In a previous post, we wrote about how important it is to keep your content relevant, but we know it’s not always easy to continuously come up with fresh and interesting ideas for your campaigns. We’ve made it easier for you by putting together a few ideas (especially helpful if you are new to email marketing), to help you get the ball rolling.
First things first, you should create a content folder on your computer which you can add ideas to as and when they come. Remember that everything you see, hear and read is a potentially interesting topic for your next newsletter so be sure to keep that in mind at all times. It also wouldn’t hurt to have a regular notebook on hand, so you can jot things down while you are on the go.
Have a selection of backup articles that you can use in an emergency. While you don’t want to get lazy and rely on these all the time, they are certainly handy to have at short notice or when you simply can’t think of something to write about. You will need to make sure that the topics are general, so their relevance doesn’t expire. What you want, for example, is something along the lines of “why e-marketing is successful”, as opposed to one titled “latest e-marketing trends.” A good mix of evergreen content vs current topics is the best way to go. Evergreen content is any content that isn’t time-sensitive.
Another great place to mine content ideas from is from following your competitors. What are your competitors writing about that is popular with their readers? What questions are being posted that are leading to further discussions? You can adapt and direct some of these ideas to your own needs and build out content topics in this way.
There are many ways that you can fill the spaces and pages of your campaign and we have summed up 9 of the best content ideas, which can be used to create short or long-form copy.
Inform people about special events that you will be running in the coming months, or point them to other relevant events that are happening. These might include webinars, conferences, workshops etc. If you don’t like the idea of promoting someone else’s event, bear in mind your reader’s interests. What might they benefit from and find interesting? Ultimately, they will be thankful for the information and you will gain their loyalty quickly.
This often makes for thought-provoking discussion and feedback. Be sure to keep these points in line with your subject matter and don’t be scared to add a refreshing or even humorous touch.
People love them because they are quick and easy to read and you’ll love them because the options available for topics are endless. The best/worst; most/least popular; biggest/smallest; types of; ways to. You get the idea.
These are very popular and today you can find an online ‘how-to’ guide for just about any problem, product or service you encounter.
Set up a forum on your website where visitors can post queries or problems. You can publish the answers online and also include them in your newsletter if you feel it is a topic that would appeal to others.
What’s the latest news in your industry? Recent developments, products and services, trend forecasting etc. all make for an interesting read. You can extend this down the line by writing about what has happened since or if any trend forecasts have come true.
You can use the data and information you gather for future topics. Even better, ask your visitors directly what they would be interested in reading and learning more about.
These are very helpful for someone trying to make a decision on something and you can help them. Try to make your review as unbiased as possible though, you want to give a fair report without sounding like you are actually selling the product. On the other hand, if it really is rubbish then you need to inform people of that too.
Invite guest experts and well-known people in your industry to contribute a blog posting once a month and see what the feedback is like. The exposure and association would benefit both of you.
So there you have it. You’ll soon find that you only need a few really good topics up your sleeve at any given time simply because the better your subject matter, the more discussion it generates and the more you can develop it.
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