Blogging consistently is a challenge for most creative business owners.
It’s difficult to find the time to sit down and write content-rich posts, especially with countless projects and administrative tasks to take care of. But sometimes it’s even more difficult to come up with things to write about.
So a year and a half ago I came up with 50 no-fluff, content-rich blog post ideas and shared them on the blog.
That post has received the most shares, comments, and pageviews out of hundreds of Elle & Company articles.
I’ve continued to learn about blogging and content marketing in the 16 months since writing that post, so I thought it was about time for an update.
I’ve added and refined that list to bring you 50 more no-fluff, content-rich blog post ideas.
Go ahead and bookmark this post or pin it - you’ll want to come back to it later.
But I’m warning you... After looking over this list, you’ll never be able to use the, “I don’t have anything to write about,” excuse ever again!
Download the checklist!
I created a free checklist to help you brainstorm and implement these 50 blog post ideas.
1 | Share results
We all love getting the inside scoop and figuring out how someone achieved fantastic results. Whether you were able to partner with an industry leader, land a speaking engagement at an important event, or get featured in a major publication, share about how you did it on your blog. Not only will it win the attention of your audience, but it will boost your credibility.
Example: How I Grew My Waiting List to Over 250+ Prospective Clients
2 | Share stats
The benefits of sharing your stats are similar to those of sharing your results, but stats provide quantitative data and proof. Give your readers an inside look and share details about what went into achieving those stats. Share screenshots to provide visual proof. And remember that this isn’t an excuse to brag; it’s an opportunity to transparently share with your audience so that they might achieve a similar result.
3 | Share a success
There’s something about reading a success story that gives readers hope. Whether they want to accomplish a similar feat or simply celebrate with you, success stories build people up; it’s like a positive snowball effect. So share your wins with your audience and tell the story of how you got there.
4 | Share a failure
Sharing your failures can have an even greater impact than sharing your successes. Failure makes you human and relatable. And if you’ve overcome and found success in spite of failure, it gives your readers hope. However, if you do share a failure, steer clear of being a Debbie Downer and be sure to end it on a positive note.
Example: 8 of My Biggest Business Struggles (and how I’ve overcome them)
5 | Share about how you’ve been influenced by someone in the industry
If people enjoy following along with you, they’ll love finding out who you’ve been influenced by. This is an opportunity to not only share how another individual impacted your business and send traffic their way, but it also gives you a legitimate reason to reach out to that person and link to the post if you’ve never gotten in touch with them before.
6 | Share your take on a current event in your industry
In order to be a thought leader in your industry, you have to be willing to put yourself out there. What better way to demonstrate your authority and expertise than to share your thoughts on a current event? If your take is creative and polarizing, your post will have some great potential to go viral, too.
Example: Why Instagram’s New Changes Don’t Scare Me (and shouldn’t scare you)
7 | Share a strategy
Have you found a creative way to achieve positive results? Share the love by revealing it to your readers. Transparent, helpful posts build trust and encourage people to return to your site time and time again. And if your strategy is genius and hasn’t been seen before, extra kudos to you!
Example: Why I'll Never Schedule Social Media Again (And Our MeetEdgar Strategy!)
8 | Share a platform or program
Which platforms do you use on a regular basis? Choose one and highlight its features in a post. Share how you use it, what your favorite features are, and how it’s benefited you. You might even go more in-depth and walk readers through a tutorial of exactly how you use it. These posts are great because they provide specific takeaways, which is a key aspect of a viral, shareable post.
Example: Getting Your Blog Organized with Trello
9 | Share a video
It’s easy to get so caught up in written blog posts and forget that there are other engaging ways to share content with your audience. Instead of writing a long article, switch things up and experiment with video. Do a screenshare and walk your audience through a program/platform. Record a behind-the-scenes look at your latest product. Videos are easier to consume and much more likely to go viral, so get creative and give them a go from time to time.
Example: How to Implement My 2-Week Design Process
10 | Share a slideshow
If the thought of producing a video seems a little overwhelming to you, create a slide deck and add it to your blog post. Tell a story, share a tutorial, or even walk people through your latest project from start to finish. Keep the slides simple with minimal text and engaging visuals so readers can move through it easily and consume the information quickly. Slides are a great way to switch up your content and create interaction with your readers.
