So you've got your website up and running, the design is sweet, your page speed is breaking the Google speedometer, and social media plugins are enabled. You're all set to start creating content but there's a problem...   

If you're suffering from writers block and not sure what to write about - Stop stressing because we're sharing 5 fresh content ideas that your audience is guaranteed to engage with.  Read on to learn more!

1. The Mistakes We Make

"The one mistake I made that nearly cost me my business"

No, that did not happen to me. But, if I did and I wrote about it, wouldn't you be interested? Everyone makes mistakes, especially in business; mistakes happen often but you learn something new with every mistake you make.

So write about your screwups!   It's a great opportunity to demonstrate how you've evolved and kept up with the times... 

And how you're even better than the competition because they are still making the same mistakes that you've been able to avoid. 

2. What is going on around you locally?

Is there a fair coming to your town? How about a trade show? Is Journey performing the following week? Is your town likely to produce the next Voice winner? You don't even have to limit yourself to local issues or debates; feel free to comment on national or global issues, debates, and happenings.

People frequently become stuck on blog ideas that are solely focused on their industry or, more specifically, their business; this is not how things work in the world of content generation and promotion. Find a way to connect your business to what's happening around you by blogging about it. I'm not saying it's simple, but it's not that difficult either. All you need is a bit of awareness of what is going on around you.

3. Make use of Instagram

The number of businesses that do not use Instagram is shocking. Insta (yeah, that's what the cool kids call it) has a huge following because it's simple to use and easy to create and curate content for. All you need is a compelling image, a couple of relevant hashtags, and a line or two, and you're done! In less than 5 minutes, you have content ready to publish.

Give it a shot; you'll be happy with your results. Put an Instagram-spin on your company—anything goes here: How Jake rocked his new sport coat, what lunchtime looks like at the office, Kaitlyn’s heavenly lava cake bites, the most recent award your business received, the pizza guy who saved the late night meeting. Once you get started, you'll find Instagram to be a compelling and easy-to-use content generation tool as well as a social media platform. It will also contribute significantly to humanizing your brand.

4. Secrets and Confessions

Everyone enjoys a good confession now and then. It's perplexing and captures the reader's attention.  I'm not saying you need to write a "tell all" that  reveals every trade secret. You can often write humorous pieces disguised as confessional or secretive posts, but sharing a few little juicy tidbits is always the most appealing.

How many times have you seen a headline that said something like "The #1 secret to shedding weight in 4 weeks now revealed!"  Of course you have caught on by now, but you've been duped before because those headlines work. So, you must back it up with good content that adds real value for your audience.

Pro Tip: I just revealed the most important blogging secret of all time: "Write Epic Headlines." Yes, it's that simple; it's your headline that will entice the reader, and it will be visible across social media and wherever else your link is shared.

5. Lists

Here's why I like lists, also known as Listicles, for content purposes.

1. Lists appeal to a wide range of people.
2. They are one of the most popular types of content - obtaining a large number of views and shares is relatively simple.
3. The formatting is standardized and straightforward.
4. Lists are easy to skim - People can skim your list quickly and read it more thoroughly if they like what they see.
5. Opinions create engagement. People always debate things like how point number two should not be on the list or how another point has been missed altogether. Etc.

So there you go. 5 fresh content ideas that we believe your audience will appreciate. If you use these suggestions, please let us know how it goes!