And that\u2019s what we\u2019ll help you with.<\/p>\n
After reading this guide, you\u2019ll be equipped with effective content ideation techniques and strategies that pro marketers use.<\/p>\n
![\"What](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/what-is-content-ideation.png\")
<\/p>\n
What is Content Ideation?<\/h2>\n
Before we get into content ideation techniques<\/a>, let’s start at the basics. Content ideation<\/a> is the process of creating content topics that will help you achieve your content marketing goals. Done right, you\u2019ll uncover content ideas that resonate with your readers and generate loads of engagements, sign-ups, and conversions.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a quick rundown of the benefits of content ideation:<\/p>\n Content ideation\u00a0helps you develop topics that align with your marketing goals<\/a>.\u00a0That bit is important.\u00a0After all, if your monthly goal is to generate $1,000 worth of sales and all your content gets you is likes and shares, then you\u2019d have failed at achieving your goal.<\/p>\n Content ideation prevents this since it ensures the angle of your content is aligned toward achieving your goals.<\/p>\n Content ideation optimizes the content creation process by preventing you from spending time, money, and workforce on creating the wrong content topics.<\/p>\n It also enables marketers to prepare detailed content outlines with all the important subtopics. This allows writers to breeze through the research,\u00a0blog formatting, and content production stages.<\/p>\n A consistent content ideation strategy lets your writers learn as much as they can about your core topics. It increases their knowledge about your industry over time, enabling them to craft expert-level content with original ideas.<\/p>\n Download our workbook to get started on content ideation with our best practices, proven techniques, and examples<\/a>!<\/p>\n If you struggle to ideate content marketing topics, try any (or all) of the strategies below.<\/p>\n Gather your marketing and sales teams and conduct an exhaustive brainstorming session. Interview\u00a0salespeople about the questions customers ask before buying. From your marketers, request their input on topics and trends that make waves in your space.<\/p>\n Diversify your content ideas by bringing in people from other key departments.\u00a0For example, customer service professionals can provide insights into your customer\u2019s biggest complaints. Developers can also share upcoming features and changes in your product.<\/p>\n Brainstorming sessions also help keep marketing content on-brand and consistent. It allows your content marketing to reflect your brand\u2019s collective vision and voice.<\/p>\n Look for content ideas online using content research tools and strategies.<\/p>\n For example, conduct\u00a0keyword research\u00a0to understand what people in your industry search for online. Use keyword research tools like Semrush, Ubersuggest, and Ahrefs to reveal keyword ideas in your industry.<\/p>\n Semrush\u2019s<\/a> Keyword Magic Tool, for example, provides endless content ideation techniques. It unveils hundreds of keyword ideas and questions you can consider for developing content topics or titles.<\/p>\n Image Source: Semrush.com<\/em><\/p>\n You can also do content research on social media platforms and online communities, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Reddit, and Quora. Join social media groups and look at frequently asked questions to fuel your ideation strategy<\/a>.<\/p>\n A\u00a0sales funnel<\/a> functions as a visual map of the customer journey.\u00a0The top of the funnel represents the \u201cawareness\u201d stage, where prospects become aware of your brand. The bottom of the funnel, on the other hand, represents the \u201caction\u201d stage, where prospects spring to action and make a purchase.<\/p>\n Top-of-the-funnel content includes broad-topic blog posts, infographics, and educational videos that cover basic concepts. These content ideas work in generating leads and pouring them into your sales funnel.<\/p>\n To turn those leads into customers, bottom-of-the-funnel content includes discount promo emails, free consultation offers, customer success stories, and elaborate product pages.<\/p>\n The middle part of the funnel can include the \u201cinterest,\u201d \u201cdecision,\u201d \u201cevaluation, and \u201cengagement\u201d stages. Shape your funnel based on your customer lifecycle and how you want to segment your audience.<\/p>\n Building a sales funnel strategy involves creating and tracking content in each funnel stage. Over time, you can identify which content types and topics are effective in moving leads down \u2014 toward the \u201caction\u201d stage.<\/p>\n Use this information to refine your content strategy and double down on topics that lead to sales.<\/p>\n Review the how-to guides and other learning resources you have already published. You should be able to identify tips, tricks, and extra content ideation techniques that will benefit your readers. Focus on the main topic itself or select related subtopics.<\/p>\n Tips, tricks, and best practices are usually compiled into listicles. These content pieces are not only easy to research and write, but they\u2019re also easy to consume and digest for your audience.