We love our smart phones. For the vast majority of us, checking our phones for emails, text messages, news, and social media updates has become instinctual.
Waiting in line for coffee…check the Weather Network app. At a red light…text your spouse. In a meeting…check email. At the airport…play online poker. At lunch…take and post an Instagram picture. In the bathroom…read Facebook posts.
Have you struggled getting that blog idea written?
While most of us aren’t immune to writer’s block, there are ways to work through the block until the words flow again.
In this article, we’ll discuss 26 Tips, an A-Z guide for bloggers to overcome writer’s block and generate new ideas.
#1: Add Alerts to Find Fresh Content
Google indexes thousands of articles every day and it’s a safe bet that at least one of them has information relevant to your business.
Sign up for Google Alerts and you can add and delete alert topics at any time based on projects you’re working on.
Include keywords relevant to your blogging goals in your alerts and the updates you receive will point you to content you might not otherwise come across on your own.
Google Alerts help you find articles that spark ideas for your own content.
Google Alerts deliver great content ideas.
#2: Backtrack Your Blog History
You’re not a newbie blogger. Have you lost sight of where you’ve come from and what you’ve learned along the way?
Revisit your first blog post. Also consider downloading your Twitter archive to view your first tweet and use Statigram to find your first share on Instagram.
You’ll not only see a progression in the industry since you’ve started, you can alsopost about your own progression by revisiting updates about your early experiences.
Your past can serve as grist for the content mill.
A first Instagram post.
#3: Cultivate Inspiration With Classes
It can become difficult to find new ways to rehash the same subject matter over and over. Online webinars and in-person events are a great way to immerse yourself in new developments and directions.
Take a class or attend a webinar to learn something new that can help you climb out of your writing slump.
#4: Determine Deadlines to Make You Accountable
Writing takes time and it can become all too easy to put the task off. Due dates, even self-imposed due dates, force you to focus on completing an article.
Rather than picking a date far in the future, commit to a deadline that will arrive sooner than later.
Time marching on may be the spark that will get you started again.
A deadline can be your friend. Image source: iStockPhoto.
#5: Engage in Groups on LinkedIn
It can get rough when you’re the sole source of content. That’s where networks can come in.
LinkedIn groups give you a place to ask questions and share information on topics of common interest with other group members. You can see what people talk about and use the information or trends you spot as a writing prompt to help get you started on a new piece of content.
For example, members in the Social Media Marketing Networking Club on LinkedIn may be talking about what apps social marketers find most successful for managing multiple social media accounts, and you have a lot to say on the topic.
Use your comments from within a group as a jumping-off point for a new article or blog post.
#6: Familiarize Yourself With Your Followers’ Preferences
Do you know what people expect and hope to find in content from your business or organization?
Reach out to a few friends and faithful followers, and ask them why they regularly follow your business blog. What made them decide to follow and what do they hope to learn from your site?
Their answers will get your mind moving toward a theme for new content pretty quickly.
#7: Gain Inspiration From Sources You Follow
Your content well might be dry, but there’s no shortage of great material from online sources. Almost any article, even a past one, can point you toward new ideas, writers and resources to explore.
Spend time reading any back articles or newsletters you may have missed,follow their links and dig deeper. Don’t think of surfing the Internet as a waste of time. Instead, look at it as a necessary part of the research you need to do as a blogger.
Remember to visit sites that inspire you to take you in new directions and kindle your creativity.
Take the time to read tweets you may have missed earlier.
#8: Hit the Books
You can’t rely on short snippets and articles to provide a steady diet of knowledge for your mind. Books allow writers to give you more complete thoughts.
Books are great resources for educating yourself and they can be invaluable when you are stuck as a writer.
For example, David Meerman Scott’s fourth edition of The New Rules of Marketing and PR has great examples to reference in articles on marketing.
Social media books provide a wealth of inspiration.
If words fail you, read a new book. While you’re reading, use the week to connect with the author on social networks then send him or her a tweet, a message on Facebook or an email about your interest in an interview about the book for an upcoming article you’re working on.
#9: Inspect Infographics
For many, the data and information we receive about our industry seems tedious and difficult to understand. Quality infographics simplify that information and present it in an easy-to-understand format.
To find relevant infographics, Google the topic you’re writing on; for example, iOS7 infographics. You can also search a network such as Pinterest, where you’ll find infographics on every topic under the sun.
Use the data points you find to jump-start your writing.
Search for infographics on Google.
Find infographics on Pinterest.
#10: Jot Down Ideas
Sometimes good ideas come easily but they don’t tie together.
As Stephen Leacock wrote, “Writing is no trouble: you just jot down ideas as they occur to you. The jotting is simplicity itself—it is the occurring which is difficult.”
Whether it’s a simple paper notepad or a mobile note-taking app, having a place tokeep track of ideas as they come to you is a great help during dry periods in your writing.
