One of the biggest mistakes I made when I first started creating content was believing that every article, LinkedIn post, newsletter or presentation had to be based on a completely new idea.
Every time I sat down to write, I felt like I needed to come up with something original. If I had already written about a topic, I assumed I needed to move on and find something else to discuss. That approach made content creation much harder than it needed to be.
Over time, I started paying closer attention to the content that generated the most engagement, sparked the most conversations and attracted the most followers. What I discovered was surprisingly simple. Many of the ideas that performed best weren’t new ideas at all. They were topics I had already discussed before, just presented in a different way, expanded upon in greater detail or tailored to a different audience.
That realization completely changed the way I think about content creation. Instead of constantly asking myself what I should create next, I started looking at what was already working and asking how I could build on it.
One of the reasons so many professionals struggle with content is that they assume they have a content idea problem. In reality, most people are surrounded by content opportunities every day. They just don’t recognize them.
Think about the conversations you have with clients. Think about the questions people ask repeatedly. Think about the advice you find yourself giving over and over again. Think about the issues people are trying to navigate and the trends everyone seems to be talking about.
Those conversations are often filled with content ideas. In fact, some of the best content I’ve created over the years started with a simple question. A client asks something during a meeting. Someone sends a message on LinkedIn. A participant in a webinar raises an issue that keeps coming up. Those questions often make excellent content because if one person is asking, there’s a good chance many others are wondering the same thing.
What I’ve learned is that a strong idea rarely has to stand on its own. A LinkedIn post can become an article. An article can become a newsletter feature. A webinar discussion can become a series of posts. A presentation can generate weeks of content. One client question can inspire multiple articles, videos and conversations.
When you start looking at content this way, the pressure to constantly come up with something new begins to disappear. I also think many professionals underestimate how much repetition is required before people begin to associate them with a topic. Someone may read one article you’ve written and find it interesting. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll remember it a month from now. What people tend to remember is consistency.
- They see you write about a topic.
- Then they see you speak about it.
- A few weeks later they see another article.
- Then a LinkedIn post.
- Then a comment on an industry trend.
- Over time, they begin to connect your name with that subject.
That’s one of the reasons repurposing content can be so effective. It enables you to continue contributing to a conversation while reinforcing the topics you want to be known for. You’re not repeating yourself for the sake of repeating yourself. You’re giving people multiple opportunities to learn from you, engage with your ideas and understand your expertise.
Another thing worth remembering is that people consume content differently. Some people prefer reading articles. Others watch videos. Some engage with short-form content. Others attend webinars or read newsletters. Sharing the same core idea in different formats allows you to reach different audiences while getting significantly more value from the work you’ve already done.
When I look back at the content that helped me grow my LinkedIn following to more than 41,000 people, very little of it came from chasing brand new ideas every week. Much of it came from revisiting the same core themes, answering questions, expanding on topics that resonated and continuing conversations that were already happening.
That shift made content creation easier, more efficient and much more sustainable. If you’re struggling to come up with content ideas, spend less time searching for the next topic and more time looking at what you’ve already created. Review your best-performing posts. Revisit articles that generated strong engagement. Pay attention to the questions people keep asking. Look for opportunities to go deeper, add context or approach a familiar subject from a different perspective.
Link to Create a Content Inventory Create a Content Inventory
One of the exercises I often recommend is creating a content inventory. Most professionals underestimate how much material they already have because they never stop to document it. Instead of searching for entirely new topics every time they sit down to create content, I encourage them to take stock of what already exists.
Start by making a list of the questions clients ask most often, presentations you’ve delivered, webinars you’ve hosted, articles you’ve written, podcast interviews you’ve participated in and industry trends you’ve discussed. Think about the conversations you have repeatedly, the mistakes you see people make and the lessons you’ve learned throughout your career. When people go through this exercise, they often discover that they already have dozens of potential content topics. The issue usually isn’t a lack of ideas. It’s a lack of organization and visibility into the expertise and experiences they already possess.
Link to Don’t Overlook Conversations Don’t Overlook Conversations
Another source of content that is frequently overlooked is everyday conversation. Many professionals assume content begins when they open a blank document or sit down to write a LinkedIn post. In reality, some of the best content ideas emerge long before that point.
Pay attention to the questions clients ask during meetings. Take note of the conversations you’re having with colleagues. Think about the topics that repeatedly come up during networking events, conference discussions and client calls. If you find yourself explaining the same concept over and over again, there’s a good chance that topic deserves a blog post, newsletter article, webinar or LinkedIn post.
The same applies to comments on LinkedIn. If you’ve written a thoughtful response to a post and spent several minutes sharing your perspective, you may already have the foundation for a future article. Some of my own content has originated from comments, emails and conversations that revealed a question or challenge many people were experiencing. Rather than treating those interactions as one-time exchanges, consider whether they could be expanded into content that helps a broader audience.
Link to Add a Personal Example Add a Personal Example
I’ve written about LinkedIn profile optimization countless times over the years. I’ve covered headlines, summaries, cover images, recommendations, featured sections, newsletters and profile photos through blog posts, webinars, presentations and client training sessions. The topic itself hasn’t changed very much. What changes are the examples, audience, format and perspective.
A question from a client may inspire a LinkedIn post. A LinkedIn post may become a newsletter article. A newsletter article may evolve into a webinar. A webinar may lead to a conference presentation. The more content you create, the easier it becomes to recognize opportunities to revisit a familiar topic from a different angle. That’s one of the reasons I don’t worry about running out of ideas. Most ideas have far more potential than people realize.
Link to Key Takeaways: Why You Don’t Need New Ideas to Create Great Content Key Takeaways: Why You Don’t Need New Ideas to Create Great Content
- You probably have more content ideas than you think. Client conversations, frequently asked questions and everyday experiences are often the best sources of content.
- Stop treating every piece of content as if it needs to introduce a brand-new idea. Some of your strongest content will come from expanding on topics you’ve already discussed.
- One idea can fuel multiple pieces of content. A LinkedIn post can become an article, a webinar can become a newsletter and a client question can inspire an entire content series.
- Repetition helps build recognition. People are more likely to associate you with a topic when they see you discuss it consistently across multiple formats and over time.
- Different people consume content differently. Sharing the same idea through articles, videos, newsletters, presentations and social posts helps you reach a broader audience.
- Review your best-performing content regularly. The posts, articles and discussions that resonated in the past often contain opportunities for future content.
- Content creation becomes much more sustainable when you focus on building on what already works instead of constantly searching for the next new idea.
Before spending time searching for new content ideas, spend some time reviewing what you’ve already created. Look through past presentations, articles, webinars, client conversations and emails. Think about the questions people ask you most often and the topics you discuss regularly. Chances are you’re already sitting on a substantial amount of content. Most professionals don’t have a content idea problem. More often, they have a content organization and content repurposing problem. Once you start looking at your expertise, experiences and conversations as potential content assets, it becomes much easier to create consistently.
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