I’ve seen a lot of blog posts wherein the writer just spews out a list of “great blog post ideas that anyone can use” or somesuch: They’ve mainly compiled a list of topics that tend to do well online. I guess this is a “great idea” if you’re just looking for a tiny piece of the clickbait pie. But if you want to write a real blog that connects with real people, this is the wrong way to go about it. Ideas should come from actual unique thoughts you’ve had and want to share with readers for specific reasons. That doesn’t mean you can’t shape those thoughts into formats people tend to like — lists, yay! And it doesn’t mean that having a list of typical types of posts — reviews, advice, how-to, etc. — isn’t helpful for brainstorming. But in the end, the ideas should come from you.
That said, I came across this great infographic from DigitalMarketer.com that marries these two ideas — practical ways to generate ideas and genuine ways to determine if you’ve got a good idea.
