21 Blog Post Ideas for Beginners (Updated for 2023)

  Begin your six-figure journey at Do Six Figures University

To be successful as a blogger you need to have hustle and you need a solid plan.

I can't help you with the hustle, but if you want a solid plan to build a successful (and profitable) blog, check out my courses.

21 Blog Post Ideas for Beginners (Updated for 2023)

Blog post ideas for beginner bloggers

Beginner bloggers, looking for awesome blog post ideas? You’re in luck because I’m going to share with you my top tips for never running out of blog post ideas ever again.

I’m not going to give you a long list of blog post ideas because that would depend on your niche, whether lifestyle, mom blog, finance, or otherwise.

I thought it’d be much more useful to share general blog post ideas that work with any niche!

By using these 21 blog post ideas, you can generate an unlimited number of blog post topics, enough that you’ll never run out of blog post ideas ever again!

Ready to get started? On with the list!

21 best blog post ideas for beginners

1. Listicles (list-style posts)

Learn how to write list-style posts, and you’re going to get a lot of traffic to your blog.

List style posts generate lots of traffic because of their catchy and highly clickable headlines.

There’s a reason why “listicles” get such high click-through rates. The reader already knows the article is an easy read.

Listicles are highly scannable and allow the reader to scroll quickly to find the help they need.

Because they’re so popular with readers, this type of blog post should make up a good portion of your overall content.

You can create a list post in 5 easy steps:

  • Step 1. Find a problem in your niche. (keyword research)
  • Step 2. List X number of ways to solve that problem. (the outline)
  • Step 3. Go into more detail on each point. (write the blog post)
  • Step 4. Write an attention-grabbing headline. (get those clicks!)

With a list-style post, the headline is everything.

To help you write better blog post titles, use this headline analyzer. And to test out the actual headlines in your own blog posts, you can use the Thrive Headline Optimizer plugin.

Writing a headline is an art form, one you need to practice. To become a successful blogger, you’re going to have to master the art of writing a good headline.

Here are some headlines I found recently that caught my attention:

  • 23 Kids Who Are Totally Nailing This Halloween Thing
  • 28 Ingenious Things For Your Dog You Had No Idea You Needed
  • 24 Things That’ll Make Any Food Lover Shed Tears Of Joy
  • 11 Delicious Meals You Can Make On A Cast Iron Skillet
  • 19 Useful Kitchen Tools To Take The Stress Out Of Cooking
  • 7 Recipes You’ve Never Heard Of But Need To Make

2. The how-to guide

The how-to guide is your time to shine! These blog posts are not fluff or clickbait. Instead, the how-to post is all about establishing yourself as an authority in your niche.

While a listicle is great for getting traffic on social media, a how-to guide is great for getting search engine traffic.

Here are examples of how-to posts I’ve written:

  • How to Start a Blog and Make Money
  • How to Make Money With Google Adsense

Here are the steps to write a how-to post of your own

  • Step 1: Find a problem your readers have.
  • Step 2: Go to Google and scope out other how-to guides on this topic.
  • Step 3: Look at the top 10 and find out why their content ranks for that keyword phrase.
  • Step 4: Write a better how-to guide. Longer, more images, with video, more sources, more in-depth, etc.

You can show Google how important your how-to guides are by internally linking to them from your listicles. This type of internal link structure gives a valuable SEO boost to your most valuable content.

Here are some examples of how-to guides if you’re running a dog blog.

  • Everything You Need To Know About Potty Training Your Pets
  • How To Groom Your Dog Like A Professional [How To Guide]
  • The Ultimate Guide To Making Money As A Dog Walker

3. Top blogs in your niche

In this next blog post idea, you’re going to make a list of the top bloggers in your niche and feature them in a blog post.

Here’s how to do it.

Do a Google search for blogs in your niche. For each site, you want to compile the following information onto a spreadsheet:

  • blog url
  • blog title
  • headshot (or logo)
  • name of the blogger
  • their twitter handle
  • topics they write about

Compile the information you collect into a blog post, and voila, you’re done! This type of post practically writes itself.

The beauty of this idea is that it can be done many different times for a sub-niche smaller than yours or for a larger niche that encompasses yours. For example, let’s say you have a real estate blog. You can do the following posts:

  • The 10 Best Real Estate Blogs In [City]
  • The Top 14 Mortgage Blogs Of [Current Year]
  • 31 Home Improvement Blogs You Need To Be Following

This type of blog post is the best way to get backlinks. Contact each blogger and let them know they made your list.