<\/p>\n Supplementary information can also be tailored to a specific audience. For example, if your audience is small business owners, you could create a\u00a0content marketing tips<\/a>\u00a0listicle with advice that speaks to them.<\/p>\n Suppose you have a guide on how to build a website. Your next batch of content ideas may include:<\/p>\n Generate a quick spike in traffic by writing about the latest news and trends in your industry.\u00a0The internet is littered with tools that can help you create newsworthy information.\u00a0Google Trends<\/a>, for one, unveils what people are currently searching for in your niche.<\/p>\n Image Source: Trends.Google.com<\/em><\/p>\n Also, tune into industry news websites and social media platforms like Twitter for trending topics.\u00a0News-related content may not always provide evergreen value. But it can help SMEs and greenhorn bloggers gain the quick boost in traffic they sorely need.<\/p>\n When you take a stand on current events, you are bound to get truckloads of engagement from your audience.\u00a0Some will agree with you. Others won\u2019t.\u00a0Others will share and like your post, while others will react with an angry emoji.\u00a0Whatever your audience\u2019s stand, it\u2019s good for you since you generate more engagement.<\/p>\n This strategy is perfect if you\u2019re looking to improve brand visibility and increase audience engagement.<\/p>\n Content gaps<\/a> exist when there\u2019s very little to no content published about topics people are looking for.\u00a0Content gap ideation\u00a0is the process of creating topics that fill these content gaps.\u00a0Identify content gaps by checking questions and feedback from blog post comments, emails, and social media posts.<\/p>\n What other information are your readers looking for? Did you miss crucial details in some of your posts? Another content gap you need to fill is between you and your competitors. Look for high-performing content your competitors have that you haven\u2019t written about. Then, one-up them by ensuring your content is better in quality and provides more value.<\/p>\n If you ignore content gaps between you and top competitors, your prospective customers may turn to them and never look back.<\/p>\n Ahrefs<\/a>\u00a0has a Content Gap ideation tool you can use to find these missing content opportunities.<\/p>\n Image Source: Ahrefs.com<\/em><\/p>\n Content ideas based on the benefits of your products or services increase your audience\u2019s desire to take out their wallets.\u00a0Think about the problems your product solves, then create content topics about them.<\/p>\n For example, everybody knows a lawn mower cuts grass and helps homeowners maintain a tidy yard. But not most customers don\u2019t realize the long-term savings of investing in a lawn mower compared to hiring a gardener.<\/p>\n Creating audience personas helps you develop interesting topics and fine-tune your messaging. This allows you to create more relatable, engaging, and entertaining content.<\/p>\n An audience persona is a fictional profile of your ideal reader. It outlines their work, hobbies, age, content channels, pain points, and other essential details.<\/p>\n Use\u00a0Make My Persona<\/a>\u00a0by HubSpot to create a working audience persona by simply answering questions.<\/p>\n Image Source: HubSpot.com<\/em><\/p>\n Create audience personas using existing customer data to define \u201clookalike\u201d audiences. These are leads who are most likely to convert into paying customers.<\/p>\n The last of our content ideation techniques is a crucial one: Get to know your audience personally \u2014 deeper than what your audience personas tell you. Visit review platforms and consult your customer support team to understand their most common complaints. Connect with them through social media, participate in groups, and use social media analytics<\/a>\u00a0to map their online behavior.<\/p>\n Refine your audience personas over time based on your findings. After all, your audience is more than their jobs, buying power, and interests. The more intimately you know your audience, the quicker you can develop content topics they\u2019ll love, whether real estate<\/a>, healthcare, education<\/a>, finance, or tech<\/a>.<\/p>\n Use the content ideation techniques below to get better results from your content marketing campaigns.<\/p>\n Make the most out of your blog content ideation techniques with the following best practices:<\/p>\n A listicle is a flexible content format useful for almost every topic. It refers to content built around a list of products, tips, strategies, and other resources.\u00a0Since key details are organized and (usually) numbered, listicles are more readable and scannable to your audience.<\/p>\n Lists can also contain as many items as you need. This makes it easy for content marketers to include sections about a product or partner website.<\/p>\n Ideation examples:<\/p>\n A how-to guide\u2019s purpose is to help readers accomplish a certain goal. It may also contain definitions, step-by-step instructions, tips, tools, and statistics for making data-driven decisions.<\/p>\n The most important rule in creating how-to guides is to verify the piece addresses the problem or question in the title.\u00a0Your guide will fail if your readers are still unclear about how to address their concerns after reading the entire article.