posts and do add them to my drafts and calender, but I find my problem is that I have to be focused on the topic to be able to write the post, so if I can’t get in that moment again then I have to wait until I can until I can write the post….If that makes any sense?…
I’m sorry to hear you’re feeling like number two. Wait a minute… that didn’t come out right. You know what I mean.
We all have our methods. I jot down the title and a few words. Usually I can come back to it… but that’s me.
What you’re saying does make sense though. It sounds like you write what you’re feeling and if you’re not feeling it at the time, it’s hard to write.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this Debbie!
Hi Jennifer, I know what you mean…I make it a rule never to be down for too long…And that’s exactly it. If I’m not feeling it at the time I find it hard to write or if I do write it, it doesn’t feel quite right…But I’m sure that with practice that will change…Baby steps!
Great advice! I think that even using writing prompts and just free writing for a few minutes can also open up the dam of blog post ideas. It’s almost like you need to straighten out the myriad of thoughts in your brain and bring clarity to the forefront. I always enjoy your blog!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this. Yes… just free writing can definitely stir up inspiration. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on how to curate great blog post ideas.
There are some great tips here, Jennifer. While I am naturally a planner, writing for my blog is definitely something I don’t push. I allow myself to be inspired by my environment, prayer, taking a walk, etc. I don’t ever force a subject. I know that we all need to do what works best for us, and this is the thing that works for me. Thanks for sharing these thoughts with us. I have been in a bit of a slump and I need to get back to it as I do have several posts on the back burner that I need to publish. Thanks for the encouragement!
I recently came to the realization that I needed to be more prayerful about what I’m posting. If God’s going to bless my work, I should be running it past him first… you know? The trials and errors of a new Christian.
Thanks so much for sharing your insights on this Heather.