100 + 1 Clever Ways to Generate Fresh Content Ideas

If you consistently write blog posts, video content, newsletters, or social media content like me, you’re probably always on the lookout for fresh content ideas.

But quite often, you might feel this uneasiness, a sense of dread of having nothing unique to say. Some days, the ideas pour onto that blank document naturally. And on the other, generating original content ideas feels like an uphill battle.

But – it doesn’t have to be that way!

101 Ways to Come Up with Engaging Content Ideas

Here are 101 ways to help you never run out of content ideas again. Let’s get right into it.

1. Think About Your Most Asked Questions

First things first. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. What do you think their pain point will be? Their most pressing concerns? If you were the customer, what would be your most asked question?

Now, answer those questions in your next blog post series, a social media post, or your next newsletter.

2. Analyse Traffic on Your Existing Content

You can learn a lot by analysing your existing content and landing pages. Look for high-traffic blogs, page views, low bounce rates, pages with low exit rates, and so on. This is a good way to find out topics that are getting the most attention so you can create fresh content around them.

3. Use Portent’s Content Idea Generator

Use Portent’s content idea generator to create catchy headlines. Enter a subject, and the tool will generate a list of titles for you to source your next content idea.

Pro Tip: Some of the titles generated might get the context wrong and recommend a title not aligned with your objectives. Nonetheless, you can take the good bits and refine the title to suit your needs.

4. Solve a Problem

Think about it, what is the #1 issue your target audience struggles with? Make a list of the various challenges your product solves, and create a blog post about how your product solves that problem.

5. Create a Content Swipe File

A content swipe file is a collection of content ideas that you find inspiring – whether related to your industry or not. It can be a valuable asset to your team as you brainstorm for fresh ideas.

6. Repurpose Existing Content

Your existing content has the potential to generate an endless stream of content ideas. You can turn your blog post into a social media post or convert your video to an informational infographic. Really, there is no end to what you can do with a single piece of content.

7. Update Older Content

Do you have any high-performing blog posts that drove quality traffic but have become irrelevant and outdated now? Update these blogs with new information to give them a fresh take.

8. Take a Leaf from Your Competitor’s Book

There can be no better place to collect engaging content ideas than your competitor’s website. You can use tools like BuzzSumo to identify their high-performing content. Or do a manual inspection.

Try and identify any gaps in their content. Then fill the gap by tweaking their existing ideas and giving them your own spin.

Google’s related search section is a great way to find content ideas and keywords related to your broad topic idea.

For example, try typing “content writing ideas” in your search box.

On your search result page, scroll down to the bottom for the related search section. This is where you can generate exceptional content ideas.

10. Find Ideas in Google’s “People Also Ask” Section

This is another valuable resource where you can find popular search queries by users related to your search term. For instance, within the same search for “content writing tips”, this result comes up.

Now, you can pick these queries to create content that your audience will love.

11. Check Google Image Tags

When you search for something in Google Images, you will see a range of tags suggested by Google. Google considers these terms to be closely related to the search query and can be extremely helpful in generating fresh content ideas.

12. Try Google’s Auto Suggest

As you search for your main term on Google, it will automatically produce suggestions for what you might be looking for. And again, these are full of new ideas.

13. Make Use of Google Keywords Planner

Conduct thorough keyword research with Google Ads Keyword Planner. You can sort keywords based on relevance, competition, monthly searches, and so on. This is a winning approach for new content ideas that will not only resonate with your audience but bring organic traffic your way.

Source

14. Look at Your Google Search Console

Google search console is primarily search-engine focused, a good place to determine which type of content is generating the most traffic and phrases with the most clicks. From here, you can research more keywords for your content.

15. Google Alerts

Set up Google Alert for content topics and keywords related to your industry and niche. See what content people are consuming, identify gaps and create relevant content to fill it.

16. Google News

Keep up with the latest news and industry topics with Google News – write a story, create an educational video or a short social media post that piques your audience’s interest.

17. Google Trends

Google Trends offers great insights into trendy topics and top queries across regions and locations. Visit Google Trends to look for trending industry topics and related queries.

18. Industry-Specific Forums

Old-school, but forums are an excellent platform to start a conversation and gain insights into what people are talking about. Visit an industry-specific forum to brainstorm content ideas.

From industry news to trending topics and the audience’s view, you can discover just about everything about your niche and more on Reddit. You can even participate in discussions to gain a newer perspective and gather fresh ideas.

20. Deep Dive into Quora

Quora is another general forum from where you can source excellent content ideas. Just enter the topic you think might interest your audience, and you’ll have a treasure of insightful questions presented to you.

21. BuzzSumo

BuzzSumo is a cloud-based platform that helps you discover trending topics, customer queries, new keywords, and more for the best content opportunities across platforms.

