#ContentChat is tackling inspiration in content marketing for the month of February. Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron), host of #BrandChat, was our guest this week to share her tips for finding content creation inspiration.
Q1: What are some sure signs you are heading into a content creation rut?
You’re not engaged with/emotionally invested in your content creation. In short,
you don’t want to do it
A1 A1 You know you’re in a rut when you don’t want to write. And if you don’t want to write something, why should anybody want to read it? #contentchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) February 5, 2018
A1: If you’re not “feeling” it for what you’re writing #contentchat pic.twitter.com/xck7tCj5Ws
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
A1a: I can totally relate to this sentiment about not liking what you’re writing as a sign you’re in a rut! I was once told by an agency they don’t publish if they don’t Love what they wrote, Laugh when they read it or if they haven’t Learned something from it. #ContentChat
— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) February 5, 2018
A1: If you continue to procrastinate on writing and you just aren’t excited to get to it, that’s a good sign your creative juices are running low. #ContentChat
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) February 5, 2018
No one else is engaging with your content either.
A1: That your content isn’t getting impressions or engagements #contentchat
— Pamela Doran 💫 (@PamelaKDoran) February 5, 2018
A1. If your #content isn’t being engaged with anymore by your target #audiences. #ContentChat
— SourceMedia (@SourceMediaCo) February 5, 2018
A1 Someone is in a content creation rut when they no longer write about things that they or the audience (or even algorithms) care about. Or they’re publishing stuff just to fill a quota. You know when you’re in a rut, too, as it’s *really* boring. There’s no soul.#ContentChat
— comfortwriter 📱🤓📝 (@ComfortWriter) February 5, 2018
Your procrastination is out of hand.
A1: Have you refreshed all your social feeds twice in the last 10 minutes? If so, you may be in a #contentmarketing rut. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Freelance Chief Content Officer (@SFerika) February 5, 2018
A1 If you’re constantly scrambling to “get something written/posted/sent” you’re in trouble. #contentchat
— Bill Skowronski (@BillSkowronski) February 5, 2018
A1b: See also: you’ve done the laundry, the dishes, and vacuumed…but you haven’t completed today’s blog post. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Freelance Chief Content Officer (@SFerika) February 5, 2018
A1: I’ve cleaned my house twice over and planned out meals for weeks, but am still looking at a blank screen. #contentchat
— Vera Flores (@sproutvera) February 5, 2018
Your content is starting to all blur together.
A1) When everything for me starts to look like I copied the same things over and over again. #contentchat pic.twitter.com/ARkbU2RiQl
— Andre M. Powell, CC (@andrempowell) February 5, 2018
A1: I know I’m in a rut when I can’t figure out a new way to say what I’ve always been saying #contentchat
— Scott Lum (@ScottLum) February 5, 2018
A1: When you’re running out of fresh ideas, or lacking the motivation to create anything new, you’re headed straight for a content rut. #contentchat
— Caitlin Kinser (@caitlinmarie89) February 5, 2018
Your content creation process is taking much longer than usual.
A1: Taking you really long to write something or create content, you could be in a rut – just like is describes a “rut is a habit or pattern of behavior that has become dull and unproductive but is hard to change” #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
Q2: It’s official: you’re out of content inspiration. What’s one easy thing to do in the next 15 minutes to reboot your inspiration?
Step away from the computer!
I think it’s definitely helpful to step away from your work and focus on something else for a bit if you’re struggling, so I can see that! #ContentChat
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) February 5, 2018
A2: Know what inspires you – is it music? A quick walk? Change of scenery? A hot cup of coffee? A cool drink? #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
A2: Step away from the computer. If it’s not freezing cold outside, take a walk around the block. If it is freezing cold outside, take a walk around your floor. #ContentChat https://t.co/VinaeVgnFA
— Erika Heald | Freelance Chief Content Officer (@SFerika) February 5, 2018
A2: Step away. Go for a SWAB (swift walk around the block). And look outside the industry you are focused on. The biggest inspiration comes from unlikely places. #contentchat
— Bettina Papirio (@hw_bettina) February 5, 2018
A2: I love to get outside for a walk and listen to a podcast. That’s a great way to get some inspiration. #ContentChat
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) February 5, 2018
A2: I’m sure there is no “silver bullet” here for beating the content creation blues. I’m down with the disconnect for 15 mins or so to clear your mind and come at it with a fresh perspective. Recognizing you are in a rut to begin with is key though. #ContentChat
— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) February 5, 2018
A2: I like to completely clear my head by turning up some music and getting in a good workout. Whether it’s going out for a run, walking the dogs or or dancing around my living room, a little sweat session can help clear out the cobwebs. #contentchat https://t.co/SDrK7EvrUM
— Caitlin Kinser (@caitlinmarie89) February 5, 2018
Check out top industry resources, trending topics, and even your competitors.
