Developing good, effective content is a major part of any marketing strategy, but creating pieces that engage, inform and entertain can become difficult. When planning your content strategy and determining what types of pieces you want to develop, generating ideas that stray from the norm is a great way to attract a captive audience. The problem is coming up with new ideas for good content.
Creative Ideas, New Perspectives
Fresh, new ideas for content can come from a number of places. Many times, the team may feel as if they have exhausted all possibilities of creating topics that will fit your needs. In these instances, it’s time to do something different. Here are a few ideas:
- Hire a Writer
Bloggers for hire are an excellent and efficient resource that can see things a little bit differently within your industry because they aren’t as close to the project as you have been. Bloggers research topics and your target market to deliver engaging pieces for a breath of fresh air.
- Be Social
Social media can help get your creative juices flowing. You’ll find interesting conversations that may peak your interest and provide new ideas for content development.
- Get Active
There’s no better way to get the blood pumping and the brain moving than immersing yourself into an activity. Walking, running, skating or just sitting at the park can breathe new life into the way you see things. You’d be surprised how clear your thinking becomes once you’ve moved away from the office for a while.
- Read
Although you’re developing content to be read, you won’t know much about your industry or the trends if you don’t read too. In addition to information about your industry, browse articles from other specializations or a general purpose magazine to broaden your thinking. This helps develop insight, shifts perception, and shapes a new mindset.
- Laugh
Laughter is definitely the best medicine. Watch a comedy, look at funny videos on YouTube, have a staff roasting session and just be free! Laughter increases the likelihood of someone using humor for quirky pieces that will engage your audience.
- Sleep
An overworked mind doesn’t do much for the thinking process. When you’re tired and need rest, creativity becomes stifled. Taking the time to rejuvenate your body helps to recharge your brain.
- Pass the Baton
When developing themes, use ideas from every person on the team for variety. Using the same people for ideas can make your content become too generic and predictable. Using a variety of ideas and resources from a number of people will make a big difference in your delivery.
- Cook
Cooking is a lot like writing. Consider your ideas the ingredients, your content the recipe and your team members the chefs. When working together, you can create an array of content for every palate.
Generating ideas for good content can be interesting. While going through the process, enjoy the journey. Ingrain personality into your pieces and watch your content soar!
Allaire W is a professional writer with a love for the written word and a sweet tooth that turned a hobby into a business. You can find her “cooking” up assignments while covered in flour or cake batter.