22. Ubersuggest

Combine Neil Patel’s industry expertise with a powerful SEO tool to research keywords and generate content outlines with minimal effort. Ubersuggest also lets you sort through keywords based on their SEO difficulty or search volume, and you can use these keywords for original ideas.

23. Answer the Public

You can come up with some of the best content by focusing on questions your target audience might have. With over 20,000 users every month, Answer The Public makes it easy to find these questions focused on specific categories.

24. Facebook Events

Check out the latest upcoming events on Facebook to identify hot topics. You never know; something as simple as a local event can spark inspiration.

25. Browse Through Pinterest

Definitely my personal favourite. Pinterest is a great place for the latest trends, fashion inspiration, lifestyle tips, and more. But interestingly, it’s a goldmine of content ideas as well. Search a keyword to view topic suggestions, or browse through pins to collect more ideas as you go.

26. Conduct a Poll

Prepare a short survey or share a poll with your social media followers, asking them to share their most pressing questions and create content around it.

You can also do a fun Q&A on social media to ask what type of content or topics the audience would like you to cover.

27. YouTube Videos

With YouTube, you can find content ideas in several ways. Treat it the same way as Google search for topic suggestions, watch popular industry videos, or go through the comments section to gain more insights.

28. Buffer

Buffer takes your social media scheduling and management to the next level. But more importantly, you can analyse your content to see what worked best with your audience and expand on the topics later.

Source

29. SlideShare

SlideShare is another popular site where you can search for topics and relevant keywords or scour through featured slide decks on just about everything. Use these slide decks as an inspiration for your next blog post or video.

30. HARO

Rather unconventional but equally useful, HARO allows journalists to interact with the public or connect with relevant experts. You can subscribe to identify trending topics and easily pull amazing content ideas.

31. Medium

If you’re running out of ideas for your content marketing, try Medium. It is an open platform that hosts millions of dynamic stories, ideas, and discussions on just about every topic and niche.

32. Visit Answers.com

Visit answers.com to get answers to your questions, browse subjects, and featured questions section. It is a wonderful resource to trigger content ideas.

33. Support Forums

Search for any support forums active in your industry. You can find relevant questions to spark content ideas.

Facebook and LinkedIn groups are great places to be if you’re looking for expert insights, trending topics, and niche content. Join these groups to know what people are talking about and connect with people of similar interests.

Look at the content influencers in your space share. For instance, Neil Patel is a digital marketing guru, and his content on LinkedIn focuses on digital marketing best practices, industry trends, inspirational content, and everything in between.

Create the content on similar topics or expand on a thought you found interesting in their content.

36. Follow Relevant Hashtags

One way to stay on top of discussions surrounding your industry or find your ideal audience is by following hashtags. Search for relevant industry hashtags on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram, where you can find popular articles, links, and buzzwords for inspiration.

Social media is a great place to connect and engage with like-minded people. Take this approach with you when you follow professionals and experts. See what discussions they are a part of and what type of content they engage with. Those are the topics you can cover.

Another way to get content inspiration from social media influencers is to see what questions people ask them. Often, you’ll find interesting takes, queries, and opinions from the audience, which you can use to brainstorm ideas.

39. Twitter Trends

Can’t get out of the creative block? Popular topics on your Twitter sidebar or trending hashtags can offer you a great start to creating content people will be talking about.

When you’ve had enough of browsing content by industry influencers on social media, don’t forget to check your social media performance as well. Go through your popular posts, audience comments, mentions, or DMs. And what do you know, you might just have your ‘Eureka!’ moment.

Of course, your competitor’s social media can be highly useful as well. See what content they’re sharing and which posts have the most engagement. Keep tabs on their comments and mentions. This will give you plenty of content ideas to work on.

42. Dig into Top Industry Sites

Find sites in your industry that share the latest news, tips, trends, and more for a similar audience. For instance, here’s what websites like Search Engine Journal and Content Marketing Institute have in store for content writers like me.

Browse through such top industry sites to identify hot topics and create content that expands on the discussion or offers a different take to the audience.

43. Check the Comments on Top Industry Sites

Now, while you’re at these popular sites, don’t forget to check their comments section. These people will be your target readers – and their questions or views can spark great content ideas.

44. Read Your Blog Comments

Make it a habit to check your blog comments regularly. There, you will find queries or suggestions that you can address and source content ideas from.

45. Look for Low-Competition Keywords

Work with a keyword analytic tool like Google keyword planner, Semrush, or Ubersuggest to find low-competition keywords within your industry. This might open doors of creative inspiration.

If you want a steady flow of content ideas, it is a good idea to look at your competitor’s newsletters. You can subscribe for ideas or see if they’re offering insightful content in return for signup. Those will be the important topics you can cover.