11 | Share your mission
Why did you start your business? What’s your “why?” Share it with your audience in a creative way. Explain the pain points you may have noticed among your audience before you started and how your business provides a solution. Include past experiences that equipped you and encouraged you to become an entrepreneur. Posts like these give your audience more insight into why you do what you do (and are great to link to on your About page!).
12 | Share your differences
The most fascinating blogs and businesses are those that break the mold. They’re different from the others in their industry, whether it’s through their content, their writing style, or their visuals. What makes your blog/business distinct? Highlight those differences in a blog post or a series of blog posts. And don’t call them, “What makes [my business] different” - you’re capable of a title and an angle that’s much more creative!
Example: How to Stand Apart in an Oversaturated Industry
13 | Share tools
Which tools do you use to run your business on a day-to-day basis? Share them on your blog. If your readers are in a similar industry, they might discover a helpful new resource. And if they’re curious about working with you, sharing the tools you use will give them more insight on your process and how you run your business, which will help build trust. You can round up the tools in one post or even highlight each one individually in a series.
Example: 10 Things I Can’t Design Without
14 | Share your expertise
You don’t have to be an expert or a leader in your industry to share what you know. A large majority of your readers probably aren’t as entrenched in your industry as you are, so they aren’t sizing you up; they truly want to learn or be entertained. So share your knowledge and expertise with them.
Example: How to Create Custom Icons for Your Brand
15 | Share an event
Have you attended a conference, workshop, or networking event lately that you would recommend to your readers? Share about it. To make it a little more interesting, you might hone in on one clear takeaway or tell it as a story. Not only will this be helpful for your readers and raise their awareness about the event but if the conference/workshop/event sees your post, they might share it on social media and drive more traffic to your site, too.
16 | Share a collaboration
Have you worked with someone on a project, feature, or cause lately? Share about the collaboration in a post. This could range from your experience with a mentor, coach, client, or peer.
17 | Share testimonials
Has someone reached a positive outcome as a result of your product, service, or blog? Share their success story. You can approach this in a way that doesn’t seem like you’re patting yourself on the back. Instead, you can focus on your client/customer and highlight their story and the steps they took to reach a desired outcome.
18 | Share product uses
Product marketing doesn’t have to be salesy. That’s one of the greatest benefits of utilizing a blog; it allows you to organically market your products and services through your content. So get creative with it! Share all the different (and maybe even unconventional) ways your product can be used in a blog post.
19 | Share surprising facts
What is it about random facts and information that intrigues people? I don’t know, but it sure is effective and engaging. Are there any facts about an area of your business that people would be surprised to learn? Round them up and share them with your readers. Not only will it pique their interest, but it might make them more interested in your industry and your business.
20 | Share secrets
If you want to build trust with your readers and keep them returning on a regular basis, share your secrets. So many people hoard their information for fear that others will copy them and have greater success, but the opposite is true; the more you share, the more you’ll be seen as a leader and authority. Do you have proven strategies and methods that have worked extremely well for your business? Don’t keep them to yourself! You might be pleasantly surprised at the outcome long-term.
Example: My No-Fuss Formula for Pricing My Services from Elle & Company
21 | Share a solution
What problem is your audience currently facing? What are your readers’ pain points? Make a list of them and use them as blog post ideas. Outline the problem in each and provide your own creative solution.
Example: A Simple Solution for Instagram's Biggest Business Dilemma
22 | Share your client process
One of the biggest advantages of blogging is the ability to appeal to potential clients through relevant content. So familiarize your audience with the ins and outs of your client process. Explain the reasons behind each step and walk them through the experience. The more they’re able to see, the more interested they might become in booking your services and working with you in the future. You could even make this into a series to go more in-depth on each step.
Example: How I Design a Full Brand and Website in Just 2 Weeks
23 | Share your creative process
Everyone appreciates creativity; we love getting inside other creatives’ minds and learning how they think. Your readers are following along with you because something about what you’re doing intrigues them, so invite them into your creative process and explain how you come up with new ideas and projects. If it’s unique and slightly unexpected, they’ll love it.
Example: A Look at My Creative Process
24 | Share other business processes
Are there other areas of your business that require a process or workflow? Whether it’s onboarding, product photography, feature submissions, or client prep, take all the steps and feature them in a blog post. Your readers might pick up a few things they hadn’t considered before, but they’ll definitely be interested in getting an inside look at the way you operate.