Try a combination of paper Moleskine notebooks with pens or pencils and Evernote to keep track of your ideas. When you’re blocked, read through your notes and you’re sure to find a thread to follow.
#11: Keep Your Eyes on Your Readers’ Questions
Often, articles you think are complete bring forward more questions than you anticipated.
For instance, the article Instagram for Business generated a number of questions from readers in the comments section.
Examples of questions from readers:
How do I get my business Instagram page to link to my business Facebook page rather than my personal Facebook page? It seems to automatically link to my personal page and I don’t see any other options.
Just want to double check if we can paste the links of our websites on the posts through Instagram.
What types of businesses would do better on Instagram? If my site targets an older crowd (55+), should I bother with Instagram?
You can rest assured that if one reader had the question and took the time to post it, others will benefit from an article that answers it.
Based on the three questions above, you could write an article that addresses how to link Instagram to your Facebook page, what Instagram’s policies are about the use of website links and the demographics that may make the most sense for creating a business presence on Instagram.
Find your content answer in the questions.
Questions can help stimulate ideas for future articles.
#12: Learn From Listly
At one time or another, everyone runs through their own curation resources. Where do you find new, reputable ones to learn from without spending too much precious time on the search?
Listly says “Lists = ranking. List posts = traffic. We help bloggers and brands curate, crowdsource and engage readers via live embedded list content inside blog posts.”
To tune into trending topics, go to the home page where you’ll find trending lists organized by All, People, Places, Apps, Media and Resource.
Explore new apps to provide content and direction for your next blog post.Share discoveries with your readers who are looking to find similar tools.
Share your recent mobile app finds in an article.
#14: Note This Post for Later
We all think we’re invincible.
You may not identify with writer’s block now, but if you’re a writer, it’s fair to assume that at some point down the road writer’s block will happen to you.
Never say never. Keep this list in your back pocket.
#15: Offer Personal Stories
You can run out of ideas for reports and how-to articles. Personal insights can give you a much-needed respite from churning out drier content.
Mark sums up the experience this way: “Connections + meaningful content + authentic helpfulness = business benefits.”
Share your own personal story or one you’ve heard about that emphasized the power of social media marketing to you.
#16: Practice Consuming Material On-the-Go
Time is a resource and it’s a fact that reading takes time. Many of us just don’t have the time it takes to read the books and articles we need to keep our minds full of new knowledge.
Podcasts are information-packed recordings on topics you listen to on your own schedule and replay to your heart’s content. If you spend precious hours of your day behind the wheel of a car or on a local express bus, listening to podcasts will be a dream come true.
There are many great podcasts on iTunes and TED Talks where you can find thought-provoking insights to inspire your writing.
Find a few podcasts that appeal to you and take advantage of your commute time to learn something new you can write about.
Social Media Examiner's Michael Stelzner helps your business navigate the social jungle with success stories and expert interviews from leading social media marketing pros.
#17: Quote Others
At times, your own words can fail to drive home the point you want to make. Quotes from others come in very handy when this happens.
You can search for quotations on websites and find them in material you come across everyday online and offline. Just be sure to provide proper attribution to the author.
Quotations provide additional perspectives that can help you flesh out your written work and, in some cases, they can serve to point you toward content ideas.
#18: Refocus in a Coffee House or With Sound Apps
Familiar surroundings comfort some but for others, they can dull the senses and the brain. That’s when you should take things outside the office.
If you’re fortunate enough to get your piece started at the coffee house, but need to tune out the background, there are some very cool ambient sound apps for focus and creativity.
Try a change of scenery or ambient sound to refocus your mind and recharge your writing. Check out Coffitivity for ambient sound.
Enough noise to work. Image source: Coffitivity
#19: Set Realistic Goals
When you’re blocked, the prospect of conceiving and completing articles can seem overwhelming.
Goal-setting may not immediately turn around a blogging block, but if your goals are realistic, they can help keep your mind in the game until inspiration dawns.
Realistic goals can reduce intimidating projects into achievable pieces.
#20: Test-Drive an Idea
In writer circles, you may have come across this much-used quote by American writerWilliam Faulkner: “In writing, you must kill all your darlings.”
At times that may be as simple as deleting a sentence that doesn’t serve the piece. Or you could be nearing the end of an article you spent a lot of time conceptualizing and writing, only to come to the realization that it’s not doing what you hoped it would do.
Sometimes you need to test-drive your ideas, and don’t assume they’ll all be good ideas. Are you prepared to kill some of your darlings?
#21: Unplug and Regenerate
Writing is hard when you’re all tapped out. If you’ve gotten so caught up in your online life that words just slip away, it may be time to unplug, get off the grid and regenerate.
There are some wonderful stories about this—a recent one from Baratunde Thurston about his #unplug experience.
