March 4th 2024
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How to come up with great content ideas for SEO

We won’t be the first ones to tell you that your business website needs regular, fresh content to please search engine algorithms. That in itself can feel incredibly daunting. How do you come up with new ideas every couple of weeks for, not just the next year, but forevermore?! Then there’s an added pressure that your ideas should be enticing, attractive and original. It’s enough to make many people run for the hills, and it’s why many businesses outsource their content strategy and creation. It is possible to come up with great content ideas for SEO, though. It just takes a little thought, resource, and planning.

What makes a great idea?

Ironically, given the title of this blog, the first thing to remember in coming up with great content ideas for SEO is to stop getting preoccupied with SEO! Fresh content is one marker for Google (and others) to rank your website, but it’s not the only thing. When your content is actually designed for human interest it will be searched for, clicked on, and read. These things are also registered by search engines. So plan your content ideas and create content for humans first and foremost.

Timeliness

A well timed piece of content can be worth a multitude of musings. Sometimes this just happens through serendipity. But you can also research what the trending topics are within your industry by tracking social media posts, your competitors, and newsworthy occurrences.

Engagement

The signs of a great content idea are visible in the engagement that it inspires. So when you’re looking at industry social media, take note of the likes and comments that different topics have inspired. This is also a great way to track the success of your own content. When a blog post is more widely read, for example, that topic is likely worth looking at in another context.

Personality and Targeting

Of course, it’s no good trying to come up with content ideas with the whole of humanity as your target audience! Narrow down who you’re writing for to build a picture of your reader or viewer. These are the segments of the internet who you want to attract to your website. Create an individual persona if that helps you to focus your planning.

Who, what, where?

Profiling an audience covers the demographic and geographic aspects of those you’re targeting. What ages, locations and positions of responsibility do you want your content to appeal to? Are there interests, values, or sentiments that the majority of your audience are likely to hold common? These things are ideal for broadening the scope of your content whilst maintaining your target focus.

What do they want?

Here, you need to figure out what your audience wants from your content. Do they prefer written or video communication? Clearly, the ultimate goal for you is to generate new business, whether that’s a sale or a lead. Your content should attract visitors at varied points in the sales funnel, all of which are valid. Do this by working out the pain points for your target audience and how you can help to solve them. At the same time, create content that caters for general awareness of your brand. Visitors who return to your site for information are more likely to trust you when they do reach a point when they need your business.

Tools to use

Utilise available tools to inspire and expand different content ideas. No one can spend days in a log cabin dreaming up fantastical concepts, it’s not realistic! From specific content generation tools to more general research browsing, the internet has everything you need to hone down your content strategy.

Keyword tools

Use either a free or subscription tool like SEMRush or Answer the Public to research keywords and topics within your industry. If analytics are your thing, you can assess how popular different questions or search phrases are and focus your content accordingly.

Google trends

It makes sense to use Google itself to come up with SEO friendly ideas. Take notice of the suggestions that appear when you type a keyphrase in the search box. You’ll be surprised how many different ways questions are approached. Use the ‘People also asked’ section to work out alternative directions for your content.

Wider trends

Browse industry LinkedIn and Facebook groups, or forums like Reddit or Quora. This approach to research can be a useful way to find more unexpected topic inspiration. It’s all based on what people are genuinely talking about, so although it can take an investment of time, you’re more likely to come up with topical, popular content.

Starting Concepts

When you get stuck, it can help to have key areas to hand as a starting point for ideas to grow. There are certain content fields which can be tailored towards most industries, and approached from many different perspectives. These concepts can be a good basis for pillar content, which is a broad topic from which you spur more detailed content.

Market predictions

From research to opinion pieces, this type of content is great for building up your reputation as an expert in the industry.

Retrospectives

Whether you’re looking back on the year or recapping recent projects, these pieces of content are an opportunity to sell yourself. They’re also ideal for linking to case studies to keep your readers on your site for longer.

Myth busting

From common misconceptions to controversial opinions, myth busting content can be great for attracting engagement. Don’t be afraid to ask directly for comments and feedback, since this only helps the ranking of the content.

Behind the scenes

How things work is an increasingly popular concept among audiences. From the manufacturing process to insights into decision making, these pieces of content help to build trust with your audience.

Values and journeys

For the personal touch, why not write from the heart? If your business has a strong environmental priority, or was inspired by a personal experience, share this. This content isn’t just for your ‘About Us’ pages and can be delved into much deeper to create a connection.

Key events

From Christmas to trade expos to staff birthdays, tapping into calendar or business dates of note can be a great way to engage. Timing is key here, so make sure that you post well enough in advance. It’s also important to include a more general context, or update the post, to keep that content relevant after the event has passed.

With such a plethora of sources for great content ideas, there’s really no reason not to get cracking! Just remember that the hard work is in the planning. If it still feels like a maze of overwhelming potential that’s more of a burden than an inspiration, then give us a call to navigate it for you!

About
Latest Posts

Becky Hinshelwood

Content Manager at Leapfrog Internet Marketing

Becky has been writing content for business websites for nearly ten years. She loves to make any topic illuminating and engaging, and can't resist a wordy challenge! In a previous life, she was an artistic decision maker for a number of UK Theatres.

Latest posts by Becky Hinshelwood (see all)

Is more content or quality content better for SEO? - April 2nd 2024
How to come up with great content ideas for SEO - March 4th 2024
How to write authentically for your business blog - January 31st 2024

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