Are there tumbleweeds blowing through your blog’s editorial calendar?
You’ve been able to come up with your own blog post ideas, but you don’t have enough to fill your calendar.
You need more content ideas!
If you’re suffering from writer’s block and need 30 days of blog post ideas right now, you’re in the right place. No matter what your industry or niche, you can use all (or most) of these blog post structures.
These tried-and-true formats are just what your readers need.
1. The Classic How-To
One of your blog’s primary purposes should be to educate your readers or clients, so share some knowledge with them.
Examples: “How to Save $100 on Your Cell Phone Bill” or “How to Become an SEO Master”
2. The List
Give your audience a numbered list on a topic that matters to them. (This post is an example of a list!)
Another Example: “5 Reasons No One is Reading Your Blog”
3. What Not To Do
Tap into your readers’ fear of doing the wrong thing.
Example: “Why You Need to Get Rid of Your Free WordPress Theme”
4. Secrets of Your Industry
Everyone loves a good secret, so cozy up to your readers and share a few.
Example: “9 Productivity Secrets of Successful CEOs”
5. Predictions for Your Industry
If you’ve got an opinion on what’s coming down the road, dazzle your audience by sharing what you see for the future.
Example: “3 Telecommuting Trends That Will Take Off in 2017”
6. Beginner’s Guide
Everyone starts somewhere, so offer a 101-level blog post perfectly suited to your brand new readers.
Example: “The Beginner’s Guide to Creating a Budget”
7. Advanced Tips
Once your newbies get a feel for your topic, let them in on some next-level information.
Example: “Mastering the Art of Making a Soufflé”
8. Hacks
You’ve got the inside scoop, so share some tips, tricks, and shortcuts.
Example: “6 Ways to Soothe Your Baby to Sleep in 5 Minutes”
9. Troubleshooting
When people run into trouble, they jump online to look for answers. Have that answer ready.
Example: “10 At-Home Headache Treatments to Try”
10. Question (and Answer)
Use a question a reader has asked (or might ask) as a headline, and answer it in your post.
Example: “How Do I Ask for a Promotion?”
11. FAQs
They’ve got questions; you’ve got answers. Create a post that gives your readers lots of them in one place.
Example: “20 Questions All New Homebuyers Have”
12. Customer Case Study
If a client’s life has been improved by your product or service, write up the story! You’ll tout your business with a great human interest angle.
Example: “How Carla Avoided a $5000 Mistake With Our Service”
13. Review
You’ve got expertise in your field, so offer your opinion on a recently published book or a new product in your arena.
Example: “Why We Love the Latest iPhone”
14. How We Do It
Give your readers a peek behind the curtain, and show them a bit of what goes into making your product or improving your service.
Example: “How We Built a Better Mousetrap This Year”
15. Your Big Business Goal
Create some accountability for yourself while inviting your readers on the journey. Share a big goal you have and your action plan for making it a reality.
Example: “How We’ll Make Automatic Payments Painless Next Month”
16. A Quiz
You don’t need to be Cosmo to put out a fun quiz. Try your hand at giving your readers something that’s informative and interactive.
Example: “Should You Buy or Rent Your Next Home?”
17. A Poll
A poll is a great way to learn what matters to your readers an give them a voice in your business. Plus, you get the added bonus of using your poll results and insights as a second blog post down the road.
Example: “We Want to Know: What’s Your Biggest Money Worry?”
18. A Challenge
Create community and build engagement by challenging your readers to complete an activity or adopt a new habit.
Example: “Join Our 30-Day, No-Spending Challenge”
19. A Contest
An excellent way to entice your blog’s lurkers into the light is to serve up a content with a desirable prize.
Example: “Name Our Mascot and Win Canned Tuna for Life!”
20. Things You Wish You Knew
Save your audience the trouble of learning their lessons the hard way by sharing the knowledge you’ve acquired in your journey.
Example: “7 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started My Own Business”
21. The Follow-Up Post
If you’ve got a post that’s gotten great traffic, capitalize on your audience’s enthusiasm. Offer them more of that good stuff.
Example: “10 More Ways to Earn Extra Cash This Summer Break”
22. What Recent News Means for Your Industry or Audience
Offer your take on the impact that a recent development will have on your niche.
Example: “What the New FTC Guidelines Mean for Your Affiliate Marketing”
23. Response to Authority in Your Industry
If a guru in your niche has something to say, pen an open letter agreeing or disagreeing with his thoughts.
Example: “No, Matt Cutts. Guest Blogging is Not Dead.”
24. A Day in the Life
Here’s another approach to giving your readers an inside look. Let them virtually shadow a member of your team.
Example: “A Day in the Life of a Google Programmer”
25. Share Your “Why”
Why your company exists and why you do what you do is unique and interesting! Get personal with your audience and share your “why.”
Example: “Our Story: Why We Founded Our Community Center”
26. What Makes You Different
There’s a fine line between sharing your story and being salesy. Find the balance, and tell your audience what makes you different from everyone else.
Example: “The One Service We Offer That No Other Insurance Company Does”
27. Your Values
Your readers want to know who you are and what you’re about, so share your value statement in an understandable way that makes them feel good.
Example: “Our Commitment to Safety: How We’re Improving Our Widget”
28. Rules to Break
Embrace your inner rebel and encourage your audience to join you — with good reason.
Example: “3 Parenting Rules It’s Time to Break”
29. The Ultimate Guide
If you want to get page views and build authority on your blog, a long-form, comprehensive resource is an excellent way to do it.
Example: “The Ultimate Guide to Retiring Comfortably at 65”
30. A Round-Up of Industry Experts to Follow
Create a list of gurus whose blogs you recommend or experts to follow on Twitter. As a bonus, share your blog post with the gurus you’ve mentioned, and you might get some extra attention from their (huge!) audiences.
Examples: “6 Blogging Experts to Stalk on Twitter”
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Author: Megan Nye
Megan Nye is a personal finance freelance writer and content strategist. Her writing transforms even complex money matters into easy-to-understand and actionable information. She frequently covers topics of credit & debt management, retirement planning, investing, insurance, mortgages and loans, college planning, budgeting, and financial literacy.
Megan works exclusively with financial services businesses to create articles, infographic copy, and case studies. Her writing has been featured by Business Insider, U.S. News & World Report, Credit Karma, Citi, Wells Fargo, American Express, Prudential, U.S. Bank, Discover, Quicken, Fidelity Investments, and Merrill Edge.
