Once I used to work at a advertising and marketing company, I might learn skilled business blogs, comparable to HubSpot, Advertising and marketing Brew, and Backlinko (to call a couple of).
One in every of my major questions day by day was, “How do these manufacturers do it? How do they continually provide you with sensible weblog concepts?”
At the moment, I’m pulling the curtain again for you right here at HubSpot.
How the HubSpot Weblog Comes Up With Concepts
Earlier than we get began, it is vital to know that when the HubSpot crew comes up with weblog concepts, a number of groups are concerned together with Search engine marketing, Weblog, and Monetization.
Due to this, we divide our brainstorming course of into two components: non-organic and trend-responsive analysis and Search engine marketing matter analysis.
We then mix these efforts in our Insights Report on a month-to-month foundation (which you’ll obtain a replica of beneath).
Featured Useful resource: Search Insights Report Template
Let’s dive into each these processes beneath.
How the HubSpot Weblog Generates Pattern-Responsive Weblog Put up Concepts
“Weblog subjects that relate to traits, analysis, or thought management yield bursts in non-organic site visitors that may assist you acquire guests when you’re ready for Search engine marketing-driven posts to rank,” says Pam Bump, the HubSpot Weblog’s Viewers Development Supervisor.
“As a result of they usually embody knowledge, quotes, or different unique info, these posts may also earn backlinks, which not directly increase your search authority.”
She continues, “On prime of the potential referral advantages, non-organic content material additionally permits your weblog content material to be extra trend-responsive. By giving your insights on the newest information, traits, and analysis in your business, you place your weblog as a supply for thought management.”
“Moderately than being a weblog individuals simply discover when doing Google searches, you improve the possibilities of audiences following you, subscribing to you, or visiting your web site to search for the newest business info,” Bump provides.
Nevertheless, whereas non-organic content material supplies many stable progress alternatives, discovering fashionable or research-driven put up subjects for a particular viewers is not at all times easy.
In reality, it usually requires hours of brainstorming.
She says, “Whereas our Search engine marketing crew makes use of specialised instruments to determine weblog posts that can pull in natural site visitors, I leverage a variety of development analysis techniques to determine put up concepts that can pull in non-organic site visitors from sources like e-mail, social media, and referrals.”
Beneath is one brainstorming course of we’ve used right here at HubSpot.
1. Begin by focusing in your weblog classes.
Earlier than you get began, it is vital to have some kind of highway map in thoughts.
Select an important clusters, or weblog classes, that you simply need to deal with for the quarter and develop concepts round them.
Instantly, simply understanding the clusters you need to deal with might spark a couple of concepts for thought-leadership or data-driven analysis posts.
Every month, our crew chooses a handful of clusters for every weblog property. For us, that is advertising and marketing, gross sales, service, and web site. Often the clusters relate to issues like enterprise targets or business traits.
Moreover, we embody different classes apart from these clusters, comparable to Viewers Development, Lead Acquisition, and Consumer Acquisition to assist us brainstorm subjects which might be associated to our lead era targets.
2. Overview the content material you’ve got already written to encourage new subjects.
Now that you simply‘ve carried out a fast brainstorm of some new concepts, let’s see what‘s already been written in every cluster that you simply’re specializing in.
To do that, search your web site for the cluster. We do web site searches at HubSpot, by typing in “web site:weblog.hubspot.com/service buyer expertise” in Google, for instance.
With this formatting, you possibly can change the hyperlink and alter the key phrase to be no matter you are on the lookout for. Then, Google will discover posts on that key phrase on that web site particularly.
While you‘re developing with weblog concepts, looking the location to see if the subject has been lined is essential. The rationale you’ll need to do that is that you will discover high-performing posts that offer you inspiration for brand spanking new angles or you will discover posts that you simply need to replace with extra quotes, knowledge, or new analysis.
This will even assist you keep away from key phrase cannibalization.
Caroline Forsey, Principal Advertising and marketing Supervisor and lead of our thought management weblog program, says. “Consider completely different angles for standard subjects you‘ve already lined. As an illustration, let’s say you will have loads of content material concerning LinkedIn — however you will have none from a thought chief within the house.
Maybe you might conduct an interview with a LinkedIn worker for a thought management angle, like ‘Prime X Suggestions from a LinkedIn Marketer’.”
Forsey provides, “I additionally like to think about some matter angles that really feel like they’d hit on a reader‘s greatest ache level. If you wish to write about TikTok, one of many greatest challenges within the house is producing leads — so one thing like ’How These TK Manufacturers Generated Leads on TikTok‘ or ’Finest Practices for Lead Era on TikTok’ is a powerful contender.”
“You would additionally take into account extra case-study-esque content material, like ‘This Model Generated 5,000 Leads on One Viral TikTok Video: Right here’s How’,” Forsey continues.
“When brainstorming, I like to think about a significant stressor for entrepreneurs first and work backwards from there.”
3. See what the competitors is doing.
Whilst you by no means need to copy your rivals, it‘s vital to see what subjects they’re writing about. This can assist you fill in gaps that your rivals are lacking and maybe enhance on weblog subjects they’re discussing.
This additionally lets you realize what‘s happening in your business. What’s the newest information and do you have to be writing about it?
“A few of our highest performing weblog subjects have come from aggressive analysis, or taking a look at newly printed knowledge or research from credible magazines, web sites, or publications we like to comply with,” says Bump.
