Would you believe me if I told you that even professional writers get stuck in a content rut? When you have done something for a long time, at some point you're going to think you've said all there is to say. There are days that I stare at the ceiling trying to wax poetic and hope that a bolt of creative lightening will just strike me in the eye. While that's never actually happened, I always seem to find the words I want to use. Until next time.
Today, I want to give you 5 “creative lightening bolts to the eye” that will help you over your content slump. Not only will you have content, it will be better content.
1) Try live-streaming - With relatively new sites like Periscope and Blab, you have a whole new set of tools for your content toolbox. Take a look at your analytics and see which blogposts did especially well, and then revisit them in front of a new audience. If it's Periscope, since you're solo, you can just roll down the list in a short amount of time. If you're using Blab, grab someone in your office, and pose it as a Q&A-type interview. Then, you can use that video to create NEW content!
2) Read - So simple, but so many of us get so busy that we forget to read. If you're not reading to stay on top of your industry, you're doing yourself and your client a disservice. Put the best reads you find on a list or in Pocket, and you can do a couple of things with it. You can give your own take on what you've read or compile a list post of "best reads," linking back to the original source.
3) Video - Video is so, so, simple yet so many just won't take the (minor) leap to do it. If you have a smart phone, a couple of apps, and a few minutes, you can create a basic video. Similar to the idea in #1, look thru your blog posts and find a few that were well received. Think what you can say in a span of 30-60 seconds (no more than that, please), and then hit the record button. Edit the video a little, maybe add a couple of subtitles, and then publish it in a blog post, your Facebook page, your YouTube account, and so forth.
4) Infographics and Memes - You don't have to be an artist or even have a designer on staff to create basic artwork like these. If you do have the skills or the staff, that's great, but you can use sites such as Canva.com or Infogr.am to make your own basic images. Did you read an article that had interesting stats? Make an infographic and quote the source. Do you have a favorite quote, or have you even coined a phrase yourself? Make it into a meme. These two items get shared and viewed almost as much as video.
5) Hit 'em Where it Hurts - What are the 5 things that most of your customers or prospects suffer from that you and your company can fix? Address them head-on. It gives great, evergreen content and sets you and your company ahead as a thought-leader who has the solutions.
I hope this helps inspire you the next time you're wondering what fresh, new content you can come up with. What would you add to the list? Is there something that has always worked for you?