47. FAQ Section of Competitor’s Website

Similarly, check the FAQ section in your competitor’s blog to generate additional ideas and stay on top of your content game.

48. Your Company’s Journey

Stories let you engage your audience like no other medium. So, why not turn your company’s journey to success into an inspiring story that your audience will love? Talk about company achievements and challenges in a series of blogs or videos.

49. Talk to the Sales Team

Your sales and customer support team are the ones interacting with your ideal customer and addressing their queries. You can use their insights to create content that is highly valuable and insightful.

50. Interview Product/Service Experts

Interviews are fun, engaging, and highly insightful when done right. You can set up an interview with experts on the product or service you provide and use this discussion as a valuable content piece with their permission.

51. Interview Industry Experts

You can also consider talking to an industry expert – to gain their insights on the latest industry trends, their views on the current state, or their thoughts about the future. It can be a great source for a blog post or a video.

52. Industry Success Stories

Look for other success stories in your industry and build inspiring content around them. For instance, this is how Ukti approached Drift’s success story with a new content category-

53. Read Case Studies

Check out various case studies to identify the challenges highlighted in them. These are the pain points you can address in your next blog.

54. Industry Webinars

Webinars have grown in popularity quite a lot recently, and rightly so. Industry webinars can be a great source to stay up-to-date with trending topics and buzzworthy ideas for your content strategy.

55. Industry Newsletters

Dig out a popular industry newsletter that your audience subscribes to. There, you will find interesting content ideas that your audience would love to engage with.

56. Company’s About Page

Take a look at your company’s About page – its mission, history, and vision. And you might just find some inspiration for an innovative piece of content.

57. Company Announcements

Is your company hosting an event or launching a new product? Important company announcements can make for exciting content for the reader.

58. Find Highly Shared Content in the Industry

Use analytic tools like BuzzSumo and Ahrefs to find heavily shared posts within your niche and take ideas from them to build better content.

Your existing content is a goldmine of fresh content ideas. Look at the popular posts on your site and create new content on similar topics or find a part that your audience might find interesting and expand on it.

60. Internal Audience Data

Turn to the company data you might have collected about your audience or the industry. Use this data to create interesting infographics or flowcharts for the audience.

61. Industry Statistics

Industry statistics are another powerful resource you can tap into to generate unique content ideas. You can collect these statistics into an infographic or pick an interesting statistic to expand on it later in a blog.

62. New Industry Technology/Trends

Stay alert to the rise of any new technology or trend in your industry. This will make for an exciting content piece for the audience.

63. Industry Magazines

Leaf through a popular industry magazine to find something that inspires you.

64. “See Also” Suggestions on Popular Publications

If you have ever read popular online publications like Forbes or Time, you might have come across their “See Also” section. This section usually promotes top content, which could give you an idea of what people are interested in.

Search Engine Journal

65. Industry Predictions

Take some time to think about the future of your industry. This could be your opinion or a view of an expert and make for some interesting content pieces for the audience.

66. Famous Theories

When you’re running out of ideas, science can help. Research famous science theorems and consider creating content by connecting it to your niche.

67. Internal Company Procedures

Think about the systems and procedures in your company – anything that you think can be of immense value to your reader. For instance, we created a blog highlighting simple tips to manage a team of content editors based on our experience and systems of working as a small team.

68. Internal Website Search Queries

See what people are searching for on your website with analytics. This will give you an idea of trending content that people want to engage with, and you can tap into these new content ideas.

69. Topic Generator Platform

You can use online tools like HubSpot’s Blog Topic Generator. Enter a word or phrase from your niche, and let the tool generate a week of blog ideas for you!

70. Formula Headlines

Sometimes, it works to have a really catchy, clickable headline and build on your content from there. If you’re a fan of Buzzfeed’s content, you know what I’m talking about. Here are a few resources you can check out to create your own formula headline-

71. Podcasts

This is underrated but quite an amazing way to generate content ideas. Look for popular podcasts in your industry and check out their episodes list. You’ll have a bucket full of unique ideas just like that!

72. Other Content Channels

You can even turn to your favourite talk shows or TV shows like “The Daily Show” for some inspiration. Here, identify popular content formats that engage people and tweak them to create content that works for your industry and style.

Opinion posts can be a great addition to your content pipeline. You can share your views about the latest industry trend or take an opposite stance on a generalised opinion that people know to be true.

As a content writer, who is always running to meet deadlines, I am continuously looking for ways to speed up and automate my tasks. If you’ve found ways to make your work easier, share these productivity secrets with your audience.

75. Behind the Scenes

How does your workplace operate? What’s your workplace culture like? Give a glimpse of your workday with a video or photo series; your audience will love these little insights about the company.