A2. Read through industry news sites and blogs to see what’s trending and write down different ways you can create new #content with the information: blog articles, infographics, polls, etc. #ContentChat
— SourceMedia (@SourceMediaCo) February 5, 2018
A2: I also look at what competitors are doing + writing about. Don’t have any clients yet? Imagine your ideal client that gives you the most “pleasure + profit”. #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
A2 I like to listen to podcasts frm unrelated industries but on tangential topics to see if I can spark inspiration from others #contentchat
— Scott Lum (@ScottLum) February 5, 2018
A2: I use this: https://t.co/5KcmN7B7jn #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
A2: I also use this calendar of special days: https://t.co/gNfQsSiWNd & before this I used BrownieLocks to get my creative juices flowing #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
Take a scroll through your social media feeds.
A2: Best creativity boost – Jump on a Twitter chat on a related topic! #contentchat
— Scott Lum (@ScottLum) February 5, 2018
A2: For me, I put on music, flip through some books, and search Twitter about the topic – so much inspiration + ideas there. #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
A2: Twitter for written content, Pinterest for visual content. Music for both! #ContentChat
— Power Digital (@PwrDigMarketing) February 5, 2018
Have an IRL conversation.
A2: Pull someone else in for help. A fresh perspective generally produces new ideas. #ContentChat https://t.co/vO5n3YZepW
— Danielle Mamagona (@PokeyLuWho) February 5, 2018
A2: Inspiration can come from new perspectives. A quick search or talking to a person of trust can give a different view. #ContentChat
— Magdalena Schürmann (@MagdalenaSchrma) February 5, 2018
A2: Fresh eyes! I like to pull in someone else and talk through my ideas to get an outsider perspective. #contentchat pic.twitter.com/disaxcqKzS
— Vera Flores (@sproutvera) February 5, 2018
Practice meditation and mindfulness.
A2: Sometimes when I quiet my mind and my surroundings that helps the ideas flow again. My ideas can get blocked because there’s too much on my mind. #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/kw2ahSeXYS
— Jenn Baker Blog (@jennbakerblog) February 5, 2018
I find that capturing to do’s in their own place (be it a spreadsheet, a PM tool, or a written list) helps that for me. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Freelance Chief Content Officer (@SFerika) February 5, 2018
So true. #Mindfulness training can also help with that. #ContentChat
— Magdalena Schürmann (@MagdalenaSchrma) February 5, 2018
Q3: What’s one thing you do every day that keeps your content creation ideas coming?
Use content discovery tools.
A3: Everyday – I search on Twitter. Something there always inspires me + the convos are always fast-paced so there’s something new to review #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
Read blog posts and articles from writers who inspire you.
A3: I follow a lot of bloggers and content creators on Instagram who are focusing on many different topics and industries. Seeing others being creative inspires me to get into that space myself. #contentchat
— Caitlin Kinser (@caitlinmarie89) February 5, 2018
A3: I check my Feedly feeds across topics that interest me or are relevant to my content creation needs for the day/week/month. It’s a great way to see what is already out there each day. #ContentChat
— Power Digital (@PwrDigMarketing) February 5, 2018
A3: I keep track of all my favorite blogs in @feedly. It’s a great source of inspiration because I can see what other people are writing about and which topics are popular. #ContentChat
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) February 5, 2018
Use—and review—physical and virtual note archives.
A3: I keep notepads everywhere. Write my thoughts down when I’m about to fall asleep, I’m cooking, doing laundry, or call myself and leave a voice message if I need to be hands-free #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
A3
To keep the ideas flowing, I would say write topic ideas down somewhere and return to flesh them out later. Inspiration always strikes me at the most inopportune times (eg dinner). So I add stuff to a Trello list to action later. #ContentChat
— comfortwriter 📱🤓📝 (@ComfortWriter) February 5, 2018
Harness the power of editorial calendars and personas.
A3: Never start with a blank page! If you have personas and topic clusters, assign one to each spot on your calendar. It helps focus your creativity, so that instead of trying to think of the one perfect idea, you are aiming to reach one person with one topic. #contentchat
— CHARGE (@CHARGEgoforward) February 5, 2018
Participate in a Twitter chat.