Then, ask them for a backlink from their blog. Of course, it won’t work every time, but you will get quite a few free backlinks. Winning!

4. List of the best resources or tools

This next blog post idea is a real money-maker – and they are so easy to create.

You probably already have a bookmarks folder full of useful links regarding your niche. Don’t hog up those precious resources; share them!

As an added bonus, if any of those tools you use has an affiliate program, join and add your affiliate link. This blog post idea is absolutely perfect for inserting affiliate links while not appearing spammy.

If you’re having trouble coming up with a list of resources, Google your “your niche + list of tools.” Then, go through these lists and curate them, choosing those you want to add to your list.

Here are some blog post ideas for someone with an SEO blog.

  • 5 Best Keyword Research Tools For Pro Bloggers
  • 9 SEO Tools Every Serious Blogger Needs To Use Daily
  • 8 Awesome Tools To Track Your Google Rankings

If you want an example of this type of blog post, look no further than these I’ve created:

  • 9 Best Drag & Drop Page Builders for WordPress
  • 55 Best Free Blogging Tools for Massive Blog Growth
  • 29 Best Blogging Tools for Beginner Bloggers
  • 11 Blogging Investments Worth Making for New Bloggers

To hide your ugly affiliate URLs, use a WordPress plugin like ThirstyAffiliates.

It’s who I use to turn this link: https://thirstyaffiliates.com/?aff=b8a03c5c15fcfa8dae0b03351eb1742f

into this: https://dosixfigures.com/go/thirstyaffiliates/

5. Best apps in your niche

Let’s not forget about apps. Depending on your niche, there could be some awesome apps that are useful to your readers.

If you run a health blog, you can create some articles on the best apps in your niche, such as these topics:

  • Stay On Your Diet With These 5 Must-Have Diet Apps
  • 8 Premium Fitness Apps That Track Your Progress
  • 7 Daily Planner Apps To Boost Your Productivity

Contact each and every app you mention on your blog via email and Twitter. Let them know you have featured them and ask them if they could share your link with their audience.

You may end up on their blog, in their next newsletter, or with some social media mentions as a result.

6. Case studies

Case studies can be more than just informational; they can be inspirational too. The purpose of a case study is to show how you went from point A (sad face) to point B (happy face).

Here are some example blog post titles that can be considered case studies:

  • How I Got A Six Pack In 6 Months Eating Chicken
  • What Happened When I Did 250 Pushups For 38 Days In A Row
  • I Cut Out Carbs For 2 Months – See What Happened

7. Frequently asked questions

The FAQ post is another favorite of mine. Rather than coming up with one topic with one answer and trying to expand on it, why not come up with a series of questions (and answers) instead?

This type of blog post gets more attention than your typical post since you’re approaching the topic from a different angle. Here are several examples:

  • 5 Questions About [Topic] But Were Too Afraid To Ask
  • 9 Of The Most Frequently Asked Questions On [Topic]
  • 11 Questions Every New [Your Topic] Will Have

How do you find out what people are asking? Quora.com is a great resource. Just type in a few of your main keywords relating to your niche and find out.

Then pop in the keyword phrases into a tool like UberSuggest and see which questions are most popular and easiest to rank for.

8. Interviews

Be like Oprah! How can you go wrong? Of course, Oprah herself wasn’t really an expert, was she? She just invited experts to talk on her show.

So be like Oprah and interview other bloggers in your niche.

You will always have a source of content if you run an interview series on your blog. In addition, this type of blog post is super easy to write – because you’re not even the one writing it!

Here’s how it works:

  • Step 1. Compile a list of bloggers you want to interview on your blog.
  • Step 2. Email them and ask if they want to be a part of your interview series.
  • Step 3. Explain what’s in it for them – free exposure and a backlink to their blog.
  • Step 4. Write out your questions and pass it their way. Their answers will be the content of your blog post.

By the way, your first question should be: What is your URL so I can link back to your blog?

Your second question should be: List your top 3 blog posts to share them with my readers.

Once the bloggers can see the benefit, they will continue to answer the questions and write the entire blog post for you.

Bloggers love to brag about being interviewed. So once your interview is live on your blog, email them with the link. Odds are, they will link back to you (or offer to interview you), and they’ll mention it on social media.