“Whereas we do not attempt to repeat precisely what rivals or different publications are doing, we do ask ourselves, ‘How can we cowl this development higher, give stronger insights on it, or in any other case put our personal spin on it.’”
Forsey provides, “I really like seeing what’s being written about, after which pondering of another angle. For instance, if publications are continually writing about how AI might take our jobs, I wish to spin my very own angle on the highest-paying jobs ensuing from AI.
Lean into subjects different publications are writing about, however take an opposing or distinctive twist when doable.”
Moreover, you possibly can browse social media for that reason as properly. Social media can let you realize the ache factors of your viewers and check-in with what is going on on together with your audience.
Staying up on business information is among the greatest methods to brainstorm weblog concepts.
Forsey provides, “When new options turn out to be obtainable for a social media platform or software, there’s usually loads of alternatives to discover new angles there, as properly.
Like when LinkedIn launched its personal model of Tales, that was a possibility to brainstorm a subject like ‘X Finest LinkedIn Tales We‘ve Seen’, or ‘LinkedIn, Instagram, or Fb Tales: Which is Finest?'”
4. Have a guidelines of weblog matter concept standards.
As soon as you’ve got created some weblog concepts, it is best to examine and ensure every weblog put up matter is aligned together with your total weblog standards.
In case you don‘t have weblog standards but, perhaps it’s time to set some requirements round what every weblog matter ought to cowl.
For instance, with the guidelines of standards Bump’s created, all our weblog put up concepts want to offer worth to our weblog viewers.
They need to additionally both align with a cluster or lead-gen purpose, embody non-organic components comparable to knowledge or unique quotes, be both trend-responsive or evergreen, and have some key phrase alternatives.
5. Keep organized.
It’s best to observe your weblog concepts in an organized trend. At HubSpot, we use an concept era spreadsheet the place writers and editors can brainstorm concepts for quarterly clusters, or simply write down ongoing concepts.
In the end, this course of helps maintain us organized in relation to producing constant weblog put up concepts.
Jay Fuchs, Gross sales Weblog Editor at HubSpot, describes his course of.
He says, “I attempt to discover subjects that reconcile partaking subject material with practicality when developing with analysis or trend-based weblog subjects.
Meaning discovering buzzy, intriguing subject material that lends itself to an article with a compelling title, attention-grabbing supporting supplies, and — maybe most significantly — actionable recommendation.”
Fuchs explains, “That would imply a bit about one thing like avoiding frequent pricing errors or gross sales methods that can turn out to be outstanding within the close to future.
A technique or one other, it’s essential decide subjects that hook and assist — ones that command your reader‘s consideration and allow you to profit from it with perception that they’ll have the ability to apply, going ahead.”
Now that you realize the HubSpot course of in relation to producing non-organic weblog concepts, let’s dive into the Search engine marketing aspect.
Brainstorming Search engine marketing-Optimized Concepts
Whereas Bump and the weblog writers brainstorm non-organic concepts, our Search engine marketing crew is difficult at work creating weblog subjects which have an natural purpose in thoughts. That is their course of:
1. Take a look at your organization’s merchandise, targets, and buyer base.
To begin, HubSpot’s Search engine marketing crew will evaluate our merchandise, targets, and buyer base.
Amanda Kopen, an Search engine marketing Strategist at HubSpot, says, “When developing with weblog put up concepts, first it’s essential take a look at your organization’s merchandise, targets, and buyer base.
At HubSpot, we brainstorm weblog posts as they relate to our completely different merchandise (advertising and marketing, gross sales, service, and so on.). Then, we slender it all the way down to subjects the place we have now experience however are potential ache factors for our clients (social media advertising and marketing),” Kopen provides.
Throughout this part, our Search engine marketing crew is reviewing our personas, prioritizing weblog clusters (determined by Search engine marketing and monetization groups), and brainstorming what could be useful to our viewers.
Moreover, the Search engine marketing crew will determine massive subjects, underperforming subjects, and previous however high-performing subjects.
2. Conduct key phrase analysis and run a content material hole evaluation.
After the preliminary brainstorm, it is time to do your key phrase analysis and content material hole evaluation.
Kopen explains, “As soon as we have now a possible ache level in thoughts, we use Search engine marketing greatest practices — like conducting key phrase analysis and working content material hole analyses — to see precisely what individuals need to study (how usually ought to I put up on LinkedIn), and we begin writing from there.”
Throughout this a part of the method, our Search engine marketing crew will collect domains with comparable audiences and conduct a content material hole evaluation (discover out what these websites are rating for that HubSpot is not).
We‘ll additionally take a look at associated searches on Google to see what individuals are trying to find. Then, we’ll determine alternatives the place we are able to replace previous weblog posts or recycle the URL (so we do not lose the Search engine marketing juice, however have up to date content material for that matter).
3. See if there are any linking alternatives.
Lastly, the Search engine marketing crew will even talk with HubSpot’s product and academy groups to see if there are linking alternatives comparable to any programs or merchandise of ours we ought to be linking to.
Creating Site visitors-Producing Concepts
And that is how the HubSpot weblog comes up with high-performing weblog put up concepts constantly.
By taking the time to do stable analysis and concept brainstorming, you possibly can provide you with weblog subjects that drive hundreds of readers in, like me, whereas boosting site visitors, authority, and credibility.