A3: I try and participate in at least one Twitter chat a day. The topics have turned into writing prompts for me countless times! #contentchat
— Maria Marchewka (@_MariaMarchewka) February 5, 2018
Engage on your social media platform of choice.
A3: Real, actual Twitter conversations – as a tweet or a DM are also sources that I go to and that inspire me every day. #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
Make a point to write something every day.
A3b: I also try to write something everyday. Not just blog post but other stuff too. I believe writing is a muscle and we have to exercise it often or it starts to become weak. #contentchat
— Jenn Baker Blog (@jennbakerblog) February 5, 2018
Q4: If I’m feeling uninspired about creating content, what should I read?
Check out some Twitter chat recaps to get inspired.
A4. A lot of influencers have blogs of their own where they share trends and ideas on what #content you can create. Twitter chat recaps are a great place to start. #ContentChat
— SourceMedia (@SourceMediaCo) February 5, 2018
Read current business books, blogs, and magazines.
A4: For me, I’m inspired by reading up to date business related information. I’ll even look at Google Analytics for a website to see what’s resonating w/visitors #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
A4: Instead of going to industry blogs, go to where your personas are. What are the topics that are exciting them? You can newsjack, but instead, what are those nuggets that are exciting them? Competition? Caretaking? Cooperation? Work those things into your content#contentchat
— CHARGE (@CHARGEgoforward) February 5, 2018
A4 I like reading Seth Godin. He has an incredible knack for taking ideas and making them make more sense. #contentchat
— Scott Lum (@ScottLum) February 5, 2018
A4: I read speeches for inspiration. Something that plays with vocabulary or is uplifting. #contentchat
— Alan Fleming (@alan_fleming) February 5, 2018
Read your website or blog analytics logs.
A4: I also look at Google Search Console (known as webmaster tools) to see what’s being picked up by Google, too, since that matters #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
Read all those articles you’ve saved for later. Especially the ones that aren’t related to what you’re writing.
I love google keep – I save content on the fly in categories and go back over it for created content ideas #contentchat
— Pamela Doran 💫 (@PamelaKDoran) February 5, 2018
A4: If I feel uninspired with my content creation, I read some really good food writing. Like The Man Who Ate Everything. Or grab an interesting magazine like Monocle from my fave newsstand. #ContentChat https://t.co/IEUEoLRqZF
— Erika Heald | Freelance Chief Content Officer (@SFerika) February 5, 2018
A4 If you’re feeling uninspired, read something totally unrelated. It’ll help you think outside the box. #contentchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) February 5, 2018
A4. Try reading a combination of blogs by subject area experts/influencers, as well as those people who inspire you personally. Sometimes you need a bit of a personal booster to get things going! #ContentChat
— Jansen Communication (@JansenComms) February 5, 2018
A4: I like to dip into psychology. Reading about how people digest information and use content somehow always gives me inspiration. Love @bigthink as a resource. #contentchat
— Bettina Papirio (@hw_bettina) February 5, 2018
A4: You need like an “Inspiration RSS feed” or something. If I were to pick a “go to” place for what to read when I’m in a rut, it’s probably something more confidence building like old notes from friends or going through projects I enjoyed working on. #ContentChat
— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) February 5, 2018
To heck with reading, check out these videos/podcasts.
A4. I might listen to a TED talk or two. Just hearing progressive approaches to problems seems contagious. Takes 20 mins. #contentchat
— Steve Bitter (@stevebitter) February 5, 2018
A4: It all goes back to what inspires you. If there’s a particular person you look up to, check out their content. For me, I love listening to @garyvee‘s podcast for a boost of motivation. #ContentChat
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) February 5, 2018
A4: listen to @jayacunzo‘s podcast if you’re looking for inspiration. Hi #contentchat, joining late today
— Christel van der Boom (@Xtel) February 5, 2018
Email newsletters are worth the subscription.
A4: I read newsletters like Marie Forleo, Social Media Today, Business Journal, and Twitter tweets 😉 #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
Make a list of Twitter users who inspire you—and read it when you need a spark of inspiration.
A4: I also read @dennisyu anytime he posts. He challenges me to make a 1 min video a day & even if I don’t make one – just thinking about what to make inspires me. #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
A4: Keep a list of influencers you find interesting. Read their blogs. Follow them on social. Keep up with that they’re sharing and inspiration is bound to follow. #ContentChat https://t.co/SY9uThaBPB
— Danielle Mamagona (@PokeyLuWho) February 5, 2018
Spend some time on Pinterest, Quora, or in a relevant Facebook group.