76. Recent Events

Apart from industry news and trends, any recent event that impacts your audience at large can be a great source of content.

77. Find Similar Content with High Backlinks

Use analytic tools like Ahrefs, BuzzSumo, or Semrush to identify top-performing posts in your niche with significant backlinks. Then cover similar topics and work at creating better content.

78. Top Industry Books on Amazon

Browse through Amazon’s list of top books in your industry. See which books are popular among your audience, and you’ll have a stream of content ideas keeping you busy for weeks.

79. Ted Talks

Watch ted talks related to your industry topics. They can be highly insightful and valuable in creating content discussing the speaker’s viewpoint or your own.

80. Personal Experience

Is there a personal experience that you think will be valuable for your audience? Create a blog, podcast, or video highlighting any challenges or mistakes you’ve faced.

81. Psychology Blogs

Psychological studies can make for compelling pieces of content. You can start with a simple fact or a certain topic and relate it to your industry. For instance, this is what our team did for a LinkedIn post for Ukti-

Go beyond written content. Browse images on websites like Facebook, Flickr, or Pinterest and derive inspiration for your next piece.

83. Famous Quotes

Quotes have always been popular with people. Google some popular quotes for inspiration, and you might get creative ideas for content.

84. Customer Reviews

Scour through popular customer review websites, your social media, or your email for any reviews your customers might have left. Use these insights when you’re brainstorming for ideas.

85. Old Industry News

Search for any old industry news or advertising. The state of your industry today is probably different from years ago. Tap into these insights for content inspiration.

86. Industry Knowledge Bases

A knowledge base can be a self-serve, centralised platform or an organised forum with a collection of articles that can offer you some great content ideas.

87. Industry Myths

Every industry is surrounded by certain myths. Research and create content pieces in support of or against these myths; these can be interesting for your audience.

88. Common Industry Practices

Think about certain practices that are too common in your industry. For instance, it is a common writing practice to avoid jargon in content to make it highly readable. But what if you think outside the box and create content to debunk any such practice?

89. Product Previews

You can provide great value to your readers and tap into endless content opportunities by producing content reviewing or comparing a useful industry product.

90. Review Industry Tools

Go one step further in providing value to your audience. Try and test the latest industry tools and develop content around it.

91. Online Courses

Dig into top websites like Udemy, Coursera, or LinkedIn Learning and locate top industry courses. Go through the course content and reviews to generate unique content ideas.

92. Business Networking Events

Have you recently been to any networking events within your industry? Share your experience and interactions with your audience.

93. Flipboard

People share all kinds of exciting content and news on Flipboard. Check out what top industry influencers are sharing on this platform; this could give you clues about what your next content piece should be.

94. A Life-Changing Event

People like inspiring stories. If you have gone through a life-changing event or have come across a story that inspired you, consider sharing it with your audience too.

95. Read Books

Writing is not an isolated activity. If you want to ensure you have a steady stream of ideas to write about, make sure you read a lot too. This means going beyond your industry and reading just about everything to spark creativity.

96. Write Around Cliches

A cliché is a statement or an idea that is so commonly used that we don’t even stop to think about what they actually mean. Dig up some common sayings and think if you can build content around them.

97. Movies

Movies are awesome – and not just for their entertainment value. Turn to films for inspiration. Movies can introduce you to new themes and ideas you would’ve never considered otherwise.

98. Songs

Similarly, songs can be equally inspiring. If you’re stuck in a creative block, listen to music. And you might just find a new idea for your content.

99. Write It Down

And no, I don’t mean to type out a list. Take some time to do paper brainstorming. The simple act of writing things down on paper can sometimes do wonders for your creativity.

100. Take a Walk

I know, I know. Kind of overused advice. But it definitely works. Get outside, take a walk, and breathe in nature. It is a good way to beat writer’s block and generate fresh ideas.

101. Talk to Friends and Family

If you’re really struggling to come up with content ideas, it might help to turn to your family or friends for help. Start a conversation, and ask for their ideas or perspective. You’d be surprised at how many fun new ideas you can come up with.

Ready to Generate Fresh Content Ideas?

From easy-to-use tools and social media to top industry websites or even your life experiences, fresh content ideas are everywhere, waiting to be explored. Bookmark this blog for the next time you’re running a war against time and need fresh content ideas within minutes.

If you liked this blog, do check out our other blogs to catch up on all things SaaS and content.

About the Author

My name is Ridvika Arora, a content creator at Ukti. Relentlessly working to create informative and engaging content, my passion for writing has been my driving force. I hold a graduate degree in literature and I enjoy using my skills to contribute to the work we do here. When I am not writing, you can find me binge-watching or defending my favorite shows in front of my friends.