You just finished writing your "masterpiece" of an article on how to cook an earthworm quiche, and boy is it a good one! You log back into your article directory of choice a week later and notice that not a single person has downloaded your article. Needless to say this is frustrating and it can be completely avoided by doing some basic research first. Whenever the article writing muse takes over my body I resist the temptation at first and implement one of the following five research methods to find a topic in my niche I KNOW will be popular and helpful to others.
1) The Social Brainstorming Method
This method is extremely easy to implement and you could have a killer article topic in seconds. One of the first places I visit is a forum or a chat room that is targeted to my area of expertise. Pay close attention to the questions people are asking. This will give you an indication of what kind of information they need. In about five minutes I generally come up with 10-20 article topics from forums and chat rooms.
2) The Talk Show Method
This method is not something I do on purpose. In the evening while watching a game or television show, I pay special attention to the commercials and the topics of the various shows being advertised on the networks. Although it may sound funny, some of my best ideas come from advertisements for talk shows and what they will be featuring later that day or the next. Hot topics always reveal themselves on television news and commercial breaks. Keep a pen and pad handy while you watch your favorite show!
3) The Survey Method
If you already have a customer base, either through a website or a newsletter you run, set up a brief survey asking what topics people would like to hear more about. This method can actually bring the greatest results because people who have similar interests tend to communicate frequently. By writing an article you know has an audience (like for your newsletter) you can send out a link to the actual article and more often than not it will get passed around at a very fast pace. You may even get new subscribers by doing this.
4) The "Barnes' & Noble" Method
Another great place for ideas is your local bookstore. Not only can you pay attention to the bestsellers in your own niche, but most large bookstores have a huge selection of trade journals and magazines on every topic. I like to pull up a chair, get a coffee and browse the "Letters To the Editor" of every trade journal even remotely connected to my niche.
5) The "Trendster" Method
Without a doubt you should already be keeping up on fads and trends in your own industry, especially the wacky and weird ones. They make for great article topics! This is something you will have to time and can also include holiday trends and fads as well. Take advantage of specific times of the year when you know people will be looking for specific information in your industry, and then give it to them.
There are so many different ways to come up with good article topics and these are only five of my personal favorites. I like these methods because they can be done almost anywhere and at any time of the day. If you just keep in mind that everything has the potential to spark an idea, your muse will never leave you.
Adam Bauthues is a successful entrepreneur both in the online and offline arenas. To learn more about why affiliate marketing is considered the easiest and most efficient way to earn money online, and how you can dominate any affiliate marketing niche no matter your current level of knowledge, please visit: http://www.affiliatemonthly.com