A4: If I am stuck I love @Pinterest for inspiration. I can always find a quote, idea or picture that speaks to me. Another option is a professional site like the blog @nismpulse to hear from other professionals. #ContentChat
— Magdalena Schürmann (@MagdalenaSchrma) February 5, 2018
A4 Read @Quora! This is brilliant way to find some inspiration for social media content (posts, images, videos) For example, if you type your topic (architecture, eyelashes, etc.) on the browser, it will give you a ton of ideas for content! #ContentChat
— salome_mejia_gomez (@salomemejiagom1) February 5, 2018
A4: Read something that’s in your genre of work or what your audience is talking about. Joining groups on FB helps since people share articles and taking topics often. #contentchat
— Jenn Baker Blog (@jennbakerblog) February 5, 2018
A4 When I am looking for inspiration I go on Twitter, Pinterest, or I quickly scan through a few content aggregation sites as Reddit. (or Quora as I mentioned before) #ContentChat
— salome_mejia_gomez (@salomemejiagom1) February 5, 2018
Q5: What Twitter chats do you attend that give you great content ideas?
A5: #ContentChat, of course 🙂#ContentWritingChat is another good one
— Danielle Bullen Love (@daniellewriter) February 5, 2018
A5. #ContentChat, #TwitterSmarter, #ContentWritingChat, #ChatGram, #AdweekChat, #BufferChat, #CisionChat, and more.
— SourceMedia (@SourceMediaCo) February 5, 2018
A5: #brandchat, #Dthink (Disney Institute chat), #heyorca , #justbesocial (not a chat but a great social thread w/lots of ideas), #mobilechat , #adobechat #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
A5: SEMrushchat #hootchat #bufferchat #contentchat
— Pamela Doran 💫 (@PamelaKDoran) February 5, 2018
This one of course. #ContentWritingChat, #JustBeSocial, #contentchat #OrcaChat, #BizGalz, #Twittersmarter, #ChatGram, #ChatSnap are the ones that I more commonly attend.
— Andre M. Powell, CC (@andrempowell) February 5, 2018
A5. This one —#contentchat— and #FlipBizchat. Sometimes I peek into #TwitterSmarter.
— Christel van der Boom (@Xtel) February 5, 2018
A5 Well #ContentChat is my A, number 1 source. I love the #DigiBlogChat community but I’m often on the road when they’re chatting as well as the #TwitterSmarter community.
— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) February 5, 2018
A5: Other great chats include #TwitterSmarter and #CIsionChat! Those were the first social/marketing related chats I joined and I love them! #ContentChat https://t.co/pU0NZiPMSS
— Danielle Mamagona (@PokeyLuWho) February 5, 2018
A5: #CMWorld #contentwritingchat #AdweekChat #winniesun and #flipbizchat #contentchat https://t.co/84okUtBzCG
— Carlarjenkins (@carlarjenkins) February 5, 2018
A5: I like Today’s chat, of course, #ContentChat, and also #ContentWritingChat at 11 a.m. ET on Tuesdays and #TwitterSmarter on Thursdays at 1 p.m. ET. https://t.co/sEx8Xlf0Jf
— Darcy De Leon 👩🏻💻 Blog Editor (@darcydeleon) February 5, 2018
A5: @buffer‘s #bufferchat! My favorite! #ContentChat
— Cass (@cassipolzin) February 5, 2018
Throwing some love to #SEOChat. It’s a whole different, more analytical side to content creation that can unlock a lot of new ideas and avenues. #contentchat
— CHARGE (@CHARGEgoforward) February 5, 2018
A5: I’m enjoying this chat today! I’m also a huge fan and weekly attendee of #AdweekChat on Wednesdays. #contentchat
— Caitlin Kinser (@caitlinmarie89) February 5, 2018
A5. So many on my list:#TwitterSmarter#WinnieSun#ContentWritingChat#BizGalz#ImpactMatters#BizHeroes#SocialROI#MillenialTalk#SEMrushchat #SourceChat#CisionChat#Sumallchat#MTtalk
and of course #ContentChat!— Gene Petrov // Leadership & Management Consulting (@GenePetrovLMC) February 6, 2018
Q6: Are there any tools you use when you need to come up with new content ideas?
