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September 28, 2020 Content Chat Recap: How To Brainstorm Quality Content Ideas Using The Content Fuel Framework

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The new year is just a few short months away, meaning many marketers are focused on their editorial calendars and planning their next batch of content. This can often become a difficult process, though, forcing marketers to generate an abundance of ideas while also balancing what content will resonate best with their audience—and not to mention the inevitable creative hurdles in the process.

In this #ContentChat, we are joined by Melanie Deziel (@MDeziel), founder of StoryFuel and author of The Content Fuel Framework: How to Generate Unlimited Story Ideas, to share tips on how to brainstorm quality content ideas that your audience will love. Read the full recap below, where we discuss how The Content Fuel Framework can help you generate unlimited content ideas, how to prioritize your list of content ideas, and common pitfalls to avoid when brainstorming content ideas.

Q1: Who should be invited to participate when brainstorming content ideas? How often do you have these brainstorms?

When brainstorming content ideas, you should invite any written or visual content creators, as well as members from your sales, product/engineering, and customer service teams (along with anyone else who has a direct line with your customers).

At a minimum, you should have quarterly strategic brainstorms with this larger set of guests, with separate, more frequent brainstorms with a more focused group of day-to-day content creators.

Q2: What exactly is the Content Fuel Framework, and how does it work? Who in the community is familiar with this framework?

Melanie’s Content Fuel Framework can help you generate hundreds of content ideas in one sitting. It involves a grid with 10 content focuses on one side and 10 content topics on the other.

The framework helps content creators expand on their topics and cover all the potential formats that their content can have.

Masooma from our community is a fan of the framework, and a few of our other members are excited to learn more about it.

Q3: The Content Fuel Framework centers around a content focus and a content format. What are some of these focuses and formats for content marketers?

Some common content focuses include people, products, and processes, as well as history- or data-focused content. Melanie says that instructional/process-focused content has risen in popularity for her work since the start of quarantine.

Content formats most commonly involve writing, video, audio, and live video. However, content creators can explore quizzes, maps, and timelines as well (among others).

Q4: After applying the framework and generating a list of ideas, how do you prioritize that list?

By working through Melanie’s grid of 10 f0cuses and 10 formats or through your own brainstorming methods, you will likely have a long list of content ideas that need to be prioritized. Rank your ideas based on what will make the biggest impact, the resources required, and what will be most timely to guide what you create first.

Keep all of your ideas focused on providing value for your audience, and meeting their content needs. Your team may be excited about a topic, but your audience should be the focus.

Time allowing, revisit the high-priority ideas with your brainstorming group and allow them to vote on their content preferences to get an idea for which topics you should explore first.

Q5: How do you refine your content ideas? What tools do you use or tips do you have?

With your content ideas prioritized, you will now refine each content idea through to its final publish date. First and foremost, keep your content goals in mind at all stages of the content creation to ensure it still meets its intended purpose.

Write your content goal on your brainstorming board and on any content templates to keep your goals top-of-mind.

Rephrase your ideas and write a brief summary of each to identify any current gaps or ways that you can improve it.

Erika recommends Google, SEMrush, and AnswerThePublic to make sure your proposed ideas are topics that your audience is actually looking for.

Q6: What are some best practices for running an inclusive and productive content brainstorming session?

Set rules for your brainstorming and explain the goal of your session so that everyone is aligned.

Melanie recommends a “Yes, and…” approach to start brainstorms, helping the group to build momentum before introducing negative feedback.

Encourage participants to write their ideas down so that they do not forget them, and actively ask for everyone’s input during the brainstorm (especially from people who are typically the least likely to speak up).

Explore ways to have anonymous, collaborative, and simultaneous idea-sharing, such as a shared whiteboard or individual sticky notes.

Q7: What are some common pitfalls to avoid when brainstorming content ideas?

Start with a content focus before you choose a format.

Be clear in your brainstorming sessions about how the ideas will be used, and thank everyone for their input and participation. If possible, explain how the brainstorming sessions have led to tangible results for the company.

Voice any ideas you have (even if you feel they may not be perfect), and give other participants the chance to explain their ideas before negatively commenting. If you disagree with an opinion, explain why it may not work (citing your team’s goals, resources, or audience needs).

Think beyond your company and direct competitors to explore unique ideas to try.

About Alek Irvin

Alek Irvin is a content marketing professional with a rich history in social media management, executive thought leadership development, and media relations. As a consultant at Erika Heald Marketing Consulting, he creates human-focused content and thought leadership platforms that help brand leaders connect and engage with their communities. Alek has worked with a range of startups and Fortune 500 companies across the B2B technology and consumer spaces, including IBM, Dell Technologies, Hitch Works, Emtrain, Integrate, and Frameable. Connect with him on Twitter @AlekIrvin.

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