Many profitable advertising and marketing groups use content material brainstorming to generate concepts on what to create.
On this information, we’ll share the information and strategies you should utilize to run brainstorming classes successfully.
However let’s cowl the fundamentals first.
What Is Brainstorming?
Brainstorming is when a bunch of individuals share spontaneous concepts as proposed options to an issue. It’s a course of designed to encourage creativity and collaboration.
For instance, in a content material brainstorm, contributors may verbally share weblog submit concepts whereas one particular person writes them down on a whiteboard.
Usually, the objective is to generate as many concepts as potential. And refine them later.
So, contributors are inspired to share no matter involves thoughts. And keep away from passing judgment on different individuals’s concepts.
What Is Content material Brainstorming?
Content material brainstorming is brainstorming to provide you with content material concepts—i.e., ideas for weblog posts, movies, infographics, and different varieties of content material.
It may be an environment friendly method to produce distinctive, various, and plentiful concepts for a content material calendar.
As a result of it:
- Gathers concepts from a number of individuals
- Permits individuals to iterate on others’ concepts
- Liberates contributors from concern of judgment
And the extra content material concepts you could have, the better it will likely be to seek out ones that work to your content material advertising and marketing technique.
9 Content material Brainstorming Concepts
Experiment with these contentbrainstormingideas to see what works finest to your staff:
1. Use Semrush’s Matter Analysis Software
With Semrush’s Matter Analysis software, yow will discover standard and trending subtopics in your area of interest. Which make nice launchpads to your content material brainstorm.
Enter a principal subject to base your search round.
Then, select your nation and click on “Get content material concepts.”
The software will current quite a lot of subtopic concepts.
Which you’ll be able to kind by:
- Quantity: The common variety of occasions the subtopic is Googled every month
- Issue: How exhausting it will likely be to rank extremely for the subtopic in Google, expressed as a share known as “Key phrase problem”
- Matter Effectivity: A measure of the subtopic’s general search engine optimization potential, based mostly on the subtopic’s quantity and problem
Swap the toggle to give attention to trending subtopics, that are marked with a flame icon.
In the event you want extra inspiration, click on “Present extra” on any subtopic.
You’ll see:
- Headlines: The highest 10 headlines for the principle key phrase, prioritized by which of them have essentially the most backlinks (hyperlinks from different websites)
- Questions: A listing of associated questions that you just may need to reply in your content material
- Associated searches: Some related search queries that present up on Google
2. Create a Thoughts Map
A thoughts map is a visible illustration of linked concepts.
Right here’s an instance of what a thoughts map can appear to be (this one is from inside Key phrase Supervisor and based mostly on associated key phrases):
You begin within the heart together with your principal subject. Then, department off into associated subtopics and preserve branching off till you could have your last concepts.
This course of lets you construct concepts one step at a time.
You are able to do thoughts mapping with a pen and paper. However we advocate utilizing a software like Miro. To make it straightforward to collaborate and create extra advanced diagrams.
3. Curate and Reference a Swipe File
A swipe file is a group of content material you will get inspiration from.
For instance, you may jot down catchy headlines to make use of as fashions you need to emulate. Or bookmark weblog posts that cowl matters you need to write about.
Irrespective of how or the place you retailer it, preserve your inspirational content material organized so it’s straightforward to flick thru whenever you’re brainstorming matters.
Pocket is a superb software for saving articles, as a result of you’ll be able to add tags and spotlight key passages.
Observe {that a} swipe file is usually curated naturally over time. As you notice nice content material in your day-to-day life.
However you’ll be able to hunt down inspiration purposefully. We’ll clarify how within the subsequent part.
4. Search Out Nice Content material Examples
Taking a look at content material advertising and marketing examples is among the finest methods to get inspiration throughout a brainstorm.
