52-Week Blog Post Topic Idea Guide and Checklist

Consistently coming up with blog post topic ideas isn’t easy.

The actual ideas are the easy part. But capturing the ideas, planning and organizing them, then promoting them is what most bloggers struggle with.

This process can be a whole lot easier (and a lot more fun) with a little structure. It’s the second day of 2017 as I write this, and I’m already wrapping up my entire year of blog post ideas. I’m already planning 52 weeks worth of popular blog topics.

So, I want to share some topic ideas and my blog post topic idea guide and checklist with you!

Cool? Cool.

Be sure to scroll down and read near the end to download the guide and checklist.

NOTE: Some of the links below include my affiliate link, and I may earn a small commission if you do decide to purchase any of these great tools. It’s absolutely no extra charge to you. These are the specific tools I have used and had great success with, and I would only recommend something I feel strongly about.

I like to keep things as simple as possible. I plan one blog topic per week because I know that’s a realistic goal for me. Plus, it gives me time to not only write the post, but (as you will see in my guide/checklist) it also gives me time to optimize the post, add links, create any related videos and resources, and plan to promote the post on social media and to my email list.

A HUGE tip is to start writing down your blog post ideas on a master list. This could be an Excel sheet or a physical tablet or board.

I like to use a dry erase white board (check the pic below of mine in progress).

This board works for me for a few reasons:

I can organize the posts by topic or color code them.
I can erase/change it at any time.
It’s always there on the wall by desk for quick reference.
Since it see it all the time, it’s more real and a reminder that I need to stick with my plan.

Use whatever works for you. Some people like to create blog content more than once a week, and that’s fine. The key is to be consistent.

So, what if you can’t come up with at least 52 blog post topic ideas at the beginning of the year? No problem.

Write down as many as you can at first. Just by starting to write them down, other ideas will pop into your head. Write down as many as you can think of. You can always go back and organize them or change them later.

My favorite way to capture blog topic ideas on the fly is to write them down immediately in the Evernote app on my phone. Evernote syncs with your other devices where it’s installed.

It’s important to capture ideas immediately. Get them out of your head and onto some type of capture device. If you don’t use Evernote, use the notes feature on your phone, tablet, or a voice recorder.

Check out this post for other ideas and tips on capturing blog post ideas: How to Never Run Out of Blog Post Ideas

OK, so here’s my free 52-Week Blog Topic Ideas Checklist (at the links below) below that I use with every blog post. There are two forms:

52-Week Blog Topic Checklist (Excel sheet)
52-Week Blog Topic Checklist (PDF)

The checklist includes spaces for:

The blog topic idea.
The blog graphic and size I used.
Related or affiliate links.
A call to action I want to add at the end (like to download this checklist).
Any related resources, videos, checklist, guides, etc.
All social media platforms I want to share to post on.

OK, so how about some awesome unique blog post ideas… Here are some that apply to any industry or niche:

Focus on Results – If you have a product or service, write posts focused on the results and benefits people will get.

Do Q&As – These can be endless. Find some trusted authorities in your niche and do Q&As with them that your audience will be interested in.

Do On-Screen Video Tutorials – Use a screen recording software like Screencast-O-Matic (what I use) to record tutorials teaching people things. You can also use this to record a slide presentation with you talking into a microphone. I use the Blue Snowball iCE Condenser Microphone, Cardioid – White

Product/Book Reviews – Post short reviews of products you use or books you’ve read that relate to your audience. These posts are great for affiliate links (just be sure to note that affiliate links exist in the post).

Write a Post of Your Favorite Quotes – These quotes can be inspirational or just quotes that you like to use for motivation.

Post About Your Day/Week – You’d be surprised at how many people would be interested in reading about the crazy day you had. People relate to stuff like that. One time I did a post with several photos showing random things my 4-year-old left in weird places around the house – like food in the bathtub and the remote control in the refrigerator.

Answer Questions from Your Audience – Gather some of the top questions you’ve gotten through the week or month from your readers and do a Q&A post or video.

Guest Posts – These are an awesome way to build your blog. Have another blogger write a post for your blog and they can do the same for yours. Link to each others’ blogs and promote the posts to your email lists and social media platforms.

Share Your Favorite Websites/Blog – You might think sending people to other sites and blogs is a bad idea, but it actually can build your credibility.  Plus, you’re giving value to your readers and followers, which is what it’s all about. You can even do a list of your favorites with links to each.

Post an Update – If you’ve had a lot of activity on your blog or in your business lately, post an update including everything that’s been going on that your readers might be interested in.

DOs and DON’Ts – People love simple DO and DON’T lists. They are easy to read and offer contrast that are easy to understand.

Create a Series of Posts – You may have a comprehensive topic that you can break up into a series of posts. Then you can let your readers know when the next post in the series is coming up. You can also link to the other posts in the series. This helps keep readers on your blog and keeps them engaged.

Testimonials – Gather some written and short video testimonials about your blog, business, product or service from happy customers/clients.