How to get topic ideas

You already know how to check the topic, with STEPPS earlier. Next we will learn how to find ideas for your featured content topics.

Here are some ways you can try:

1. See the linker's website. Create content that is similar in topic or related to what they have written, but the weight must be higher.
2. Community site. Find the main problems most often faced by community members, create content that solves their problems.
3. Do a search on Google by entering the main topic to get more specific topics.
4. Use BuzzSumo or Ahrefs Content Explorer to see the best content on a topic.
5. Follow the process of getting written ideas on WhattoWrite.org .
6. Read the guide to find this content topic .

After getting the idea, make sure you meet one of the STEPPS.

Remember, topic selection is the most important part of featured content. Therefore, do not underestimate this stage.

I personally always have as many ideas as possible pools, all of which I noted at  Trello :

"My website niche is too narrow. There are no linkers and topics that are right for this niche! "

This is the main problem people make when creating superior content.

A few months ago a GuideIM reader contacted me. It turns out he has a scaffolding rental business, so he wants to create content about scaffolding.

It's hard right ... where there is a large website with its niche scaffolding.

There is a way out!

Take advantage of the neighbor's niche.

That is, scaffolding is in the construction industry. In the construction industry, there are many websites with topics on home, architecture, civil, and others.

The neighbor niche that we can use.

Another example, you have a cosmetics sales business and want to get traffic by creating superior content. However, in Indonesia there are rarely (or no) blogs about cosmetics.

You can create content that crosses cosmetics with other niches.

Consider the following example:

• Cosmetics & Fashion : cosmetics that are suitable for certain types of fashion
• Cosmetics & Wedding : makeup techniques for weddings
• Cosmetics & Health : the influence of cosmetics on skin health
• Cosmetics & Careers : makeup tips when job interviews
• Cosmetics & Travel : tips to bring enough cosmetics when on vacation

(By the way, I'm not a cosmetics expert so maybe in this example there is a topic that doesn't make sense)

With this, a narrow niche can touch a variety of other larger niche. So that more and more linkers are relevant to you.

Lastly for stage 2:

In creating content, what you should not miss at all is the title. It's a good topic, but the title isn't interesting.

After reading, continue to the guide to  create a title .

Step 3 - Do research to create content that is weighted

Creating content is easy, but to make quality, superior content in order to get backlinks, you have to do some research.

Rarely is there quality content that is directly out of the head just like that. If you create content like this, the results will be shallow and messy. Certainly.

So, please skip this step if you want the content to be in vain.

There is one of the most common mistakes ...

... if you make this mistake, your content will never get a backlink, let alone go to page 1 of Google.

Here goes the mistake:

Mimic the contents of articles from other websites.

No, not copy-paste duplicate content. The article is rewritten ... but the discussion points are exactly the same as the original article or just randomized in order.

Indeed, finally Google does not consider this as a duplicate, but we as humans are aware that the article is only rewritten.

There is no new information in it.

DO NOT ever make that mistake.

In featured content, we have to make linkers amazed with our content. If the content points of your article are not unique and original, it is impossible to achieve this goal.

One more time, no.

Make the content truly original, not rewrite it. Gather written material from research, then arrange it into new articles.

Using the KTP method to conduct research

I understand that not all of us are super smart people who can create something that is 100% new. Likewise with content.

Including me…

... almost all the material on the TIMIM actually already on the internet.

All I did was gather all the material in the same topic, arranged so that it is more structured, and added new ideas.

That's the initial stage of the KTP method - the easiest way to create quality content on any topic you want.

In short like this:

1. Collect> 5 content in a similar topic, learn
2. Note the strengths, weaknesses, and unique elements of each content
3. Arrange a new content structure that covers all these weaknesses

You can read more about it here .

Step 4 - Create the best content from research material

I am sure, if you create content that is really high quality it is definitely not enough in just one day.

Need process.

If you only write inconsequential articles, 2000-3000 words a day are finished.

But because in the creation of superior content we do research and structure it, it will take at least 2 days.

Something like this:

• Research: 0-1 days
• Framework + images: 0-1 days
• Writing: 1 day

Even this simple content that you are reading takes 3 days. (Today I will increase the contents 4 months after it was published.)

Why do you need to create a template?

The framework is not important if your content is shallow, one way straight away.

But content that is weighted is necessary.

Just look at the article you are reading, consisting of several sub-chapters and sub-chapters.

If everything is written at once, wow it will be chaotic.

So, the content framework aims to arrange your content neatly so it is easy to be listened to by visitors.

In addition, the framework also aims to reduce errors.

It's not difficult after all ...