Don’t ask yes/no questions, or you won’t have an interview, but rather a survey. Here are some sample questions you can ask to get more than just one-word answers:

  • What struggle(s) did you face and how did you overcome it.
  • What was your biggest mistake or regret.
  • What was your “aha!” moment where everything finally clicked.
  • What tools (or apps or products) do you use every day.

9. Guest posts

What do you do when you’re short on blog post ideas and need new content for your blog? Have someone else write it, of course!

There are lots of bloggers out there who would love to guest post on your blog. What do they get out of it? Exposure and a backlink. What do you get out of it? Fresh content for your blog.

To get the most out of guest posts, you need to have strict rules. The last thing you want is subpar content on your blog.

Here are some rules you should have for guest posts:

  • Have a word count minimum

The higher the word count, the better. I’d say a minimum word count of 700 is as low as I’d go. (This blog post is 2,900+ words long, by the way)

  • Approve the article topic beforehand

Have them send you a list of topics, and you pick the one that best fits your blog.

  • Minimize the number of backlinks

Say one backlink to their site in the content is fine, one or two more links to sources (if necessary), another link in the author bio, and one more to their Twitter profile.

  • No commercial links

This one is a biggie. You should stay away from accepting guest posts from companies looking to build their backlink profile off of you (unless, of course, they’re willing to reward you handsomely).

Ask guest posters what their link is, and make sure you’re linking to another blogger in your niche, not a company.

The best way to get guest post requests is to ask for them on your contact page. Using the WPForms plugin, you can create a form for receiving guest posts by letting users upload or copy + paste their guest posts directly for your review.

10. Product reviews

When you’re short on blog post ideas, reach into the blog post ideas bag and pull out a product review post! Every product (or service) in your niche can and should be reviewed on your blog.

Be thorough in your review, though. If it’s a physical product, take lots of pictures from all angles. If it’s a digital product, screenshots are a must.

Here are some sample headlines for a tech blog:

  • Hands-On With The iPhone XS: Best Smartphone Ever?
  • Beats Headphones: Are They Worth The High Price Tag?
  • Apple Watch Series 4: Is It Worth It To Upgrade?

You can make big money with sponsored post reviews. But when you’re a beginner blogger and don’t have a large audience, you can still score a free product.

Ask companies in your niche for a free product in exchange for a review. You’ll be surprised how many say yes.

Just be sure to state your relationship at the top of the blog post. Something like, “I was given a free product for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own.”

11. Product comparison

I love a good head-to-head matchup. However, rather than reviewing just one product, put two competing products side by side and pick a winner.

Here’s how to write a product comparison type of blog post:

  • Step 1: Describe what two products you are going to review (and why).
  • Step 2: Give a short review of the first product.
  • Step 3: Give a short review of the second product.
  • Step 4: List the pros and cons of each one.
  • Step 5: Declare a winner at the end.

Add affiliate links to both of the products that are competing against each other, even the loser!

If you run a blogging blog as I do, I can compare these competing products:

12. Personal story post

Your first blog post was probably a personal story. Don’t let it be the last.

When you’re all out of blog post ideas, you can always pull out a personal story from your past.

It is totally okay to exaggerate your story to make it more interesting.

Nobody wants to hear about your trip to the grocery store where you used 3 coupons. But that trip to the grocery store where you slashed your bill in half and the checkout ladies jaw dropped? Oh yeah!

Here are some examples of a personal story post for a personal finance blogger:

  • How I Paid Off My $42,000 In Student Loan Debt In 2 Years
  • Here’s What I Did When The Bank Foreclosed Our Home
  • How I Grew My Credit Score By 100 Points In A Month

I’ve written one blog post in this category:

  • How I Earn a Six-Figure Income as a Full-Time Blogger

This type of blog post won’t get you hardly any Google traffic. It’s too difficult to rank for a keyword when you’re writing a personal story.

And yet, this is the type of blog post that will make you the most amount of money. Personal stories are valuable because they allow your readers to connect with you. This is the key ingredient to getting them to join your email list and ultimately buy your products.

You can start an email list using ConvertKit for free. It’s who I use for email marketing.

For the opt-in forms you see on this page, I use the list-building plugin Thrive Leads.

13. Answer a specific question

Is there a burning question that exists in your niche? Answer the question directly in your blog post.

While most blog posts answer several questions, you’re going to answer just one question in this article idea.

Go to Quora and see what pressing questions exist in your niche. You’ll find that Quora can be an excellent source of blog post ideas.