Seek for helpful concepts and roundups on Google. With queries like this:
- “[your niche] content material examples”
- “[your topic] content material concepts”
- “[content format] advertising and marketing examples”
You may also get inspiration from:
- Case research on company and awards web sites (e.g., The Drum Awards)
- On-line design portfolios (e.g., samples shared on Behance and Dribbble)
- Blogs and social media profiles in your area of interest (e.g., a competitor’s Instagram account)
5. Ask Your Viewers for Concepts
You need to give your target market what they need—so why not ask them for concepts?
Simply add a message asking readers what they’d prefer to see from you to your social media platforms or e-mail e-newsletter.
Like podcaster Natalie Brunell did right here:
Then, flick thru the ideas throughout your content material brainstorm.
6. Carry out Key phrase Analysis
Key phrase analysis is the method of discovering what your target market searches for utilizing Google (or different serps).
That is significantly useful in case you’re brainstorming concepts to assist your SEO (search engine optimization) technique. As a result of it tells you what content material in your area of interest is in demand.
To get began, go to Semrush’s Key phrase Magic Software.
Enter a time period to base your analysis round, then select your nation and click on “Search.”
The software will present a listing of “Broad Match” key phrases that include your beginning time period(s) or an in depth variation.
Within the “Quantity” column, you’ll see what number of searches every key phrase sometimes will get every month.
We advocate that you just filter for key phrases with informational search intent.
These are queries that individuals use to seek out data. So, they’re good for prompting content material concepts.
7. Attempt the 6-3-5 Technique
The 6-3-5 technique is a brainstorming method that includes six contributors. However it may be tailored for different group sizes.
Right here’s the way it works:
Every participant receives a bit of paper (or on-line doc) with a problem on the high—e.g., “Provide you with video concepts associated to distant working.” They usually get 5 minutes to silently add three concepts.
Individuals then swap sheets and add three extra concepts. And repeat till they’ve contributed to each problem.
It’ll take simply over half an hour to generate 108 concepts (six contributors x three concepts x six rounds). On the finish, you’ll be able to focus on your outcomes and collect any further concepts.
This technique permits everybody within the group to contribute and construct on one another’s concepts. Whereas offering area for impartial thought.
8. Immediate Concepts with Random Phrases
Use a random phrase generator software to provide you phrases or phrases to make use of as prompts. Then, problem your staff to brainstorm content material concepts or headlines round them.
It is a nice method to encourage out-of-the-box pondering. And when you may not use all of the preliminary concepts, they will spark fascinating ideas and discussions.
For instance, listed below are three randomly generated phrases and content material concepts they impressed:
- Remorse: Why You Received’t Remorse Going Freelance: 5 Mother and father Share Their Tales
- Frequent: The Frequent Denominators of Profitable Distant Groups
- Maintain: How one can Put Work on Maintain When You Have a House Workplace
9. Adapt Concepts with the SCAMPER Framework
SCAMPER is a set of strategies for producing new concepts from present concepts.
So, it will probably make it easier to put a brand new twist on an present piece of content material. Or extract extra worth from concepts you’ve already brainstormed.
Let’s break the acronym down:
S |
Substitute |
Change a component of the unique thought with one thing else |
C |
Mix |
Merge the thought with one other thought |
A |
Adapt |
Change the thought to go well with a brand new viewers or format |
M |
Enlarge or minify |
Put kind of emphasis on a selected a part of the thought |
P |
Put to a different use |
Consider methods to repurpose the thought |
E |
Get rid of |
Refine the thought by eradicating a component |
R |
Rearrange or reverse |
Method the thought from one other perspective |
Let’s say we’ve got a productiveness information for distant employees.
