Running a blog is an exhausting business. There's that inexplicable joy every time content is launched, however - all that work behind the scenes is coming to light!No joy for you, however, if you can't come up with ideas for your blog!Even if you're the creative type, it's not easy to churn fresh content regularly. We've got your back, though: here's a list of 10 blog post topics you can use for your business blog. Within each category, you'll find countless other ways to branch to once you get the inspiration.Speaking of inspiration, these are just ideas and are by no means Canon. If a point inspires an aha! moment for you, follow it by all means. That's what this resource aims for anyway!Blogs are an excellent way to build authority, trust and a connection between your business and your audience. Fresh and exciting content keeps your brand in the minds of your prospects. And who knows? Maybe one of these days, one of your readers will purchase something from you.Enough talk- here are the ideas you can use for your business blog.
1. Go Behind the Scenes
Want to take a swipe at what everyone's favourite topic is? Me, myself and I! Let's kick off the list with this seemingly selfish tip - talk about your business!You've got 100% knowledge about your business. Why not start there? It's a whole treasure trunk of ideas for your blog and, because your business isn't going anywhere, it's unlikely you're going to run out of things to say about it. We all can't stop talking about ourselves most of the time anyway, yes?Take your readers on an adventure through your business with these ideas:
- Your origins. Where you've come from and the challenges you've had to overcome are always an excellent read for your audience. What personal stories can you share? What sets your business apart from the rest?
- Your mistakes. Are you the business owner who can laugh at themselves when things go wrong in the office? Bring it to your audience. Everyone loves businesses that aren't afraid of failure and who pick themselves up whenever they come by. Plus, the blooper reel is always fun to watch!
- Your staff. Unless you're a solo entrepreneur, you've got a team of people working with you. Give your business a human feel by bringing your staff to the people. Anything goes here- from the incredible work they do to their pet affections is fantastic.
- A day in the life. And no, not the Beatles song, but what a typical day for your business looks like. There's plenty to explore, from customer care to your store's backroom or even your production process.
- Highlights and future releases. Your company has undoubtedly been through plenty across its history. Why not do a recap of those? You could also take the time to tease what you've planned for your customers in the future.
Why it's good: you build a personal connection with your audience.
2. Talk About & Solve A Problem
Everyone encounters problems in daily life. Your product/service might even be a solution to some challenges your prospects might be experiencing. Talking about their problems and how to solve them is an easy way to get them hooked.Shockingly, many people have no idea the solution to their problems exists, and when they want one, Google is a close friend to ask. If your business has the solution, writing content that demonstrates a deep understanding of their symptoms and how to solve them puts you right on the front page. For example, if your audience is constantly looking for ways to increase web traffic, a blog post on how to solve it would be precious.You also don't have to talk about your prospects' problems alone. Common problems that you or the industry face are also go-to ideas for great content. For example, if you're a company that offers B2B services, B2C clients may not be the best fit for you. That's an article right there - 10 reasons X product is not for you could be the title!Why it's good: it builds your brand's authority and trust. Because you're providing free value to your readers, they'll also feel obliged to give back—reciprocity at work.
3. Make An Ultimate Guide
Guides are great for businesses. Why would we be writing one, like the one you're reading now, if they weren't worth the while?In a time where the search engine is a click away, we're increasingly looking for content online rather than the traditional physical copy. Even the simplest of things gets 'Googled' these days. Who knew so many people didn't know how to boil an egg?Ultimate guides are long-form blog posts, usually with a wealth of information about a particular subject. For example, suppose you run a marketing company. In that case, a blog post like The Ultimate Guide to Marketing for Startups is something you could write about.A few tips for writing the perfect ultimate guide:
- Settle on one idea and develop on it. Usually, the post you're aiming for is something you're well versed in-you'll be the most comfortable writing about it. The idea should be unique and relatable too.
- Do proper research on your chosen topic. You don't want your blog to look like a half-done post.
- You don't need to cover everything in one post. It's easy to go off in many directions with these kinds of blogs; stay focused on your main idea.
Why they're good: ultimate guides are evergreen - your audience will always refer back to your post whenever they need the information. They build your brand's authority too.
4. Make product/service comparisons
If you think the time to trash your competition has come, hold on to your guns for a minute. Many businesses have tried to do just that to generate traffic and have failed terribly—no need to add your business to the number.
You don't need to trash-talk your competition to write a good comparison post. On the contrary, the brutally honest ones tend to perform better than the posts that bring other companies down. Both products have their own points where they shine. Teasing these out without casting a bad light is the way to go, as this ConvertKit article does so well.You don't need to compare your products against others though. You can also compare products or services that your company is related to and are commonly used together. For example, if you run a copywriting business, a comparison of different text editors is something you can try.Why they're good: when written from an honest standpoint, they build trust in your brand. They can also help set your business apart from the rest and attract the clients you actually want.
5. Make A Resource List
Everybody loves free things. Why not give your readers some?
If you've been in business for a while, you've come across plenty of things that make life easier. Think about all the superb tools, websites and the many more things you love. Take an in-depth look into each of them, how they've helped your business and how it may help them too. Images and videos work exceptionally here.These are some of the things you can include:
- Your business partners. Vendors, suppliers, fulfilment partners, the works-if they can benefit your audience, throw them in.
