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Your content and how you present it is why people read your blog or listen to or watch your podcast. But finding fresh content can be difficult.

Some podcasts get content handed to them

Blogs and podcasts about TV shows and sports are easy to maintain because they're self-feeding by the topic you cover. But even TV-show-fan podcasts can struggle with content between seasons.

These twelve ideas will help you find content for your blog or podcast, or inspire you to generate your own.

1. List all your ideas

When you're first starting out, or considering a restructure, list everything you could possibly talk about with your theme. You don't have to follow this list, but it will give you ideas to refer to when you're struggling.

Think about what you want to hear in your field.

2. Ask your followers

It's not lazy to ask others for content! In fact, you may get more popular the more often you involve your audience.

Your followers probably have questions, experiences, and ideas that you've never thought of.

3. Subscribe to blogs and podcasts in your field

If you want to learn a field, then you should study the field! Others in your field will have a different perspective and different knowledge. Respect this, but don't copy it.

You can discover many ideas and resources from others. But make sure you give credit where credit is due.

4. Respond to the “competition”

While consuming content from others in your field, you may find things you disagree with or were unaddressed. If this boils your blood, then you definitely have a passion for it!

Just remember that your competition shouldn't be your rival. Seek to work together as a community to cover all facets of a subject, rather than trying to beat or destroy others.

I love the camaraderie I have among my “competition” of other podcasts about podcasting. But even though we may sometimes compete for the same audience or clients, I think none of us want the other to fail.

5. Join forums and groups

There may be hundreds of forums that have sections covering your exact topic. There are also probably many groups on Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social-networking sites where people share and discuss items relevant to you.

6. Read FAQs and support issues

Depending on your topic, you may find many people asking questions and needing help across the Internet. You can address these issues on your blog or podcast and then share with those people. This also hugely helps you search-engine optimization (SEO).

7. Follow people on social networks

I like following a lot of people on Twitter because I get a constant stream of content. Sometimes, I see some random things that really apply to me. How you manage your social networks is up to you.

Most of the experts in your field are probably also on social networks like Twitter, Facebook, or Google+. Even if you can't build a relationship with them, you may see them sharing great stuff in small portions.

8. Invite guests

Other enthusiasts in your field make for great guests! Unless you actually want a straight interview, ask your guest to provide certain content that they know well.

Consider when Stever Robbins shared productivity tips for podcasters. I follow his content and knew how I could connect his expertise with my audience. I spent very little time interviewing him and more time letting him share content.

9. Attend conferences or meetups

Getting together with other people who share your interests can create massive amounts of energy. Even if you don't actually get new content from the speakers and other attendees, you may easily be inspired with new enthusiasm for your passion.

10. Read books to gain deeper knowledge

The Internet is making us into short-attention-span consumers. We don't like reading long things or we get distracted. Use this to your advantage!

Find a book or video series on your field that you can study and then share concepts from it with your audience. They most likely won't get to read the same thing. This also gives you an opportunity to make money from your podcast with affiliate sales.

11. Make relevant lists

Pick something relevant to your theme and make a list about it. It could be a review of your ten “competitors” (more like “where to get more about ____”), a list of different ways of doing something, or a top-ten list. If your list doesn't look nice enough, ask your followers. In fact, do this anyway.

12. Monitor Google searches

Besides all of the above, there are still relevant  news articles and blogs popping up all of the time all over the Internet. Use Google News search or Google Blog Search and setup email alerts or RSS feeds for keywords.

1. Visit google.com/news or google.com/blogsearch.
2. Run a simple or advanced search.
3. Refine
4. Scroll to the bottom of the page.
5. Find “email alerts” or the RSS feed.
6. Subscribe with your favorite method.

How do you find content?

What do you do when you don't feel like podcasting?

And here I go again! I'd like a future episode to share how we podcasters give ourselves a kick in the pants to podcast when we don't feel like it, or how we refocus, or how we get new inspiration to keep going.

“Read” the Steve Jobs biography for free!

I discovered that the new book on Steve Jobs can be had for free if you sign up for a 14-day free trial with Audible. Cancel within 14 days and pay nothing, but keep the audiobook you chose!

Need personalized podcasting help?

I no longer offer one-on-one consulting outside of Podcasters' Society, but request a consultant here and I'll connect you with someone I trust to help you launch or improve your podcast.

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Disclosure

This post may contain links to products or services with which I have an affiliate relationship and may receive compensation from your actions through such links. However, I don't let that corrupt my perspective and I don't recommend only affiliates.

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