A6: Twitter search, Google Analytics, Google Trends, Google Alerts, Twitter lists of people whose chatter inspires me #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
A6: This @Nimble (this is a great tool to find out what the contacts you want to make sure your up-to-date on are posting in real time on any social network) #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
A6: Also, @Alignable (to keep track of local community convos + interests) #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
A6: Social media always helps me. Scrolling through my @Medium dashboard usually proves to be beneficial as well. #ContentChat
— Cass (@cassipolzin) February 5, 2018
A6: Feedly, Google Alerts and I read a lot of different sites outside of my #projectmanagement field to give me fresh perspectives. #contentchat https://t.co/gBocF5YlVE
— Carlarjenkins (@carlarjenkins) February 5, 2018
A6: Not a tool per se, but live brainstorms with people who are not actually involved with your work, helps. Ideas might seem crazy, but something always comes out of it. #contentchat
— Bettina Papirio (@hw_bettina) February 5, 2018
A6: I read reviews of products or services, too, along with the follow-up comments to see what matters to the community/customers, people #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
A6: Keyword Research tools, such as @Moz, @semrush and the like. It can be fascinating to see what rabbit holes people go down while googling things. #contentchat
— CHARGE (@CHARGEgoforward) February 5, 2018
A6. Design tools like Canva have pre-made templates that may spark inspiration for your next #content idea (social media posts, infographics and more). #ContentChat
— SourceMedia (@SourceMediaCo) February 5, 2018
A6: I get interesting content ideas from @answerthepublic that I wouldn’t have thought to dive into on my own. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Freelance Chief Content Officer (@SFerika) February 5, 2018
A6: @BuzzSumo is a fantastic tool for coming up with blog post topics. It allows you to see what’s popular in your industry right now. #ContentChat
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) February 5, 2018
A6: The Swanson Pyramid of Greatness #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/rvlY0DOXdB
— Alan Fleming (@alan_fleming) February 5, 2018
A6) @canva @AdobeSpark and my newest one that I have added to the mix is @Filmora_Editor for videos #contentchat pic.twitter.com/dZtpZE5C5G
— Andre M. Powell, CC (@andrempowell) February 5, 2018
A6: @canva‘s recommended layouts give me some great creative inspiration. And a lot of times the discovery functionality of social media platforms is my favorite content tool. #contentchat
— Caitlin Kinser (@caitlinmarie89) February 5, 2018
And I love Think with Google daily thought starters. #contentchat
— Bettina Papirio (@hw_bettina) February 5, 2018
A6: While I’ve been reading @Hubspot for years – only during the @HubSpotAcademy process last year did I become familiar with all their tools. A personal favorite is their blog content idea generator. Here it is https://t.co/R57J8SNk6b #Hubspot #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/jQIp3tDAJN
— Contentologist: Content, Research & Slice of life (@Contentologist) February 5, 2018
Q6: Just found @teambiteable and @GoAnimate for video – LOVE canva and have discovered @PresbeePresents which is great for slideshows and animations #contentchat
— Pamela Doran 💫 (@PamelaKDoran) February 5, 2018
A6, II: We’re also using @UnionMetrics at my office, so that gives me a lot of insight regarding what our audiences are engaging with, so I pull a lot from there. #contentchat
— Caitlin Kinser (@caitlinmarie89) February 5, 2018
Q7: Whose content do you regularly find to be inspiring?
A7: I follow and read all the BRANDidos (term of endearment we use for people who actively participate in #brandchat) posts and they inspire me. #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
A7: What they’re posting about, ranting about, writing about, or reading/sharing is INVALUABLE insight + inspiration to me. #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
A7. We’re big fans of @shonali @SocialLightLLC @ginidietrich just to name a few! #ContentChat
— Jansen Communication (@JansenComms) February 5, 2018
A7: I also read what they’re posting/sharing on LinkedIn, too. Their posts there are valuable and helpful to my focus. #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
A7: Reading @dennisyu ‘s posts + the comments afterwards are always inspiring. #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
A7: My newest obsession is @DushkaAmateur. Just brilliant. #contentchat
— Bettina Papirio (@hw_bettina) February 5, 2018
A7: And, I do get all the NAB Briefs to see what matters to broadcasters to see how that bridges (if it can) to social #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) February 5, 2018
A7 I love the thought leadership content from Hubspot, Marketo, MarketingProfs and LinkedIn. Always helpful in an entertaining way #contentchat
— Scott Lum (@ScottLum) February 5, 2018
A7: I get a lot of inspiration from the @storybrand and @SYSKPodcast podcasts. They help me to think outside of the box and find new creative inspiration. #contentchat
— Caitlin Kinser (@caitlinmarie89) February 5, 2018
A7: For fun? @MenInBlazers is consistently informative, funny & excellent. For work? @Moz always has interesting stuff on the technical side. I don’t have anyone who holds the “regularly inspiring” title on the creative side, though The Venetian’s emails are amazing! #ContentChat
— Derek Pillie (@dpillie) February 5, 2018
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