Let’s face it, whether you are a business or just a casual user of social media or a blogger, sometimes coming up with original content can be downright difficult. Lacking inspiration and not knowing where to find it can be very frustrating. I’m actually guilty lately of referring to thinking of things to write about as akin to running up against a cement wall. Coming up with new and fresh content can be tough. Sometimes, we get into a rut and just think about posting/writing/sharing the same old topics, over and over again.
So how can we break out of this rut? Here are a few suggestions:
- Review your old content – sometimes looking back at what you’ve written or posted in the past can spark a new idea. Perhaps you could offer a new take on a topic that you’ve written about previously. Maybe your stance on an issue has changed, or you have studied something more in-depth and can offer an expert opinion this time.
- Consult a friend, family member, or colleague – I find that as with a lot of things in life, bouncing ideas off of another person can absolutely spark my creativity. Even if they don’t give you exact topics to post or blog about, they may be able to get you thinking. I often tell my boyfriend what I’m considering writing about, and get ideas from him about what he would like to hear more about when it comes to that topic. He and I work in completely different fields, so it’s nice to get an outsider’s perspective, and it also almost always helps me to move forward with whatever I’m working on.
- Get out in the world around you – take some time to listen to what’s going on in your world. I guess I am saying that you ought to eavesdrop a little, as silly as it sounds. But when you go out to lunch or to the grocery store, hear what others are talking about. Often, they may have ideas that you can capitalize on. As a bonus, you may find that topics that you hear people talking about will also resonate with your readers.
- Use multi-media – if you are tired of writing the same blog posts again and again, or asking questions on Facebook, think about adding another dimension to your content. Consider recording a video blog. Post a photo series. Record yourself talking about your company and make it into a podcast. Record a video on Vine. There are so many opportunities to easily make content interactive.
Coming up with new content can sometimes be challenging, but in order to keep your website, blog, or social media pages fresh and inviting new consumers, it’s critical to try to come up with new material.
