Blog Content Ideas: What's the best source?

Where's the first place you should look when it comes to deciding what to write on your business blog? Some say other blogs, Google alerts, or just what's most on your mind.

Not so, says Yvonne DiVita, of Lipsticking blog, a successful blog about marketing to women online. Denise and I had the pleasure of interviewing Yvonne last week. We asked her what she gets right about blog content, and here's what she says:

"...what I get right when it comes to writing quality posts is following the guidelines of my readers. My readers leave comments, but even more often, they email me. And so I just look at that and say, 'What do they really want? What do the readers look for when they come to Lip Sticking?'"

"And so that's what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to provide the best content for the market that I serve. And while it isn't solely women (there are a lot of men that read Lip-Sticking), it is about women and about how to do business and about all the different age groups.

"So, the content is focused on the things that my readers tell me they enjoy, need, want. And I try to get it right by looking at sometimes the provocative way to put a title in, what are the search engines going to pick up first, and then just really saying to myself, "Is this content that I'm thinking of putting in today going to serve the purposes for my readers?" That's really what I do."

What a concept...find out what your readers want and write about that!

Where do you look for blog content ideas?

Comments

[Kathleen Gage]

Excellent post. I appreciate the recommendations from Yvonne about reading post comments and the emails people send to her.

Far too often people don't consider the comments being left on their blog or they choose to ignore email feedback.

I have found surveying works great in obtaining fodder for my blog. It's amazing how much great information can come from one short survey.

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketer

[Patsi Krakoff, The Blog Squad]

We're also a big fan of using surveys, Kathleen. Thanks for mentioning this!

[Wendy Battles]

Having just done my first survey, I see the value in using the results as fodder for blogs. I also like to check out my Google Alerts and see what's come up that's intriguing and may be of interest.

[Yvonne DiVita]

Patsi and Denise, thank you for this fab shout-out! I actually look to both of you for good content because your blog advice is the kind of expertise content I am confident sharing.

Kathleen, surveys are a terrific way to discover what your readers want. I don't do many because...well, at this point I am blessed with readers who write and TELL me what they need. AND... I get very qualified PR pitches...along with some unqualified ones, natch. To Wendy, my Google Alerts are gold...and they often show me where I rank.

Nothing is more important than my readers. Helping them traverse this mysterious landscape called the Internet, and showing them how to relate their business to their women clients, is my main focus.

So...I particularly like to do link love posts...sharing great content from blogs like this one.

[Ed Weinsberg]

Hi, Denise and Patsi,

First, thank you for the very valuable assessment two weeks ago re: Elana's blog during the 1/2 hour call she "won" for early action in subscribing to one of your info packages. You are terrific!
Second, I think your CODA points in your Better Business Blog report are great, and you're certainly right that what to do and how to do it are two different matters, which are equally needed. We look to you for the how, as much or more than the what!
Last, and this is meant out of respect, we had hoped that you'd have a comment window at "The Better Business Blogging Report," we read before this seeing this add-on. That way we, and others, could respond to your insightful comments about the need to interact with your viewers! A comment box like this one at the end of that report would be helpful there as well.

[iskele]

Hmm. Thank you for this good article.
I will Translate it into my language.

Regars.

[karam]

very useful article thanks alot

[Relationship]

Very nice post.I read & enjoyed it...Thanks..