<\/p>\n However, if you\u2019ve written your guide so your readers have a clear grasp of what exactly they should do to address their concerns, you solidify your position as a reliable expert in your industry. This makes your value propositions and recommendations more convincing.<\/p>\n Ideation examples:<\/p>\n Questions can often be used as headlines as is.\u00a0Help readers go beyond obtaining answers by providing insights that turn information into action.<\/p>\n For example, if you answered the question \u201cwhat is web hosting,\u201d include a section full of tips for choosing a reliable hosting service provider.<\/p>\n Ideation examples:<\/p>\n Thought leadership pieces establish your position as a market expert, innovator, and follow-worthy information source.\u00a0These articles present original ideas and insights around popular topics.<\/p>\n A typical approach is to go against conventional wisdom and put forward \u201cinconvenient\u201d truths. Think about the information your audience doesn\u2019t want \u2014 but NEEDS \u2014 to hear.<\/p>\n Another strategy is coming up with original concepts that are easy to remember. Use mnemonic devices, such as original acronyms, to drive home your message.<\/p>\n Ideation examples:<\/p>\n A \u201cversus\u201d article is a side-by-side comparison of two or more products or ideas.\u00a0Similar to a review, comparison posts cover product pros, cons, and use cases. The only difference is that more than one product is covered in the guide.<\/p>\n Ideation examples:<\/p>\n A \u201cpros and cons\u201d article dives deep into a product’s or service’s advantages and disadvantages.\u00a0Write about the pros and cons of your own brand offerings to be more authentic to your audience. However, the benefits should still outweigh the setbacks, especially when discussing your own products.<\/p>\n Ideation examples:<\/p>\n Industry outlook pieces focus on your niche’s latest news and events \u2014 sprinkled with predictions about the industry\u2019s trajectory.<\/p>\n Authoritative outlooks rely on hard facts and verifiable statistics. Like thought leadership pieces, they help build your brand\u2019s authority as an information provider.<\/p>\n Ideation examples:<\/p>\n Covering trends in your industry can have lasting effects on your brand image. Discuss how trends will affect your target audience and how they can take advantage of the trend. If you can guide readers toward growth amidst the changes, they\u2019ll stay and turn to you for advice on future trends.<\/p>\n Ideation examples:<\/p>\n Articles exploring whether or not a product is worth buying are perfect for readers who are nearly ready to purchase.<\/p>\n Create a compelling \u201cis it worth it\u201d article by purchasing and using the product you plan to write about. This allows you to write from experience, making your content more authentic and trustworthy.<\/p>\n Ideation examples:<\/p>\n Write about your reader\u2019s pain points to make your content more relatable. This type of post also conditions your readers to look out for the solutions you\u2019ll share.<\/p>\n Mention your own products or services if you want to generate sales. Balance it with tips that don\u2019t force readers to buy \u2014otherwise, your audience might dismiss your content as a promotional piece.<\/p>\n Ideation examples:<\/p>\n Download our workbook to get started on content ideation with our best practices, proven techniques, and examples<\/a>!<\/p>\n To reap the full benefits of content ideation, remember to avoid the following pitfalls:<\/p>\n Successful content ideation is challenging to pull off without reliable research tools.<\/p>\n Check out some of the best content ideation tools on the web:<\/p>\n Image Source: Semrush.com<\/em><\/p>\n Semrush is an all-in-one marketing analytics and visibility management platform.<\/p>\n The built-in keyword research tool, Keyword Magic Tool, can unravel dozens of relevant content ideas around any topic. It also lets you ideate blog content by analyzing your competitors\u2019 top-performing pages.<\/p>\n Image Source: AnswerThePublic.com<\/em><\/p>\n AnswerThePublic<\/a>\u00a0is a free content research tool that turns your keywords into a long list of content ideas.<\/p>\n It uses data from billions of Google searches. This helps you understand better what type of questions your audience has about your industry.<\/p>\n Image Source: HubSpot.com<\/em><\/p>\n The\u00a0HubSpot Blog Ideas Generator<\/a>\u00a0is a straightforward tool that generates up to a year\u2019s worth of content ideas. Simply enter up to five nouns that are relevant to your brand, and your content ideas should appear in seconds.<\/p>\n Image Source: Trends.Google.com<\/em><\/p>\n Google Trends<\/a>\u00a0is the go-to trend-watching tool of digital marketers. It reveals trending queries and topics that people search for on the internet.<\/p>\n Google Trends is also capable of detecting \u201cbreakout\u201d topics. These pertain to search terms that grew in popularity by over 5,000% within the set time range.<\/p>\n Image Source: Google.com<\/em><\/p>\n Google can supply marketers with fresh content ideas in a handful of ways.\u00a0First, Google\u2019s \u201cAutocomplete\u201d feature automatically reveals search queries as soon as you type keywords.\u00a0Second, you can check the SERP\u2019s \u201cPeople also ask\u201d section and the related queries at the bottom for more ideas.