Fresh eyes

How to generate good content ideas

How to generate good content ideas
Simon Turner Freshfield Managing Director

Published by Simon Turner,
Chief Executive & Group Client Director at Freshfield

With so many marketing channels requiring vibrant content, it has never been more important to ensure a steady stream of creative ideas. But how can businesses continue generating fresh and engaging content? Here are our top tips:

Plan ahead

Unless you are a creative genius it’s unlikely that you will be able to consistently come up with original ideas on the spot. So make time to update an editorial calendar and, when inspiration strikes, note the idea down.

Spreadsheets are an effective way of managing content generation because they enable you to prioritise ideas by aligning them to business goals, time commitments, budgets, specialist input, and ownership of projects.

Focus on your client’s interests

Good content marketing means thinking like a publishing editor. For example a golf magazine won’t just feature reports and adverts for new equipment – it will also include interviews with pros, reviews of new courses, tips to improve your game, letters from readers and other regular platforms.

By blending informative and entertaining content you can create a mix that supports your client’s corporate strategy in a balanced and compelling way.

Learn from what you’ve done before

Look at performance data such as web analytics, social media likes and shares, plus client feedback to determine which previous content is most popular. Then ask yourself if you can revisit these topics from a fresh perspective, or develop them along different lines?

Web analytics is not a perfect way of evaluating user preferences, but it does provide a solid starting point. To dig deeper, you can follow up with user surveys or feedback. With a more informed grasp of your readers’ interests, you can tailor your list of subject ideas accordingly.

Enlist expert help

Look into doing interviews with experts from your business or industry. This not only lightens the burden of generating content, but also allows you to offer more rounded content, while building mutual credibility with partners in your sector.

Interviewing on video is especially effective – and you don’t have to be Jeremy Paxman to pull it off. All you need is a friendly manner and an interest in talking to people.

Grab attention

In a crowded and fragmented media marketplace it’s essential to grab and hold attention. Subject your content to the ‘so what?’ test – and if it doesn’t measure up, think again.

You can showcase your expertise in a number of ways, such as: identifying important trends in your sector; giving insights into major events impacting your industry; explaining how to do something; and presenting case studies that your audience can identify with and learn from.

To discover how we can help to drive your content marketing strategies, contact us.

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