How do I create original content for all the pages on my website?
You mean I have to come up with my OWN content?
How many words do you want me to have on every page?
What am I supposed to write about?
How often should I blog?
Articles & Press Releases – I have to write those TOO?
Have you ever heard (or asked) these questions?
If you say no, YOU’RE LYING! 🙂
We’ve all ask at least one of these questions in our life of online marketing. These simple questions are often the symptom of a deeper disease: Writer’s Block.
Writers block is defined as “a condition, primarily associated with writing as a profession, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work.”
So what is your cure?
How do you come up with new content, creative ideas, and keyword-rich link-bait that will spread to the masses?
If you’ve been writing long enough, you’ll know that there really is no such thing as “original content”. If you’re new to the online marketing scene, let this be the first lesson – you DON’T have to create brand new ideas to be successful.
The Key Question:
Where then do we turn for ideas that work, ideas that move, ideas that persuade?
Brian Clark and team give the simple answer:
In short, we steal them.
The moment you free yourself from The Cult of Originality, you realize that original ideas do not come from within.
They are given to us, from without.
A writer should not look inside, but outside, at external sources, stories, events, and emotions.
“But where do I look?” you might ask.
Here’s a quick list:
- Product manuals
- literature
- interviews
- talk radio
- magazines
- newspapers
- television
- Google Trends
- movies
- Wikipedia
- and on and on and on
And here’s a quick step-by-step video:
VIDEO: How I Use StumbleUpon to Overcome Writer’s Block
The 6 Step Process To Avoid Writer’s Block with StumbleUpon
Step 1: Set up a StumbleUpon Account
Step 2: Add the StumbleUpon Toolbar to Your Firefox Brower
Step 3: Adjust Your Settings to Specific Topics
Step 4: Start Stumbling!
Step 5: Bookmark Specific Articles That You Can Re-Write
Step 6: Repeat This Process Whenever You Feel the “Writer’s Block Bug” Coming On
Have you ever used StumbleUpon in this way?
What secrets are you willing to share about your endeavors to overcome writer’s block?
Nate Moller works with companies who want to improve their online marketing strategy. His company builds wordpress websites and custom website designs at affordable prices. Hes worked with thousands of clients who see value in online marketing strategy and execution. Follow Nate on Twitter and become a fan of Moller Marketing on Facebook!
Great post Nate. Using StumbleUpon and looking at all the things around you is a great place to start to come up with ideas. Recently I’ve going through alot of the books that I’ve read in the past and rereading the items I’ve highlighted. Those highlights have sparked alot of ideas to write about. Thanks!
Nate – awesome tips and yes I use Stumble Upon for loads of research (not just writing ideas) but that is another post I guess. One thing I do is image searches, for some reason when i do image searches (maybe one of the reasons I love doing infographics so much here at DSM) my mind just opens up and I can see and think differently about subjects. It works for me, maybe not for everybody … but that is my little “secret” Again – great post and helpful tips.
Yes, I have used Stumbleupon for exactly this purpose. I also recommend it to my wife for her blog on leadership and management. In addition, I do this thing called “Follow Friday Blogs,” where I write brief recommendations of other blogs every week and then tweet it out as part of Twitter’s Follow Friday (#FF) tradition. Stumbleupon is great for that, too. (And now I may have to add you to my list as well…)
Thanks for the tips. I’ve always found reading other blogs has helped me.
@Trent Jessee
Thanks for the comment Trent. Another way to come up with new content is to go to the bookstore magazine section and find articles about your area of interest. Where do you blog most these days?
@Mat Siltala
Thanks for the comment. That’s a great idea about image searches, although at times I’m not sure what’s going to show up in SU (make sure to edit settings… 🙂 )
@Michael Charney
That’s a great tip to help build links and encourage your new blogging friends to link back to you. I’ll look forward to connecting with you Michael. Send me a message on Twitter (@mollermarketing).
@Joel
Glad these tips helped Joel. Let us know how the StumbleUpon strategy works for you.
Thanks for the post. will check the stumbleupon straight ahead. I have heard of it but never thought of it being so useful. Cheers. Kasia
This is great! I never thought of using stumbleupon for my writing at all. Pretty nice idea to get us on the go again! thanks for sharing your idea! 🙂
Very helpful video. I’m always having a hard time coming up with new content for my sites. Great tip!
@Kasia Lynch
Glad you liked it Kasia. Let us know if you have any questions on how it all works. Hopefully the video helps.
@jorge
I use this strategy all the time unless I have a rant or first hand experience that I can “case study”. Writing becomes easier when you can pull from other sources and share your own experiences.
@Jen S
Thanks Jen. Glad you liked it and that it helped.
I just started blogging on a regular basis and Im really struggling with writer block. Thanks for the tip on stumbleUpon Im going to check it out and share it with my staff at the office.