Example: My Process for Creating and Publishing Blog Posts
25 | Share your portfolio
Again, one of the biggest advantages of blogging is the ability to organically market your products and services. One of the best ways to do this is to share your most recent work. But instead of just sharing a bunch of photos, go into detail on what the entire process looked like. Explain the problem your client was facing and how your services helped them solve it. Walk them through each step and explain your decisions. This highlights your expertise, gives prospective clients a good idea of what it would be like to work with you, and highlights your latest work. Win, win, win!
Example: New Brand and Website Design for Jen Neal Photography
26 | Share a behind-the-scenes look
There are many areas of our businesses that people don’t get to see on the other side of the screen. So give your readers a behind-the-scenes look at different areas of your workday. Whether it’s your schedule, your workspace, your product photography setup, your course prep, etc. These posts make you more relatable and help readers get to know you better.
Example: An Inside Look at My Launch Strategy for Freelance Academy
27 | Share your story
How did you get to where you are right now? Some of the most compelling, relatable blog posts are told in story form, so take some time and share your story with your readers. Now - fair warning - some people can be pretty long winded and include tons of details. I would encourage you to focus on the highlights. Keep your readers in mind and consider what they would love reading about most. Because while it’s your story and your blog, your content should always be written with your readers in mind if you want your blog to grow and succeed.
Example: How Our Business Got Off the Ground
28 | Share an interview
Is there someone in your industry that your audience could benefit from? Invite them to join you in an interview on your blog, either in written, audio, and video format. You might gear it toward a particular area of their expertise, their story, or even allow your audience to chime in with their questions.
29 | Share tutorials
Viral posts usually have actionable takeaways. And truthfully, you should always be asking yourself what your readers are going to take away from each and every post you write. Tutorials make great blog posts because they provide clear, actionable takeaways. “Do [this] and you’ll receive [XYZ] results.”
Example: How to Set Up Blog Archives in Squarespace
30 | Share tips
Have you ever wondered why “how to” posts are so popular? People love learning how they could be doing things better and more efficiently. So share your tips and insights with them. They don’t have to be groundbreaking or never seen before; they just need to be written from your experience and your own unique voice. Share what you know.
Example: 10 Tips for Aspiring Designers
31 | Share examples
Many things we tend to share are great in theory and hard in practice. Instead of blogging about topics and sharing hypothetical ideas, provide concrete examples. Round up examples on certain topics that pertain on your industry and share them on the blog.
Example: 14 Genius Visual Marketing Campaigns
32 | Share humorous insights about your industry
What observations have you made about your field that others would relate to and get a kick out of? Round them up and write about them. Satire can be a fun way to break up your content and give readers something unexpected. Entertainment and insight are a winning combination.
33 | Share lists
There’s something about long lists that makes them irresistible. Take this post, for example. What attracted you to it? Would you have been as interested if I only shared 5 blog post ideas? One of the biggest reasons people turn to blogs is for inspiration. Long lists provide more information and ideas. So consider some topics that would allow you to create long lists and share them on your blog. Your audience will love them, bookmark them, and return to them time and time again.
Example: 40 Ways to Use Adobe Illustrator to Improve Your Blog and Business
34 | Share sneak peeks
We all love being in the know. Let your readers be nosy and share a sneak peek at a new product, service, launch, collaboration, addition, etc. This is a great way to pique the interest of your audience, create hype, and encourage them to come back and check out whatever it is you’ve been working on.
35 | Share what not to do
Sometimes we get so wrapped up in sharing helpful tips, resources, and solutions that we forget that sharing what not to do can be just as beneficial. Think about the things you learned the hard way. Consider the mistakes people commonly make in your industry and share them on your blog.
Example: Top 10 Blogging Mistakes to Avoid
36 | Share an experience
Just like I mentioned earlier, people love reading stories. Consider experiences you’ve encountered in your business and share what you’ve learned from them. You might even share life experiences and how they’ve played a part in the success of your business. Posts like these are more relatable and allow readers to get to know you while still providing value.
37 | Share what you wish you had known
Many lessons in business have come through trial and error. What are some things you wish you had known when you first started? Round them up and write about them. It might not only save someone else the trouble, but the more transparent you are and the more you share with your audience, the more they’ll trust you and want to return. Especially if they implement your tips and wisdom and it works in their favor.
