11 Easy Content Ideas For Your Ezine Or Web Site

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“11 Quick (and Good) Content Ideas for Your Ezine or Website”
by Alexandria K. Brown, “The E-zine Queen”

Publishing articles, especially via an e-zine, is the
ideal opportunity to showcase your business. By sharing
your knowledge and expertise, you build credibility as
an expert, while spreading the word about your services
and products.

While I’m sure that sometimes you have dozens of content
ideas, I bet other times you find yourself staring at a
blank computer screen, grumbling that it’s publishing
time again. Well, have no fear! Here are 11 quick
(and good) content ideas for when you’re in a pinch.

1. Give real-life success stories.

Describe a problem you’ve solved for a client/customer,
and use that as a springboard to offer more general advice.
Show your readers how you’ve helped customers address
challenges — “case studies” if you will. This positions
you as the expert in your readers’ minds more than your
coming out and saying so.

2. Think of three areas in which you’d like your clients
to think of you as a resource.

Now develop content in those areas. For example, in my
past life as a professional copywriter, I really enjoyed writing
for Web sites. To help encourage my clients and prospects
to hire me for these projects, I published several articles
on how to write Web copy that sells.

3. Read industry publications for ideas.
Are there any hot issues in your field right now?

The more controversial, the better. Don’t be afraid to offer
your own opinion — your readers want to know it. After all,
YOU are the expert in their eyes.

4. Jot down 8 questions your clients have asked you in the past.

You know, the ones they ask you over and over. Answer each
in a short article. If you publish weekly, that’s two months’
worth of content, right off the bat! And if you can’t think
of any questions, send all your current clients/customers a
quick e-mail, asking them what topics they’re most interested
in learning more about.

5. Learn anything neat lately from an industry conference,
workshop, seminar, or insightful article?

No one says you have to reinvent the wheel of information!
Pass on any gems of advice you’ve learned elsewhere — just
give them full attribution. Or give your opinion of the event
or article itself. Your readers will appreciate your frankness.

6. Offer a list of your top 5 or 10 tips on a certain subject.

It’s much easier to bang out a list of tips than to put together
a real article. Of course, the tips can evolve into an article
if you wish! Be sure to list your best tip first, or at least
close to the top. (If you “fire your biggest gun” last, you
risk losing your audience before they get to the good stuff.)

7. Interview associates whose expertise would interest your
readers.

(while not competing with yours). E-mail interviews are
incredibly easy to do. Just send your interviewee 3 to 5
questions via e-mail, edit their answers, and have them approve
the final version. Be sure to give them a short plug in your
e-zine as a thank you. (A one- or two-sentence description of
their business and their Web address should be fine.)

8. Recommend books and resources that you use, and offer full
reviews on them.

In one issue of my old e-zine, “AKB MarCom Tips,” I featured
reviews of my favorite four copywriting resource books. I’m glad
I also gave my Amazon.com associate links, because I ended up
making some nice commission, to boot!

9. Invite clients or readers to write you with their own questions,
and answer one in each issue.

Right after their question, publish the person’s name, business, and
Web address, with their permission. They’ll enjoy the attention and
free publicity!

10. Invite readers to send in profiles.

Ask them to tell you about themselves — their names, businesses,
locations, and how they use the information gained in your e-zine.
Feature one profile in each issue or one every few issues.

11. When all else fails, borrow an article!

There are dozens of Web sites offering hundreds of articles that
you can use in your e-zine. The articles are free and available
for you to use immediately. The only catch is you’re required to
leave the entire article intact, including the author’s promotional
information. One of my favorite places to search for articles is
www.ezinearticles.com.

One last note: Keep in mind that if your e-zine’s main objective is
to get you more clients and customers, you should NOT feature
other writers’ articles more than once in a blue moon. Remember
our main goal is to continually showcase YOU. : )

Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown, “The E-zine Queen,” is creator
of the award-winning ‘Boost Business With Your Own E-zine’ system. To
learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for her FREE
how-to articles and FREE audio class, visit wwwEzineQueen.com

<END NOTE>
Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of the tips in this article.
Creating good quality content for your ezine subscribers will
help you to turn your words into cash. Ali certainly knows her stuff!
Use her proven strategies to make your ezine into a profit pulling
cash cow.