- Tips and tricks you've picked up in your business experience. Know something that can make work easier? Share it.
- Reviews of relevant products and services
- Books, websites, links and hidden tools that your customers may find useful
Why they're good: remember reciprocity? It features here too. They're also a handy resource your audience will reference long after it's gone up.
6. Answer Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs are a staple for every business. It's why that page with the frequent ones and their answers exists, right? Believe it or not, frequently asked questions are fodder for good blog posts too.Most FAQs deal with common questions directly related to the product, such as how to use the product, renewing subscriptions, questions about the product's ingredients, you get the idea. What these blog posts are aiming for is a little different.Approaching these from a sales standpoint is what brings the conversions. What questions do your sales team get asked the most? What do your prospects need to know before they make the purchase? Think upon these as you drum up ideas for your FAQ blog posts.To get the most out of FAQ posts, it's essential to go deep into the details. It's not enough to merely answer the question. Give examples, highlight stories, anything that is related to the question basically. You can also bring in your own questions that you think your prospects may have in the future.Why they're good: FAQ posts promote a better understanding of your brand and its products, eliminating any objections the prospect may have had. They're also good for SEO.
7. Talk about trends in your industry
Noticed a trend that affects your business and your client base? Talking about it lets you exploit the trend's popularity while providing value to your readers.Not all trends are for you to write about though. It's not about what you're interested in but more about what concerns your audience. The more interested your audience is in the trend, the better it will perform when you write about it. Trends that directly impact their lives or businesses are gold for this type of writing.Trends aren't the only thing you can explore. If new research on your area of expertise is released, talk about it and its relevance to your readers. A refreshed take on interesting research that has been around for a while still works like brand new.Conferences and events are prime sources for new trends and ideas you can implement, not just for your business processes but for your blogs as well.Why they're good: trend blog posts build authority and are a good way to attract new traffic to your site.
8. Take a stand on current issues
Your business will most likely have a stand on whatever is going on in the country. No matter what you do, there's bound to be something on the current news that has an effect on your audience. Picking a stand and talking about it while it's still fresh can bring in traffic and keep your business relevant at the same time.Here's an even better idea - why not take a controversial standpoint?
Disagreeing with popular opinion is guaranteed to bring in plenty of people who disagree with your views or at least some who are interested in what you've got to say. Make sure to stay within what your audience can get behind, or you'll find yourself losing valuable readership and plenty of money too.If you don't want to make a controversial stand yourself, you could invite someone who disagrees with your stand for a collaboration post. You can either do a debate, then write on the key takeaways or write up the post right away.Why it's good: reactions to trends often put your business on the front line, so you may get a slight rise in your traffic as a result. They're also a chance to make a splash in the market, especially in places you're passionate about.
9. Talk About Money
If you're like almost everyone else, you've gone to the internet to check the price of something before you made the purchase. How would you feel about a product or service if there wasn't any clear information about its cost? Huge odds are that it started looking a little fishy.Many companies aren't comfortable talking about their products or services pricing upfront. Maybe you're afraid your competitors might know what you're charging and get an edge over your business. Or maybe you think that what you charge could scare away potential clients or that every client gets their own pricing. When examined, though, none of these holds water!Your competitors may already know what you're offering, and it's still highly unlikely they'll change their pricing to match yours. Furthermore, your clients will be comfortable with your offer as long as you provide enough value for your investment.Cost is always a pressing question for every prospect. Not being upfront about it won't keep them around; they'll soon be out to find the next best option.Why they're good: posts about pricing portray your business as honest, and honesty builds trust.
10. Feature reviews
Just like costs, reviews are increasingly becoming an essential factor that prospects consider before buying anything. They want to know whether those who bought the product or service are having a great time or regretting the purchase. Obviously, if your reviews are good, you're going to get more purchases. The opposite is painfully true- if people aren't talking about your brand well, you're going to lose a lot of potential business.People love opinions. Here's how you can use them on your blog:
- Write customer success stories. All businesses have that customer who absolutely loved the experience. When they leave that glowing testimonial, ask them whether you can turn it into a blog post. Big brain tip: you can use such posts to ask your audience if they have a customer story they have to share and voila! You've got one more blog post idea. You can feature a new customer story every month or so to keep the idea fresh.
- Interview a long-term customer. If you've been in business for a while, you've got that client who has stuck with you for a while. Talk to them about their experiences so far, what they like and even what they hope can be improved. Might be great to convince a new prospect to join the party.
- Invite your readers to submit guest posts. What could go wrong?
Conclusion
If all you've been writing about is how to use your product, then you're missing out a lot on the power a blog can have on your business. What's going to keep traffic coming to your website if you've got lousy content on your blog?Fortunately, you've now got a treasure trove of ideas you can use for your business blog. Feel free to keep it tucked away safely in your bookmarks - you're very likely to need it later!Don't just pick one idea and use it throughout your blog- it's going to go stale pretty quickly. Variety is the spice of life, they say, and it certainly is good for your blog. Divert from your usual content type and create something new.When done well, blog posts are great traffic magnets and marketing tools. Now that you've got the gist of what you need to do, it's time to make it happen!
