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There are two common complaints clients often ask me about when it comes to their business blogs (1) finding time to blog and (2) coming up with topics. I have written about getting into a consistent blogging pattern before, so today I wanted to talk about ways to come keep the posts coming.

I have put together a list of ways to generate ideas:
- Take a recent experience and share it.
- If your personal story had impact on your business share or expand on it.
- Trends in your industry
- Thoughts and advice for your clients, customers, patients
- Comment on other blog articles
- Guest posts: think of people you admire in your industry or would like to interview
- Gather (to later publish) a list of links of items you find relevant or valuable
- Read other blogs in your niche, you may find a post that you disagree with, or have a different twist on that you can write about
- Read blogs in a completely different niche, you may get inspired with an idea
- Recommend a book
- Check out Chris Brogan's post: 20 Blog Topics To Get You Unstuck
- Keep and a small idea log in your purse or laptop bag, you never know when an idea will come to you. If you have an iPhone, use of one of the voice recorder apps to record your idea

Now go out and write!

It is a little known fact that one of the best ways to bring people to your blog or website is to comment on other people's blogs.

Not only are you showing goodwill when you add value to someone else's post, but you may also:

- bring the blog author to your blog or site
- bring other reader's of the blog you commented to your blog or site
- create relationships that could lead to guest posting opportunities

It does not require a lot of time to do this.  Schedule 20-30 minutes every day visiting blogs within in your niche or related to your niche, and you will see that "what comes around, goes around."

You've written a really great blog post. One that is informative and timely. It is well received with good comment reception. Now what? How can you maximize your good content further? Distribute it.

One way to accomplish that is to submit it to an online magazine. Depending on your industry or audience, there are plenty of online magazines out there where you can submit your material. 

Some of my favorites are:
- Blog Nosh Magazine
- Divine Caroline
- Blissfully Domestic

Search around, there are industry organizations all over that are always looking for good material for submissions.  

Recently I participated in the Problogger's 31 Days to Build a Better Blog project for my personal blog. It was a very enlightening project that I highly recommend for any blog (either business or personal that is at 6 months old. It is not something that you have to complete in 31 days.  Think of it as 31 lessons to refine/enhance/improve your blog.

The cool thing is that Darren Rowse of Problogger has put together the 31 tasks into a neat notebook which also includes bonus material that is not on his website.

I plan on using this workbook as an audit for my blogs every 6 months and I think it is useful enough for you as well!