Using Google to Come Up With Content Ideas

Writer’s block happens and it sucks!  From blog posts to category content, refreshing old pages or creating infographics…luckily there is an easy but not always used fix.  This post will walk you through how to use Google to generate content ideas that have people searching for answers and how you can use that to create content that has the potential to make money.

Here’s how to find content ideas that can make money in three easy steps:

1. Start running queries
2. Evaluate the competition
3. Create your content

Note: this is a version of the newsletter that is going out to the affiliates in a few of the affiliate programs I currently manage.  If you like this content, please consider joining the programs through the share a sale affiliate links (ads) below.  I send newsletters like these throughout the year which are only available to the affiliates in the programs.   

Start Running Queries

Step 1: Go to Google and start typing in a question or a query.

As you type Google will start filling in responses.  These responses are a combination of your past search history and what others are searching for.  If you look at the bottom of the search results you’ll see a few other variations as well.  These can all be potential topics for new content, videos and blog posts.

Beau-coup and Swoozie’s program ideas: (click here to join)

• “Ideas for baby’s first…”
• “50th anniversary party…”
• “What are popular themes for a child’s…”
• “Ideas for DIY wedding….”
• “Fun games for a baby…”
• “What are good bridal shower….”
• “How do I make a mason jar….”
• “Best DIY rustic wedding….”
• “Ideas for planning a…”

Hips&Curves ideas: (click here to join)

• “Which bra should I wear with…”
• “What is the difference between corsets…”
• “Ideas for a plus size renaissance fair…”
• “Why does my bra not…”
• “What style bra goes with….”
• “What are the most popular bridal lingerie…”
• “Which lingerie styles are…”
• “What bra goes under….”

ProSource Fitness Ideas: (click here to join)

• “What are ab exercises I…”
• “Which are better pullups or…”
• “Ideas for workouts while…”
• “How can I tone my…”
• “Exercises that work both…”
• “Which exercises are safe for…”
• “How do you train for…”
• “When is the best time to workout my….”
• “How many days a week…”

SmugMug Ideas: (click here to join)

• “How do I shoot in…”
• “What makes a good portfolio shot for…”
• “What is the best way to…”
• “Ideas for taking natural light…”
• “Where are the best spaces for shoots in…”
• “Which lens is better for…”
• “Which presets are good for…”
• “How do I edit….”

Evaluate The Competition

Next go through the top 10 results and look at what the sites are doing to show up. If you want to go a step further you can create a spreadsheet with ten columns and place the websites going across them starting with column 2.  Column a will need to hold the labels for the rows.  

Next fill in the rows with ranking factors like word count, h1 tags, title tag length, how many images do they have, what subtopics are they talking about, is there video, do they use schema, etc…  You can also add in non rankings factors but things that can lead to rankings like social shares on pinterest, facebook, etc… then include the descriptions, images, etc… that are being used when the articles and images are shared.  

Next think about what is missing from their pages which could give you an advantage. Is there something that could be explained better or shown better through a visual?  Also try to look for any weaknesses like thin or a lack of content, bad images, no step-by-step instructions, etc…  All of these can help you to provider better content and begin to take their rankings.  I go into more detail in my post about how to beat marketplaces like Amazon in the search engines.  

Create Your Content

Many people who have these rankings probably wrote content they thought was helpful, but didn’t do an evaluation like you just did.  You have an advantage with a spreadsheet listing their strengths and weaknesses.  You know what the average amount of copy is, how many images they’re using and can now create something better.

Start by outlining your own content and ask yourself:

• Is there a way to create a title and description that will standout from the other 10?
• What can I do to provide a better answer than the sites currently showing up?
• How can I section the content so it is easy to use for the potential visitors?
• Have I included my affiliate links throughout the post and at the bottom so readers don’t have to scroll through the content to find them?

If you want to go a step further, you could also have an infographic created outlining the solution in an easy to use and understand format.  Infographics aren’t always those huge long images.  Sometimes they are small and compact or created in a printable size to hang on a wall for quick reference.  If it is something complex, something that people study in school or something else that is common, creating this type of visual can become great link bait for teachers (.edu links), non profit links or niche links for your site.  If it’s a quality infographic, it will benefit the students or end users when learning about a topic, could engage and make a blog reader say wow or cool and in turn it will hopefully help you and your site too.

That’s it.  Years ago (early to mid 2000’s) I used to only write about products and how to use them.  Other times I would write about a theme or something different. Moving forward I am going to be even more strategic and use the tools I pay for as well as free tools like Google to help me find terms and topics that people are using to find answers and create awesome responses for these.  You’ll start to see that happening more on this blog as well over the course of late summer and early fall.

How else have you used Google’s auto suggest to create content, kill writer’s block and monetize your sites?  Feel free to leave a comment below with what you did or do.  And don’t forget to join the affiliate programs I currently manage if you’d like to get exclusive content just like this.  Here are the four from above.

• Beau-coup and Swoozie’s: (click here to join)
• ProSource Fitness: (click here to join)
• SmugMug: (click here to join)
• Hips&Curves: (click here to join)