Find some peace and quiet to recharge you mind. Image source: iStockPhoto.
Take time to get away from the incessant buzzing of online chatter and just maybe you’ll find your voice in the quiet.
#22: Visit Your Blog’s Description
Your blogging can change and as you learn more, it’s easy to step outside your niche. The problem is that too many content possibilities can make it difficult to commit to one.
Recently, I came across a page of business blog listings in the print copy of theBoston Globe. One of the most terrific parts of the list was seeing how businesses described their blog.
Read through the description of your own blog. How clearly does the description define the parameters of your blog? Do the titles of your articles show that you are covering a clear niche for readers?
Review your blog and other networking profile descriptions to find where a missing content piece would fit into your objectives for your site. Now write that article!
Find out who is doing research relevant to your industry and take steps to see the reports when they’re first released. Use the findings as content prompts.
#25: YouTube Channel Subscriptions Deliver
Videos tell a great story in a short period of time.
Subscribe to a variety of channels on YouTube and take advantage of the stimuli the videos provide via voiceovers, music visual communication and colors to trigger ideas for your own content.
Subscribe to YouTube channels and receive updates about content you're interested in.
#26: Zap Exhaustion
When you’re tired, everything is more difficult.
Sleep plays an important role in learning, memory, creativity and insights. The videoWhy Does My Brain Sleep? describes the benefits of sleep.
Get a good night’s sleep to help bring fresh perspective to your writing.
Check out this video on Why Does My Brain Sleep?
Over to You
There’s no denying that writer’s block can be difficult to overcome.
There are no tried-and-true cures for everyone, but these tips might just be the nudge you need to overcome your blogging block.
What do you think? Are there any tips you might consider trying? What has been helpful for you in the past? Please leave your comments below.
According to a report by Small Business Trends this week, a group of SEO companies and small businesses in New York State were caught in a sting operation called “Operation Clean Turf.” Spearheaded by Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, the operation uncovered unethical pay-for-review programs. Un
der the guise of “reputation management services,” SEO firms were offering to post fake reviews for businesses on social networking sites such as Yelp! It seems that social media’s dirty little secret is not so secret anymore. Inauthenticity, not authenticity, seems to be the rule of the day.
In a related story, Yelp! is reportedly suing legal firms in San Diego, which it claims were exchanging positive reviews on its site, something that is explicitly forbidden in its terms of use. After all, Yelp!’s tag line is “Real People, Real Reviews.”
Businesses Cannot Risk Authenticity
Despite social media marketers losing their breath from the excessive shouts of “authenticity!” in the medium, the need for positive online “social proof” is so incredibly important in the decision-making process for consumers that brands simply don’t feel they can risk being truly authentic.
Social media consultants recommend that businesses allow consumers to freely contribute both positive and negative discussions within their social media properties. Encourage, reward, and celebrate the positive in order to turn happy customers into advocates. Embrace any negativity with honest and quick responses to demonstrate the firm’s interest and excellent customer service.
Many PR and customer service representatives advise that a customer who’s had a negative experience is an opportunity to create a loyal advocate if their concerns are addressed satisfactorily and quickly on social channels. The added benefit of having this exchange amplified across social media broadcast the firm’s customer care and establishes a specific brand persona.
Intellectually, we understand this. In practice, do we have the courage to embrace it?
Marketers Embrace Inauthenticity
Despite the mandated “authenticity” in social media communications by marketing and public relations professionals, they’re among the first to break the rule. Be it in the strategies they create for their clients, or the social personas they create for themselves, social media is rife with inauthenticity.
Arguably, this is most evident in the “influencer” category of social marketing. Thanks to social influence scoring platforms that rank influential people online, and, more importantly, the weight that businesses place on such rankings, the need to create a persona that elevates a personal brand to the top of these lists is important.
We’ve read stories of airlines and hotels that provide preferential treatment to people with high Klout scores. Publishers have awarded some authors book deals based, not on their proven expertise or results in a particular field but on their social popularity, which they bet will translate into sales. In fact, Internet marketing in general is based on inauthenticity. The promise of the Internet for start-ups and small businesses is that they can compete with larger competitors because it’s the “great equalizer.” A small business can appear as big as it wants to portray itself through technology and design.
Should we really be surprised that manufactured brand personas and fake reviews are part of the fabric of the Internet, social media, and influence marketing schemes?
Inauthenticity Is Big Business
The practice is called “astroturfing,” which is the practice of masking the sponsors of a message (e.g. political, advertising, or public relations) to give the appearance of it coming from a disinterested third-party.
Schneiderman’s office shared some of the ads allegedly posted on sites like Craigslist, ODesk.com and Freelancer.com like this example by one of the SEO companies it targeted in the fake review sting:
“We need a person that can post multiple positive reviews on major REVIEW sites. Example: Google Maps, Yelp, CitySearch. Must be from different IP addresses… So you must be able to have multiple IPs. The reviews will be only few sentences long. Need to have some understanding on how Yelp filters works. Previous experience is a plus…just apply, we are a marketing company.”
