10 Ways to Never Run Out of Relevant and Interesting Social Media Content Ideas

You sit down at the computer to write a fresh batch of social media content...and you draw a blank stare from an empty mind.

Effective content needs to be thoughtful and intentional, not just a sentence that you composed in thirty seconds.

Whether you write content for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, or another platform, you need a fresh flow of ideas. You need relevant topics or ideas that your audience finds interesting.

Here are 10 ways to never run out of relevant and interesting social media content ideas!

1. Write about seasonal topics

What’s on the calendar this month? It’s always appropriate to write about major cultural holidays, such as Halloween or Independence day. 

Browse a list of holidays and include those in your scheduled posts. 

• Make a relevant graphic for religious holidays or days of honor. 
• Post a picture of your team dressed up (on Halloween, in red white and blue clothes, at your tacky Christmas sweater party, as a famous historical figure, etc.).
• Use pictures to show how you decorate your office for the season (especially Fall and Christmas).
• Share a joke about that particular day.
• Write interesting facts that most people don’t know about that season.

Note: Avoid controversial topics or anything that could divide your audience. Keep it PG and friendly to all readers!

1. Stay in the loop on current events

When you enter a Google search, there is a general feed, but there are also tabs for images, videos, maps, and news. If you’re hunting for compelling ideas, a Google News read could be a solution.

You can search using a basic keyword, such as “business” or “marketing.” You can also search Google News based on your location. So you could look up “Australia” or “Canada.” Additionally, you can combine those two options to search for keywords and specific locations, like “Australia business” or “Canada marketing.”

1. Get inspiration from #hashtags

Hashtags are a handy way to discover popular topics that your target audience is interested in. Search for a hashtag on any social media platform by typing the number sign (#) before your search. For example, if I’m curious about the most popular type of Influencers on Instagram, I would enter “#influencer” into the Instagram search bar.

Hashtagify also shares the top hashtags and their performance, plus related hashtags. Search for one idea and let yourself follow the rabbit trail until inspiration strikes!

1. Follow Twitter lists for content ideas

Your crowded Twitter newsfeed can become an overwhelming jumble when you follow hundreds, or even thousands of people. 

Question: How can you actually follow the people, influencers, businesses, and organizations that you care about?

Answer: Twitter lists.

Twitter lists will provide you with loads of social media content ideas by giving you a snapshot of the most recent tweets from people in your lists. This sparks your awareness to the popular topics in your industry, notes who is sharing your content, and keeps tabs on what people are talking about.

1. Read online forums

Where does your target audience spend time? Some of them likely participate in online forums like Reddit or Quora. Browse these threads for common topics, frequently asked questions, or urgent topics posted by members of your audience.

1. Search keywords on a free research tool

Now that you’ve learned what your audience is interested in, continue that research to another level. Use a free research tool to search for a specific keyword. Some tools provide a basic list of words, while others include SEO data and related keywords. 

As usual, there is a free version and a paid subscription. Either one can be useful at curating fresh social media content ideas!

Try one of these free keyword tools to help you create new content:

• Google Trends
• Word Tracker
• Keyword Tool
• WordStream

1. Examine competitor content

Do you share a mix of your own content and curated content? Check out the best-performing content for every single topic, plus your competitor’s content using BuzzSumo.

When you review what your competitors are sharing, you learn more about what you target market is (and isn’t) interested in. Plus, you’ll begin to notice holes that your competitors have overlooked. Those open spaces provide the perfect opportunity for you to fill in the gaps!

1. Stay aware of your favorite blogs

If you’re already reading content, why not share it with your audience? Plus, expanding your knowledge helps you do your job better.

Feedly can help you come up with new, relevant, and interesting social media content ideas. It’s a tool that helps you “organize, read, and share what matters to you.” It allows you to create lists of websites that you already follow, helping you stay alert on industry trends, relevant news, and interesting new resources. 

1. Write about FAQs

New content is necessary, but sometimes your existing content can be refreshed. Consider the questions that your leads, prospects, and clients ask. They are related to your products, services, business, their needs, or the challenges within your market.

Create content that directly addresses their questions. After all, you know that your audience is eager to consume that information, since it directly answers their exact questions. 

It’s probably helpful to keep a spreadsheet of questions asked, who asked it (existing client, lead, prospect, etc.), and how you answered it. 

1. Refresh old content

Cycle back through your old content and give it a much-needed boost. Quite often, those old topics are still relatable, just they just need a fresh update.

Check your analytics to observe which pages are still being consumed or gaining good traffic. Start with those pages first.

Never run out of relevant and interesting social media content ideas!

Remember, your social media platform should be a digital representation of your brand. Always share content that is genuine to your business and helpful to your readers. 

Educate, entertain, and enchant your readers with your fresh, relevant, and interesting social media content (inspired by one of the ten tips listed above).

Do you need help coming up with fresh and relevant ideas for your social media content? The MindShift team of experts would love to help you revamp your social media strategy! Browse other blogs that we’ve written in this category, then fill out the form below so we can update your social media strategy.