We might:
- Substitute the present inventory photos with authentic infographics
- Mix the article with a weekly e-mail e-newsletter that delivers bite-sized productiveness hacks
- Adapt the article to focus particularly on distant employees with younger youngsters
- Enlarge the human side of the article by incorporating success tales
- Put it to a different use by repurposing it right into a downloadable e-book
- Get rid of commonplace recommendation to create a information that focuses on novel ideas
- Reverse the thought by sharing productiveness myths slightly than productiveness hacks
Greatest Practices for Content material Brainstorming
To get essentially the most out of your content material brainstorming session, observe these finest practices:
Create Efficient Prompts to Information Your Efforts
First, you should outline the objective of your brainstorming session. You’ll be able to then create a number of prompts to direct contributors’ pondering.
Keep away from obscure prompts just like the one under. These may cause contributors to grow to be overwhelmed and unfocused.
❌ Brainstorm content material concepts
Equally, keep away from being too particular. Prompts like this could stifle creativity:
❌ Brainstorm infographic concepts that debate the ergonomic advantages of adjustable workplace chairs with lumbar assist, focused particularly at freelance graphic designers working in residence workplaces
As a substitute, attempt to land someplace within the center. Solely introduce constraints in the event that they’re vital for the objective. Or to provide your contributors some path.
For instance, it’s useful to give attention to the related platform(s) in case you’re doing social media brainstorming.
✅ Brainstorm video concepts that can enable us to interact freelancers on TikTok
Set Floor Guidelines
Along with sharing the objective with contributors, make it clear what’s anticipated of them in the course of the brainstorming session.
Listed here are some guidelines you may need to undertake:
- Share any concepts that come to thoughts, even when they appear outlandish or impractical
- Keep away from evaluating or critiquing different individuals’s concepts
- Use different individuals’s concepts to spark your individual creativity
- Keep away from distractions (e.g., preserve laptops closed)
It’s additionally finest to ascertain a time constraint for every brainstorming session or exercise.
Attempt working in five-minute bursts with brief breaks in between. This could assist your contributors keep centered.
Begin with an Ice-Breaker Exercise
Ice-breaker actions may also help contributors really feel extra comfy earlier than the brainstorming course of begins. Particularly in the event that they’re working with an unfamiliar group of individuals.
These actions also can get contributors right into a inventive mindset.
For instance, you could possibly:
- Play a trivia quiz on Sporcle
- Watch and discussing a related video
- Take turns including sentences to construct a narrative
Observe Efficient File-Maintaining
Visibly report concepts in the course of the content material brainstorming session so contributors can use them to spark concepts of their very own. And they also’re not forgotten later.
You could possibly ask one particular person to take notes. However they may wrestle to seize all the things mentioned. And get little alternative to contribute their ideas.
As a substitute, ask everybody to jot down their very own concepts:
- In the event you’re brainstorming in particular person, you could possibly use sticky notes and submit them on the wall
- In the event you’re brainstorming on-line, you should utilize a cloud-based doc or digital whiteboard
However let contributors know that you just’ll polish the notes later.
That manner, everybody can give attention to pondering. Quite than note-keeping.
Attempt Completely different Brainstorming Strategies
Experiment with a number of the completely different brainstorming strategies we talked about to see what works finest to your staff.
Whereas some entrepreneurs choose a standard method, others will profit from utilizing sure instruments and buildings.
Plus, completely different ideation strategies preserve issues recent. And encourage contributors to assume in new methods. So, they’re nice for sparking creativity.
What to Do After Brainstorming
As soon as your content material brainstorm is full, compile your staff’s notes in a single doc.
You’ll be able to then begin to polish and prioritize content material concepts. Contemplating components like:
- search engine optimization potential: How many individuals are trying to find this subject and the way excessive may you rank in search outcomes?
- Target market: Does the subject align together with your target market’s wants and preferences?
- Sources: Do you could have the talents, instruments, and time required to create the content material?
- Advertising and marketing objectives: How a lot will this content material assist gross sales, lead era, and so on.?
- Relevance: Does the subject align together with your model id? And is it related proper now?
To streamline the method, accumulate content material concepts and information with Semrush’s Matter Analysis software.
This submit was up to date in 2024. Excerpts from the unique article by James Brockbank could stay.