So I’m writing this blog post about writing blog posts and finding your blogging mojo.
You see, my brain’s in a post-holiday funk. I have a Wunderlist of blog post ideas, but nothing is inspiring me. Running often helps clear my mind, but it was raining outside and my music kept cutting off as I was circling the indoor track.
So where do you go for inspiration and a blogging mojo refresh? Here are four suggestions that work for me.
Crowdsource ideas.
I posted a plea for inspiration to my Solo PR Facebook group, and was rewarded with some great ideas. (And, in the process, stumbled on the idea for this post.) My colleague Jennifer Donovan suggested I write about how REI turned Black Friday into a major PR win. The decision to close all the bricks-and-mortar stores made the company top of mind–and led to a 26-percent hike in online traffic too. Or I could write about how Black Friday is becoming less relevant as more people stay home and wait for the Cyber Monday deals. (Another awesome Donovan suggestion.) Meanwhile, Ann Marie van den Hurk recommended writing about what the Black Friday numbers decline means for brands this holiday season. And Bill Bonner said he’s seeing some really thought-provoking 2016 trends. (I’ll write about that another time.)
Read 100 blogs.
I’ve talked before about how I read 100 blog posts a day. A big key for me is that I’m always looking for fresh voices. Getting past the traditional 5-10 marketing or business blogs breaks me away from silo thinking–and gives me new perspectives to ponder and ideas to dissect.
Go on a treasure hunt.
Because I read widely, I sometimes spot patterns before they become trends. It’s a treasure hunt–and connecting the dots is good for my business and good for my blogging mojo. For example, I unearthed this new trend in content curation after reading three unrelated articles about LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
Blog consistently.
It’s hard to find inspiration when you’re out of practice. It’s why I blog every week, and it’s the reason why I have a big list of blog post ideas. Today might have been a little challenging, but my blogging mojo is largely intact.
How do you find inspiration?
“Mobile Phone” by Newtown grafitti (Flickr);”Read” by Karen Dalziel (Flickr).