<\/p>\n In digital marketing, content ideation is the process of identifying and choosing topics for content. An effective ideation process considers the target audience\u2019s needs, the company\u2019s marketing goals, the current state of the industry, and other factors to identify lucrative content ideas.<\/p>\n Golden rules of content ideation:<\/p>\n Content ideation prevents wasteful spending on content topics that don\u2019t align with your marketing goals. It also streamlines the content development process, sharpens your team\u2019s content writing skills, and ensures content is readily available for common problems.<\/p>\n Successful content ideation takes tremendous research, planning, and coordination within your team. Save time from your content ideation<\/a> process by adding content experts into the mix. Chat with a content specialist<\/a> about creating winning content ideas for your business.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Effective content ideation is where successful digital marketing campaigns come from. Learn the best ideation techniques, tools, and best practices here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":115,"featured_media":56413,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[177],"tags":[139,148,138],"ppma_author":[244],"class_list":["post-45014","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-content-creation","tag-content-distribution","tag-content-marketing-strategy"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBenefits of Content Ideation<\/h2>\n
Improves alignment between content production and target goals<\/h3>\n
Streamlines content development process<\/h3>\n
Hone your team\u2019s writing skills<\/h3>\n
![\"10](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/content-ideation-techniques.png\")
<\/p>\n10 Content Ideation Techniques<\/h2>\n
1. Brainstorming<\/h3>\n
2. Research<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/content-ideation-ss1.png\")
<\/p>\n3. Sales funnel data<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/content-ideation-ss2.png\")
<\/p>\n4. Tips and tricks<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/content-ideation-ss3.png\")
<\/p>\n\n
5. News and trends<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/content-ideation-ss4.png\")
<\/p>\n6. Take a stand<\/h3>\n
7. Look for gaps<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/content-ideation-ss5.png\")
<\/p>\n8. Find customer benefits<\/h3>\n
9. Develop personas<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/content-ideation-ss6.png\")
<\/p>\n10. Know your audience<\/h3>\n
![\"Content](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/ClearVoice_Content-Ideation-Tips_infographic.png\")
<\/p>\nHow to Develop Story Ideas: Must-know Tips<\/h2>\n
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![\"10](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/content-ideation-best-practices.png\")
<\/p>\n10 Content Ideation Best Practices<\/h2>\n
1. Consider listicles<\/h3>\n
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2. Consider \u201chow-to\u201d guides<\/h3>\n
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3. Consider answering common questions<\/h3>\n
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4. Consider thought leadership pieces<\/h3>\n
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5. Consider \u201cversus\u201d topics<\/h3>\n
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6. Consider pros and cons<\/h3>\n
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7. Consider industry outlook pieces<\/h3>\n
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8. Consider trending topics<\/h3>\n
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9. Consider \u201cIs it worth it\u201d topics<\/h3>\n
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10. Consider addressing pain points<\/h3>\n
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![\"Common](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/content-ideation-pitfalls.png\")
<\/p>\nCommon Pitfalls of Content Ideation You Should Avoid<\/h2>\n
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5 Content Ideation Tools<\/h2>\n
1. Semrush<\/h3>\n
![\"Semrush](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/content-ideation-ss7.png\")
<\/p>\n2. AnswerThePublic<\/h3>\n
![\"AnswerThePublic\u00a0is](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/content-ideation-ss8.png\")
<\/p>\n3. HubSpot Blog Ideas Generator<\/h3>\n
![\"The\u00a0HubSpot](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/content-ideation-ss11.png\")
<\/p>\n4. Google Trends<\/h3>\n
![\"Google](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/content-ideation-ss9.png\")
<\/p>\n5. Google<\/h3>\n
![\"Google](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/content-ideation-ss10.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"Content](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/content-ideation-FAQ.png\")
<\/p>\nContent Ideation FAQs<\/h2>\n
What is content ideation?<\/h3>\n
![\"golden](\"https:\/\/www.clearvoice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ClearVoice_Golden-Rules-Ideation_infographic.png\")
<\/p>\nWhat are the golden rules of ideation?<\/h3>\n
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Why is ideation important?<\/h3>\n
Get Help from Seasoned Content Marketers and Producers<\/h2>\n