Right there, out in plain sight, we’re advertising inauthenticity.
This summer, I shared the findings of a group of researchers at UCSB that studied the growing practice of hiring cyber shills who are paid to manually inflate positive reviews and ratings. Such companies have existed for some time in the United States, including ShortTask.com, Microworkers.com, and MyEasyTask.com. Because of labor costs, however, most are focused on improving search engine optimization using software programs and processes.
Shill: An accomplice of a hawker, gambler, or swindler who acts as an enthusiastic customer to entice or encourage others.
A new crop of overseas cyber shills like Zhubajie.com or Sandaha.com is quickly growing in popularity because of low operational costs. Such companies artificially increase the social proof of their customer’s individual and business profiles for mere pennies. And business is booming.
The authors of the study stated that they “have found surprising evidence showing that not only do malicious crowd-sourcing systems exist, but they are rapidly growing in both user base and total revenue.” These companies have access to thousands of human shills seated front of computers, doing what software can’t do: registering for services and product trials; signing up for social accounts; liking/following people and brands; and providing the screen captures, blog posts and commentary to demonstrate their affinity and actions. And all for a price that makes it near impossible for unscrupulous marketers and brands to ignore.
What does this mean for businesses?
The potential benefits and threats can’t be ignored, and, clearly, they’re not. Astroturfring has become a big industry. Businesses around the world use software and services to mask their identities and provide the impression that real clients are providing endorsements of their brand or criticisms of competitors. More and more studies are emerging that suggest astroturfing has reached a point where public viewpoints and actions are, in fact, affecting brand perceptions and purchase decisions.
As more of these stories are uncovered, consumers will become more cynical and rely less on the social proof created by reviews, paid endorsements, and perceived “influential” social celebrities. More emphasis will be placed on the reviews, comments, and recommendations of those in the customer’s personal, trusted circles.
This is one of the reasons that Google Search Plus Your World, which prioritizes the content created, shared, and promoted by a person’s personal social graph, has become so important to the practice of SEO and influence marketing. Inauthenticity, the true nature of social media marketing, has given birth to contextual influence marketing practices.
Maybe there is hope after all.
Sensei Debates
Is the nature of social media marketing truly inauthentic?
Will the growing reports of fake reviews, followers, “Likes,” and fans render social proof sites ineffective?
Twitter appears to be rethinking a longtime restriction that required users to follow each other before sending direct messages.
The social network is rolling out a new option in settings that lets you opt to receive direct messages from anyone who follows them, even if you don't follow them back. The feature, which was first spotted by users overnight, is not yet available for everyone.
To find out if you have the option, simply go to Twitter settings and look under the "account" section. You should see the following:
Twitter did not immediately respond to our request for comment on when the feature was first introduced or when it will be available to the entire community. We'll update this post when we hear back.
Some users panicked because they thought the change meant they would automatically start receiving spam messages from anyone and everyone on the social network, but it's important to note that this is an opt-in feature. In other words, if you like the way direct messages worked before, you don't have to change it — at least not yet.
The change will likely be useful for brands interested in using Twitter as a customer service tool. Now, businesses won't have to follow back thousands of users just to deal with customer issues.
Everybody likes free stuff, right? I know I do. Social media networks are seemingly the perfect place to run contests and giveaways. Businesses typically have quite a few people who like their company on Facebook, and since the social media giant does everything in real time, you can run contests quickly and efficiently.
Here are a few pros and cons to running contests on social media pages:
Pros:
More people will visit your page. You can ask your followers to share your page in order to get even more people to see your contest.
They are easy to promote. You can promote your contest both on the network that you are hosting it on and all of your other social media pages. You can also use contest promotion sites like online-sweepstakes.com.
You’ll get more “likes”. Generally, on Facebook, you can’t require anyone to like your page in order to enter. But those rules don’t carry over to making that kind of request on a website or blog.
You’ll get more unique page views on your website. People will come to your site for the contest, and hopefully will stick around to read your content and check out your business or blog.
Cons:
While you’ll get more likes, they might not be quality likes. People may un-like your page when the contest is over. But if they like what they see, they could stick around.
Social contests can be time consuming. You’ll need to cross-check entries with people who are now fans of your page. You’ll also need to make sure that people didn’t enter the contest more times than you would like.
You may get rude comments when people find out that they have not won. You need to be sure to use a truly random way to choose a winner, if it’s a random drawing based contest.
Social media has become a huge marketing force for businesses. You can use social networks such as Facebook and Twitter to give away just about anything. You do need to be careful, however, to follow the contest guidelines that are set forth by the networks. If you don’t, you run the risk of your page or account being shut down.
