10 reliable blog post categories and 50 attention grabbing headlines – never run out of blogging ideas again!
Have you ever asked yourself the question, “What am I going to blog about this week?” For many business bloggers, it kind of comes with the territory.
Keeping a blog fresh and relevant can be a challenge, especially if you wear a lot of hats on the job and blogging is just one of them. Many blogs suffer because people run out of good blog ideas
This list was created for those of you who have fallen victim to the “What should I blog about?” bug (raises hand). Use to it to stimulate your thinking and help generate ideas. Below, you’ll find:
- 10 blog post categories. Rather than a definitive list, think of them as reliable options.
- A brief description of each category.
- 5 blog headlines for each category. Customize them for your blog by changing the underlined words to make the headline relevant.
Use this as a quick reference guide and generating blog topics and headlines to attract will soon be as easy as changing the many hats you wear.
Thought leader blog posts help an organization establish itself as an authority in its field. While the copy will not be “salesy,” the post should be keyword rich and include links to other sections of your website. Two audiences are being served here: the human audience and search engines. For the humans, the post is informational. For the search engines, the links and keywords make clear what is important about your company.
5 Thought Leader Headlines
- The right way to process credit cards and why most companies get it wrong
- Have you ever made this embarrassing mistake when selecting a vendor?
- 6 quick ways to improve your website today
- Is lead generation still a money pit for your business? It shouldn’t be.
- 7 telltale signs that you need a copywriter
Spotlight blog posts shine a light on an individual, group or event. Typically, they rely more on pictures than text. In fact, the copy may be only 75-200 words in length (if there are a lot of photos). If you spotlight someone (or a group) in a blog post, make sure you share it with them. Chances are pretty good that they will share it with others. Make sure you have some sort of social sharing enabled on your blog to make it easy for them.
5 Spotlight Headlines
- Clearwater Accounting hits home run by supporting our Little Leaguers in style
- Is our own Maria Sanchez the best? This national award says, “Yes!”
- Meet our April Customer of the Month, the only printer you’ll ever need
- Sales team completes Salesforce.com training to save you money
- Inspiring photos you’ve never seen from Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day
Whenever you add a new product, service, location, or key team member, write a blog introducing them. You only need 300-400 words and a few photos (video is even better). Put yourself in your audience’s seat and focus on why this new addition will benefit them. Include relevant contact info, but don’t try to sell.
5 Introducing Headlines
- 3 ways our new customer service unit will take your satisfaction to the next level
- The newest member of our account management team might surprise you
- See why automotive critics love the new XR-15 (video)
- Why do customers love our new location now serving downtown St. Petersburg?
- New software enhancement solves age-old analytics problem with ease
A brand should believe in something, and a tribute blog post is a great way to share what you believe with your audience. When paying tribute to an individual or entity, don’t just say, “Joe Blow was a great guy.” Spell out why Joe Blow is/was a great guy and how he changed your life. In other words, don’t just share what you believe, but how that belief has been a guiding force for you, and for the better.
5 Tribute Headlines
- Have you thanked a school teacher today?
- Will you join us in honoring local hero John Q. Public?
- 3 business lessons learned from Tampa native George Steinbrenner
- You don’t have to be a brain surgeon to think like one
- 50 years later, the watchwords of our founder still ring true
Many people use a personal blog as a kind of journal, a place to record and share their experiences. For business, don’t be afraid to get a little personal from time to time. Tell your audience about a personal experience of yours that served as a valuable lesson for you in business and in life.
5 Personal Experience Headlines
- Has something this humiliating ever happened to you?
- 5 completely different brand fails in 5 different restaurants
- Why I’ll never trust Facebook again
- 3 values I thought I could live by. I was wrong.
- They all laughed when I sat down at the piano – but when I started to play!
(#5, written in 1926, is from one of the most successful direct marketing ads in history)
Writing a trending blog post should always be fast and fun to read AND write. You can start by going to www.google.com/trends. There, you’ll find lists of celebrities, companies, and sports figures that are “trending” on Google. You’re bound to find at least one that relates in some way to you, your customers, or even your competition. Don’t be afraid to dish it out and have a good time. Your audience will eat it up.
5 Trending Headlines
- 3 ways you didn’t know you were like Miley Cyrus
- How can Carrie Fisher’s comeback inspire your next career move?
- This simple HR solution will make your employees as Happy as Pharrell Williams
- What to do when a client makes a remark like Donald Sterling?
- You don’t have to be a cat to protect your kids from dogs
Blogs are a great way to show people how to do something they may not have done before. Or, maybe they’ve been doing it wrong. Don’t beat around the bush. Simply explain how to do the necessary task, step by step. Once you get started, you’ll see that explaining to someone how to do something can be quite a challenge. Make sure you’ve got all the steps lined up before you start writing. When possible, use video to make the process even more clear.
5 How to… Headlines
- Step by step guide to setting up a blog the right way
- How to enjoy the unrivaled benefits of our Platinum Club in 3 easy steps
- 6 ways to show your boss how smart she is
- Our new check-in procedure saves the day! Here’s how to use it
- How to write ads that make the phone ring!
A success story blog post is a great way to blow your own horn by showing how a customer/client benefitted directly from your product or service. A success story blog post is generally shorter in length than a traditional Case Study. Your blog post may, in fact, be used to promote the full case study. To create a good success story, you will want to interview your client/customer so you can tell the story from their point of view. Dig deep and find out why they chose your offering over the competition. That’s valuable information for your audience.
5 Success Story Headlines
- EZ-Market tops 20,000 users and keeps on growing
- SEO campaign pays major dividends for ABC Network Systems
- New Facebook campaign for Hannah’s Dog Sitting generates 10,000 likes in 3 days
- 3 ways Bradenton Automotive turned our advice into profit
- Falling marketing costs spark turnaround at Advanced Payroll
We all know that your blog should not become another advertising channel, but when you have a special promotion for something that is limited by time or quantity, writing a promotional blog is a no-brainer. For example, if you’re having a holiday sale and people are going to be searching for holiday deals, you definitely should blog your sale. Also, use your blog to promote and distribute content such as white papers and eBooks. Keep in mind that the less frequently you use your blog to promote, the greater impact each promotion will have, because it will be truly special.
5 Promotional Headlines
- All genuine HP ink cartridges 35% off on Cyber Monday
- 60 cures for the common blog
- Sarasota’s best Chevy Silverado deals are at XYZ Chevrolet during Truck Month
- With hurricane season fast approaching, call now for a free insurance coverage review
- How to manage client data security concerns over Heartbleed – Free report
Unlike a personal blog, a business blog is typically weighted more toward data, results, and best practices rather than an opinion. But on subjects that pertain to your business, your opinion counts and your loyal readers will want to read your commentary.
5 Commentary Headlines
- Is this really the best Super Bowl commercial in history?
- 3 ways the demise of Net Neutrality will harm your business
- Does your business really need a CPA? The answer might surprise you.
- 5 things you should know before subscribing to cloud-based software
- How to stop planning and start writing your blog
Keeping up with your editorial calendar can be a challenge, but these 60 suggestions should help you out when your brain is fried, your deadline is rapidly approaching, and you want to make sure your blog continues to be worth reading and sharing.
Have category and title suggestions? Please add them in the comments section below.
Need more help making your blog work for your business? Call me, Meyer Baron, at 727-235-2841.
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