By the way, if you\u2019re following the\u00a0blogging basics outlined here<\/a>, you\u2019re well on your way to creating and maintaining the kind of content that will keep readers coming back for more.<\/p>\n And if you\u2019ve been blogging for any length of time, you know that when you don\u2019t post on your blog for a few days, your traffic takes a nosedive.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s ideas to get you going.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n With Google Alerts, you can set up alerts for topics and subtopics in your niche to see what\u2019s making news and what\u2019s being said by others. Monitoring online news and conversations can inspire ideas and introduce you to\u00a0new content sources<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n In the context of blog outreach, I mentioned Technorati and Alltop in my article on\u00a0The Secret to Growing Your Blog Following.<\/a>\u00a0Both sites are also great sources for\u00a0finding what other bloggers are posting about your topic.<\/strong>\u00a0When you\u2019re stuck, do a keyword search on Technorati. Set up a channel on Alltop with blogs in your industry to scan what\u2019s new at a glance.<\/p>\n Monitor blogs in your field by subscribing to influential blogs by email orsubscribe to blog feeds<\/strong>\u00a0with your preferred feed reader.<\/p>\n You want to\u00a0find out what your competitors and other experts in your field are discussing<\/strong>. Not only will you get inspiration for your own writing, but you\u2019ll stay on the cutting edge of your field.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Other bloggers\u2019 posts are often useful jumping-off points for writing your own. Some bloggers simply report on somebody\u2019s post, link to it, and that\u2019s it.\u00a0A more strategic way to do this is to either agree with the blogger you\u2019re citing, disagree, or add your own perspective.<\/strong><\/p>\n Adding to the conversation makes your blog more valuable.<\/strong>\u00a0Although you can read a lot of good stuff in the blogosphere, it hasn\u2019t all been said. Use the good stuff as inspiration and ask yourself, what can I add to that? The blogosphere loves controversy and a good argument. How can you stir things up and encourage your readers to interact and comment?<\/p>\n This is a great tool that can boost readership and encourage people to come back to vote and share with friends. Set up a poll as a blog post or in the sidebar, and\u00a0ask readers to vote<\/strong>\u00a0on their biggest challenge, their worst nightmare\u2014you name it\u2014as long as it\u2019s relevant to your topic. What do you want to know from your readers? Ask them.<\/p>\n There are many free polling services that enable you to add polls to your blog:Polldaddy<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Vizu<\/a>\u00a0are two I frequently use.<\/p>\n Use poll results as fodder for writing additional follow-up blog posts, an article, or a media release.<\/p>\n Announce your own live events, speaking appearances, products, and services<\/strong>. Any time you have something new going on, let your readers know about it by writing a post for your blog. If you\u2019re writing press releases for your business, post those on your blog as well.<\/p>\n Share information and tips you think might interest readers. Do it in a way that provokes a conversation, rather than reporting on topics as a journalist. This is also an opportunity to ask your readers for their perspective. Remember, an important reason to blog for your business is not just to disseminate information, but also to\u00a0engage in a conversation with your readers.<\/strong><\/p>\n Take a few minutes to make a list of the main topics you\u2019re blogging about, and then make a list of three or four subtopics. If you think about it, when you\u2019re focused on your reader and your expertise, most of what you\u2019re going to be blogging about falls under five to seven main topics.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve got the list, set up a simple\u00a0editorial calendar.<\/strong>\u00a0Each day, you can write about a particular subtopic. On Monday, you write about subtopic A. On Wednesday, you write about subtopic B. On Friday you write about subtopic C. This gives you focus for each day of the week, so when that day comes around, you don\u2019t find yourself wondering what to write about.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Similar to doing a poll, throw a question out to your communities on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. You\u2019ll probably get an immediate response.<\/p>\n On Twitter:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n On Facebook:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n When you don\u2019t have time to write, you can write posts in advance and postdate them so they\u2019re published on the days you\u2019re away. But if you\u2019re really pressed for time, a great way to\u00a0avoid a gap in blog posts<\/strong>\u00a0is to ask someone who writes on a similar subject to be a guest author.<\/p>\n This is a win-win-win.<\/strong>\u00a01) The guest blogger writes a few posts while you\u2019re away, giving you content. 2) The guest blogger gets links back to his or her website or blog, as well as exposure to your readers. 3) Your readers get new perspectives on your subject.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n It sounds funny, but this happens. After you\u2019ve been blogging for a while, you develop blog antennae. You\u2019ll find yourself continually scanning the web, newspapers, magazines, email, and even your own personal experiences forinteresting items<\/strong>\u00a0to blog about.<\/p>\n Expect this to happen after you\u2019ve been blogging for a couple of months. Even the slightest life challenge or mistake can become fodder for great blog posts. But to make that happen, you have to keep your ears and eyes open and receptive. The good news here is that just about any event can make an interesting blog post. Make sure to jot down your ideas and keep a running list. About 90% of my blog ideas never get posted but\u00a0they serve as great inspiration when I feel at a loss.<\/strong><\/p>\n Here\u2019s a great tip for creating content and building readership and getting links back to your blog:\u00a0Make a list of your top 10 favorite blogs in your industry.<\/strong><\/p>\n Generally the people on that list will be excited because they made the list. More than likely, they will write on their blog about you and your list because they\u2019re going to be tooting their own horn: \u201cI just made so-and-so\u2019s list of favorite blogs.\u201d It\u2019s a\u00a0great way to get known and build readership<\/strong>.<\/p>\n When writing about nearly anything, your content can be more valuable and unique when you can refer effectively to the classics, history, or authoritative books written about the topic being discussed. Many people in the blogosphere treat content superficially.\u00a0 How can you place your product or service in historical context? A great example is a post on Copyblogger called\u00a05 Essential Blogging Tips from the Father of Chinese Philosophy.<\/a><\/p>\n By adding depth, you add value to your blog. This helps\u00a0position you as a thought leader and a credible expert in your field.<\/strong><\/p>\n Now it\u2019s your turn! I would love to add more ideas to my list. Where do you find inspiration for your blog posts?\u00a0Please share your tips and resources in the comments.<\/strong><\/p>\n http:\/\/www.buildabetterblog.com\/13-ideas-to-inspire-your-blog-content.html<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n |\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014|<\/span><\/p>\n1. Set up Google Alerts<\/h2>\n
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2. Search Blog Directories<\/h2>\n
3. Subscribe to blogs<\/h2>\n
4. Share from other blogs<\/h2>\n
5. Post a poll<\/h2>\n
6. Toot your own horn<\/h2>\n
7. Share information<\/h2>\n
8. Make smart use of categories<\/h2>\n
9. Ask your community<\/h2>\n
![\"Inspiration_FB\"](\"https:\/\/empowernetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2226\/2012\/07\/6a00d834515d1969e20120a806e4ba970b-800wi.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n10. Invite guest authors<\/h2>\n
11. Grow blog antennae<\/h2>\n
12. Write a top-10 list<\/h2>\n
13. Refer to the classics<\/h2>\n
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