One of the articles I made earlier, SEO techniques , the framework is just like this:

The article is around 3000 words in length, so it will be very difficult if we write directly without making a framework first.

By the way, about the length of the article ...

In 2012, Moz conducted research  on the content they published on his blog.

This is the result:

Long content tends to get more backlinks than short content.

Here is the graph:

See, the longer the article the more links.

Although not always guaranteed, but this is an important point that you can consider.

Therefore, when choosing a topic, choose one that can be discussed at length. Not a short topic.

Then discuss it thoroughly, if necessary, in several chapters.

We already know that there is enormous potential behind a long article. Don't waste your energy making superficial articles.

But why are there so many long backlink articles?

Actually not because of its length, but because of the weight of the discussion.

Think about it:

If you can only read 1 article a day, choose which ... which is discussed in full, or as modest?

Definitely complete.

That's why long articles tend to get more recommendations in the form of links. Not solely because of the length, but because of weight.

There is more research from SERPIQ on the average length of content that is on the first page of Google.

This is the result:

Page 1 is filled with articles 2000-2500 words.

Increase content opportunities to get backlinks

There's more besides the length.

There are several factors that will increase or even reduce the chance of your content getting backlinks.

Here are the things you should avoid:

1. Product sales elements
2. Affiliate link
3. Too many ads
4. Wrong writing and grammar are a mess
5. Messy design
6. Lots of small talk
7. The format is not good to read

Do you still remember the STEPPS?

The first S, Social Currency, means that we as humans tend to share something that makes us proud.

If your content contains 7 things earlier, it makes you embarrassed.

Instead, the following actually increases your chances:

1. Original photo / picture. Minimum screenshots or graphics
2. Reference to other trusted articles or websites
3. Have data
4. Link to linker website

I want to emphasize the fourth point ...

There is such a thing as the law of reciprocity ( Law of Reciprocity ).

Someone will be more likely to do something positive for us if we do something positive for them first.

Therefore I suggest you to put a link to your linker's website first before hoping to get a backlink.

For more on creating articles, read this guide

Step 5 - Distribute content to the linker

In this stage we will inform the linker of the existence of our content.

Warning:

Never do this step if you don't have content that meets all the criteria mentioned.

I describe again briefly ...

... your content must:

• The topic meets one of the STEPPS
• In the same field as the linker
• Has the best quality compared to other content

If not, don't do this step because it will negatively impact your own reputation.

Okay, there are 2 different content distribution destinations:

1. Get share (to social media)
2. Getting backlinks

Different goals, different ways to do it.

Normally, we want to get a backlink. Definitely. But that does not mean we can ignore sharing to social media.

Even though sharing to social media does not affect SEO, your content will be seen by many people. These people will likely become linkers.

So, sharing to social media can also be an indirect backlink.

Before entering the main stages, it helps you try to get the attention of the linker first by:

• Follow the Twitter / Facebook account.
• Share the content,
• Leave a comment on the blog (don't spam)

After that, we introduce our content in the following ways:

1. Ask for input from the linker via email / social media

The concept is like this ...

... in order for linkers to recommend your content, they must know the existence of your content.

So we tell them.

But if you immediately send an email with the contents "Sir put a link to my article, please!", It will be rejected. Definitely, 100%.

Therefore we need a reason.

The reason they want to open and read your content.

Namely by asking for input from them.

For example, you make an article with the topic "21 benefits of oranges". Ask the linker to contribute to the article by giving 1 benefit.

Then enter their input in the article.

Once published, notify them again when the article has been published. Then they will recommend your article.

Here is an example article that uses this technique in an extreme version:

More than 1400 shares!

2. Post to the appropriate community and social media sites

Community sites are the best place to distribute content because in it automatically there are many people who are ready to read your content.

Community sites and social media are the source of everything that goes viral.

If you have good content, use social media to distribute.

But remember, do not spam and do not post to communities whose topics are not appropriate. You will not get any benefit.

3. Perform 13 ways to promote this content

Previously, I made specific guidelines for promoting content .

Thirteen of these methods will make your content get a surge of traffic more than 2x.

4. Do link building

Who said if we play White Hat SEO can't do link building?

It is precisely this backlink that we get ethically that will make our content firmly ranked at the top of Google's search results.

To start link building, read the following three guidelines:

The entire link building guide in the three articles above is very, very effective for those of you who already have superior content.

... Ready to be superior?

In addition to GuideIM, I have several other blogs.

These blogs have so far become the biggest blogs in their respective fields thanks to the presence of superior content.

You can too, after applying this technique.

Forget back-submit techniques that are time-consuming and high-risk.

Now it's time to switch to featured content.