All bloggers have one common problem while starting or even maintaining a blog – “What do I write about?”. This is a valid concern as it plays a critical part in the success or failure of your blog. Choosing the right topic also gives you the freedom to plan out your blog posts and build a blogging calendar. Planning topics, in turn, will help you manage your blog effortlessly and you can even contribute to other blogs. You can even use external blog writing services to help maintain your blog. Here are 5 tips to help you choose the best topic for your blog:
- Know your audience
The most essential aspect of blogging is establishing a connection with your readers. This is what turns someone who stumbles upon your post into a loyal reader. If you’re just starting out as a blogger, then define a target audience aka the people you’re trying to reach out to and connect with. Choose topics that resonate with this target audience. This will encourage them to engage with you and keep them coming back for more. Respond to comments and read emails from your viewers to see what works best and if any changes need to be made. Choose good topics and write about them in such a way, that no one could replace you.
- Choose a topic that you’re passionate about
Many bloggers make the mistake of choosing topics simply because they are popular or trending. This is great for a temporary basis, but it becomes a burden in the long term, as you have no personal investment in it. Choosing a topic you’re passionate about will ensure that you can post consistently and be invested in your own work. Most successful bloggers keep their blogs updated because they enjoy what they’re writing about and are willing to do the research required for each post. This will become monotonous when there’s no personal investment.
- Choose topics that are relevant
Relevant doesn’t necessarily mean the most popular topic. Choose a topic that answers questions for your target audience and intrigues them. Also, make sure that your topic is evergreen, meaning it isn’t constrained by time. Evergreen topics stay relevant for a long period of time, and more likely to be ranked higher by Google. Another way to choose relevant topics is to identify a goal beyond traffic and views, this could be subscriptions or conversions. Choose topics that drive users towards this goal. Don’t blatantly try to push them into subscribing, instead convince them to subscribe by writing about relevant topics and inspiring your readers.
- Get topics by using tools
Tools will help you streamline the process of browsing through Google results and finding good content, use them to your advantage. Tools like DrumUp, Feedly and Pocket are free and great for content discovery. They sort through hundreds of sources to find relevant content for your niche. Over time, these tools also have the ability to learn your preferences and find content to suit your needs. There are also paid versions of these tools that come with a variety of additional features, that are great for social media management. This could be useful for sharing your work and promoting your blog.
- Choose topics from other blogs
Look at the popular blogs in your niche and see what is working from them. Make a list of blogs that you look up to and take a look at the kind of topics they choose and note down the ones that you like. Get inspired from other blogs but don’t plagiarize. Don’t copy their headlines as they are, change them to fit your niche and target audience. By observing other blogs you can also see the general sentiment with regard to a certain topic and feed off of it when writing your own blog. You can also learn from their mistakes and not repeat the same in your own blog.
Remember that choosing a topic isn’t an instantaneous process. You have to put some effort into it, especially if you’re a beginner. In the initial stages, it is important to stick to one theme and build topics around it. As you gain more experience and knowledge, you can branch out and explore other themes. It is worth noting that the topic you choose shouldn’t be something you’re overly sensitive about as there will be comments from your audience members who might not share the same views as you. Also remember that your blog topics will change constantly, as your own views change with experience, so don’t force yourself to write about things you don’t believe in.