Staring at a blank content calendar? You’re not alone. Coming up with fresh, relevant content ideas for your business can feel overwhelming — especially when you’re wearing multiple hats.
Whether you’re creating for Instagram, LinkedIn, your blog, or email marketing, content should do one thing: provide value. And the good news? You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to do that consistently.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you find, refine and repeat strong content ideas that work — even when inspiration is low.
1. Start with your audience
Your content isn’t really about you — it’s about solving problems for your audience. Think about:
- What questions do they ask all the time?
- What do they struggle with?
- What are they Googling that relates to your product or service?
- What do they need to know before they buy?
The answers to these questions are content gold. Turn them into blog posts, FAQs, social media carousels or short videos.
💡 Tip: Look at your DMs, emails, reviews or comment sections. They’re often full of content ideas waiting to be used.
2. Use the “content pillars” method
Content pillars are themes you can return to again and again. They help you stay consistent and organised. Most businesses can rotate between 3–5 content types, such as:
- Educational (tips, how-tos, FAQs)
- Behind the scenes (your process, workspace, team)
- Promotional (offers, services, product features)
- Storytelling (customer wins, founder journey)
- Engagement (polls, questions, opinions)
Having clear pillars makes it easier to generate ideas without feeling repetitive.
3. Reuse and repurpose
If a post worked once, use it again — in a different format or with a fresh spin.
Try this:
- Turn a blog post into a carousel
- Turn a FAQ into a video tip
- Break a long email into several short Instagram captions
- Refresh an old post with updated advice or graphics
You don’t need 100 new ideas — you just need a few good ones used well.
4. Look at your insights
Check your analytics regularly. Ask yourself:
- What content performed best in the last 30 days?
- What posts got the most saves, shares or comments?
- What formats (reels, stories, carousels) are doing well?
Data shows you what your audience values most. Build on that.
5. Browse industry content
You don’t need to copy, but you can absolutely get inspired by what others are doing. Look at:
- Industry blogs and news sites
- Trending posts in your niche on LinkedIn or Instagram
- Podcasts or YouTube channels in your space
- Reddit threads or Quora questions related to your topic
Then ask: How can I say this in my way, for my audience?
6. Keep a content ideas bank
Inspiration often strikes when you’re not at your desk. Keep a running list of ideas in your phone notes, Notion, Google Docs or a spreadsheet. Add to it every time you hear a good question, have a conversation, or get a new insight.
That way, when you sit down to plan content, you’re never starting from zero.
7. Try these quick content prompts
If you’re really stuck, try answering one of these on your next post:
- “The biggest myth in my industry is…”
- “If I were starting over, here’s what I’d do differently…”
- “3 things I wish my clients knew before working with me…”
- “One tool I can’t live without is…”
- “What no one tells you about [your topic]…”
These make for great captions, reels, stories, or even blog intros. Coming up with content ideas doesn’t have to be a struggle. By listening to your audience, using proven themes, repurposing what works, and keeping a running list, you’ll always have something valuable to share.