Example: 4 Things I Wish I Would Have Known When I First Started Blogging
38 | Share answers to FAQs
Which questions are you asked on a regular basis? Instead of writing a long email response each time, spend time answering each one in detail on your blog. Chances are that many more of your readers have the same questions, so this will either keep you from getting as many emails or give you an in-depth post to link to each time you’re asked the same question in the future.
Example: Top 10 Tips for Aspiring Graphic Designers
39 | Share updates
Your blog is a great outlet for keeping people in the know. If you’ve made any recent updates to your site, packages, products, courses, client process, etc., write about them on the blog and share the reason behind the change.
Example: Surprising April Analytics in Our Journey to 100k Visitors
40 | Share a review
Have you attended an event, purchased a course, or used a product that your audience could benefit from? Write a review and share about it on your site. Not only are posts like these insightful for your audience, but they also have the potential to be shared by the company whose product/service you’re reviewing.
Example: How I Manage Business Tasks with Asana
41 | Share a roundup
Like lists, roundups are a great way to share information and inspiration. Posts like these are bookmarked and pinned by readers so they can return to them time and time again. You can roundup helpful blog posts, resources, tips, ideas… the possibilities are endless.
42 | Share a freebie
Free content and entertainment are the primary reason people love following along with blogs. So if you take it up a notch and give away a freebie - like a printable, giveaway, etc. - your audience will be even more excited. Consider freebies that benefit your audience and consider ways that you can benefit from giving them away, too, whether it’s getting them to share the freebie with their audience, requiring their email address, or both.
43 | Share a flashback
Have you been passionate about your field for years? Share a flashback or old photos of you behind the camera, participating in an elementary school art show, baking a cake with your grandma, running for student council… People will love seeing that your passion has spanned decades, and they’ll also gain more insight into who you are.
44 | Share misconceptions
We’ve all been there. People have preconceived notions about what we do that are usually far from the truth. What better way to set them straight (and even add a little humor) than to round them up and share them on the blog? Not only will they be insightful for your readers, but others in your industry will be thankful and nodding in agreement as they read your post, too.
Example: The Truth About Squarespace SEO
45 | Share the best (or worst) advice you’ve received
Again, passing knowledge along can save someone else trouble or give them a leg up. Information is of no value if it’s hoarded. So share the best (or worst) advice you’ve ever received on your blog. Your audience will thank you for it.
Example: 7 Things My Dad Taught Me About Business
46 | Share quotes
Quotes are highly shareable. Round up some of your favorite quotes that are relevant to your industry and share them with your readers. Get strategic and add some “click to tweet” links in there in case they want to share a couple with their audience, too.
Example: 50 Motivating Quotes for Business and Blogging
47 | Share highlights
Highlight posts usually pop up around the end of the year, but they can be published anytime. Share highlights of your 1st/5th/20th year in business, your business trip to San Diego, your employee’s first year, your first conference. Add photos and celebrate your business’s important milestones with your audience.
Example: My Top 10 Favorite Blog Posts from 2014
48 | Share an infographic
Infographics are awesome for displaying data and information in an engaging, visual way. Reading often feels like work, but seeing the content as a graphic is much more entertaining. So instead of writing a long post, switch things up with an infographic from time to time.
Example: How to Create the Quintessential Instagram Feed
49 | Share a survey
Surveys are a great way to gain feedback from your audience, but they also encourage reader participation and turn your blog into a 2-way conversation. I wouldn’t recommend conducting surveys more than once or twice a year but when you do, consider displaying the results in a fun, engaging way. You might also consider offering a freebie or another incentive to get your audience to participate in the survey, too.
Example: We Want to Hear From You!
50 | Share about your team
So you aren’t a solo operation? Highlight your team on your blog and introduce them to your readers! You might conduct an interview for each person with random fun facts, have them write a guest post on a topic… Get creative with it!
Download the checklist!
I created a free checklist to help you brainstorm and implement these 50 blog post ideas.
Share helpful, actionable content that will benefit your readers. Don’t get caught up in your likes and your interests; share posts that have clear takeaways.
Not only will it lead to trust, but it will result in a large loyal following that looks out for each and every new post you’re putting out there.
Which of these blog post ideas are you going to implement?
