10 Ideas for Great Blog Posts and Articles
How to Turn YOUR Knowledge, Passions and Ideas into Articles
Running out of ideas to write about? Need suggestions on what to blog next?
The web is a great way to share your interests and expertise while making money. But you have to be smart. If you write on the same thing as everyone else, your lens won't get noticed. If you write on a topic nobody's searching for, you won't get traffic.
My key to online success is to find and exploit the overlap between your passions, your know-how, your unique assets (photos, crafts, stuff) and what other people want to read, know, or buy. Such as:
1 REVIEWS: Look around your home. Grab your favorite book, movie, video game, piece of sports equipment, product, or something that solves a problem. Review it, showcasing it with an Amazon spotlight. Tell readers specifically what you like about it or find useful, not just vague platitudes like "I love it!" or "It's great!" Use "Review" in the lens title, since people often search for "[X] review". (Example: a review of my cat's carrier, a steady Amazon earner.)
2 PHOTOS: Here's an asset you have that no one else does: your own photos! People search the web for images. Make a lens on something you've photographed. Research and give unique information about it. On your own blogs or websites which preserve the names of graphics you upload, use specific filenames like "bald-eagle.jpg" to target searches. On sites like Hubpages that let you write a caption, be specific there.
3ANSWERS: Go to Yahoo Answers and browse a category you know and love. Look for commonly-asked or interesting questions that you can answer. Make a lens about it! If possible, use your own photos, or even make and embed a YouTube video with a link to your lens in its description! (Example: Why Do Things Float?)
4 CONTROVERSY: Take a stand on a topic that people argue over: the Designated Hitter, the Tea Party, famous hoaxes, conspiracy theories, Twilight vs. Harry Potter. Scan forums and news sites for debates, especially ones where people tend to drop links that "prove" they're right! Create a lens on it and include a Duel Module. Set comments to Moderate in case you get flamed. (Example: Photos of Moon Landing Sites from Space)
5NOT YET FAMOUS: Look for contestants on upcoming talent/reality shows, new actors, or rookies starting their pro sports career. We have no idea who will be successful. But you'll get a surge of traffic when they start, and if they turn out to be a star, yours will be the FIRST big webpage on them, so you'll get traffic!
Combine Ideas
If you're writing a review, include your own photos.
If you're writing on a film, TV show, or celebrity, include controversies or answers to fan questions ("Does he have a girlfriend?" comes up a lot).
6EXPERTISE: What do you know? Pick one aspect of it and explain it clearly. Make a tutorial, an FAQ, or a lesson! Include printables; clickouts can boost lensrank. Test them with a mini-quiz.
7 BREAKING NEWS: Did you just hear of something on the news? Is there a meme? Has a new buzzword or quote suddenly come into vogue? Google loves to pick up new webpages on topical subjects. Watch Twitter's "Trending Topics" in the sidebar for the latest buzz. (Example: Funniest Horse Race Ever.) [UPDATE: don't bother if it's only going to be big news for a month before the buzz dies.]
8TRADITION: Traditions can be anything from holidays to ethnic dishes, to March Madness to a profession's superstitions (never say "Macbeth" or "no-hitter"). What do people want to know about that holiday, or why do they love to share it? Prepare at least two months ahead of time: when National Bubble Wrap Day comes around, your lens will be all ready to help people celebrate! (Example: My Jackie Robinson page gets an April traffic spike because of Jackie Robinson Day.)
9 FANDOM: From Harry Potter to Volkswagen Bugs to Pez dispensers, there are lots of people geeking about it, collecting it, and debating it. Many fandoms have controversies that get people talking! It's better to be specific (Severus Snape) rather than broad (fantasy and science fiction). (Example: Fan-Made Star Trek Movie)
10Homemade/DIY: People like making things. Parents, especially homeschoolers, look for kids' activities and crafts. Kids have to make things for school projects. So teach how to do or make something. Printables are again a good way to get clicks, and Amazon Spotlights of hard-to-find materials may earn sales. (Example: Make an Egyptian Paper Pyramid)
Simple SEO Tip
Search Engine Optimization means using what people search for to help draw traffic.
Here are three descriptive words people often search in combination with a topic. Use them if it makes sense.
Stuff (I get searches for "volcano stuff")
Homemade (Several Top 100 lenses have had "homemade" in the title)
MeganCasey suggests: Unique
(I've seen "what's unique about athena")
How to Get More Clicks, Sales
Credit Where Due
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