The need to create constant fresh content for your site can be a real drain on scarce resources. Even when you source your content from your SEO company, as many businesses do, you may still need to brainstorm ideas and provide topics. Keeping a hand in your content’s formation is a smart idea, but it certainly takes up some valuable time.

Like all things, there is the hard way to look for inspiration for your site’s content. There is also the easy way. Find the five easiest paths to content inspiration below.

Your own comments section

Your site’s users are a rich source when you’re looking for search engine optimisation article inspiration. If you have an open comments section, it is worthwhile trawling it every so often and jotting down the questions, thoughts and comments your users have. Making use of your comments section can also reinforce your relationship with your site’s users and make them feel important.

A good SEO firm will make use of your comments section for keyword research as well, and you can talk to us at SEO Consult about this aspect of optimisation.

Industry forums

Like your comments section, industry forums contain questions that are of interest to your site’s users. An important difference between most comments sections and industry forums is that questions are usually more thought out, and are likely to prompt a deeper contemplation of the issue. If you’re ever stuck on a way to progress with content, browsing your industry’s forums can be a good way to discover the elements of the subject you need to focus on.

Google Trends

This Google feature can be a great boon for your content. Google Trends will show you what the most recent search trends are in your area, showing the most frequently used terms with in a small time period. Watch out for spikes in activity, as they can indicate emerging events in your industry. Keeping tabs on this can keep your content ahead of your competition.

Tag clouds and popular tag lists

Search engine optimisation companies often tap the tag clouds of popular sites during the keyword research process. Tag clouds and popular tag lists on sites like industry blogs and social media sites will show you what your target users are talking about, and allow you to tailor your content accordingly. This creates informed, topical content which can be a real boon for your site.

Industry blogs

This is a bit of a cheat, but only a little one. Reading the influential blogs in your industry can provide you with a lot of ideas. As these blogs are a good way of keeping tabs on your industry, tapping them for ideas shouldn’t require that much extra work. This is by no means a recommendation that you steal content from industry blogs – plagiarism is only too easily uncovered and is not likely to help your SEO. Rather, look for the topic trends across several blogs and consider the different angles you could take on the subject. Adopt your own distinctive perspective and use your logic to construct persuasive and interesting content which contains opinions without being opinionated.

Related posts:

1. Content: Stuck For Ideas?
2. Tag clouds and SEO
3. Three Useful Sources For Article Content
4. Keep Your Finger on The Pulse Of The Net
5. 7 Tips For Attracting Comments

Tags: Blogs, comments, content, google trends, Tag clouds

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 at 8:30 am and is filed under SEO Copywriting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.