Since Google is essentially a search engine where people get their questions answered, this blog post topic has a great chance to rank in Google.

For example, I’ve written the following articles answering one specific question:

  • Is Blogging Dead?
  • Why Do You Need an Email List?
  • Can You Really Make Money Blogging?

14. Reveal a secret in your niche

Is there a commonly held belief that exists in your niche that is flat-out false?

Expose the truth in your blog post and couple it with a catchy headline, and you’ll have a viral piece of content on your hands.

Example article topics you can use are:

  • 12 Myths About [Topic]
  • The Biggest Secret About [Topic], Exposed!
  • 9 Things You Didn’t Know About [Topic]

I’ve used this blog post idea before on the following article titled:

  • 8 Blogging Secrets From a Six-Figure Blogger (They Don’t Want You to Know About)

15. Step-by-Step Guide

Like a how-to article, a step-by-step guide will take readers through the exact steps needed to complete a task. Example article topics are:

  • [Topic in your niche]: Step-by-Step Guide
  • 14 Steps to [Topic in your niche]

For my blog, I’ve written these step-by-step guides:

  • 10 Steps to Start a Money-Making Blog
  • Affiliate Marketing for Bloggers [Beginners Guide]

16. Give away a template

For many niches, there’s a better way to teach someone how to do something than a how-to post. How about giving them an awesome shortcut, like a template?

This could be a printable template or a digital one, such as a spreadsheet or a design template.

For example:

  • How to [Topic in your niche] – Free template included

I’ve done a couple of template posts:

17. Checklist

If you want a higher click-through rate on your blog post titles, include a checklist in your blog post.

Example article topics are:

  • 19-Point Checklist for [Something in your niche]
  • How to [Topic in your niche] (Checklist Included)

I’ve done only one checklist on my blog so far, but I definitely need to do more.

  • The Ultimate Blog Launch Checklist to Start a Blog

To take things a bit further, create a downloadable PDF checklist for your audience. This bit of extra work can really pay off, and it’s not that hard to create one.

Using Canva, you can build a simple checklist in minutes. There are even checklist templates you can use. Then, simply save the design as a PDF when you’re done editing and upload it to your blog.

You can either give this printable checklist away or use it as a lead magnet to get more email subscribers.

This checklist image can be added to your blog post as an infographic or used as a Pinterest pin to help you promote your content further.

18. Best books in your niche

Regardless of your blog niche, there are books you may recommend to your audience.

Link to the book on Amazon; making sure to use your affiliate link with the Amazon Associates affiliate program.

For example, I put together this compilation of books for bloggers:

  • 31 Best Books for Bloggers and Aspiring Entrepreneurs

19. Hacks, Tips, and Tricks

Do you have a special way to do something in your niche? If you have a special method that works, share it with your audience!

But be sure to call these hacks or tricks; it will get you more clicks than just calling them tips.

For example, I have:

  • Productivity Hacks for Working from Home
  • 16 Unique Ways to Make Money With Your Car

20. What to Avoid

This blog post idea is the exact opposite of a tips post. With this topic, you’ll want to let your audience know what pitfalls to avoid.

Perhaps there are some common things in your niche that people think are good ideas, but in reality, are not.

Spell these out and use an article title like these:

  • 5 Things You Don’t Want to Do With [Something in your niche]

21. Quotes

Ready for the easiest blog post idea? How about just a compilation of your favorite quotes?

To add the most value to your readers, curate this list into your favorite quotes that directly relate to your niche.

You can use the Click to Tweet feature in the SocialWarfare plugin to make it easy for your readers to share some of these quotes on Twitter.

Wrapping it up

Here’s what is so friggin’ great about all of these blog post ideas. The content practically writes itself!

Sure, there’s still work to be done, but the process is easier once you have the outline of a post ready.

By using all of these 21 blog post types, you will have an endless stream of blog post ideas for your new blog.

If this post has given you some great blog post ideas to write about, I’d appreciate it if you could save it on Pinterest on your blogging board.

Until next time,
Edwin, DoSixFigures.com

  Thanks for > sharing

Could you do me a solid? I need your help to grow my blog! Please save this post to your blogging board on Pinterest or share this post on Facebook!

  About > me

Edwin is the professional blogger and side hustle expert behind Do Six Figures. With 20+ years of experience building profitable websites and making money online under his belt, Edwin is now obsessed with helping people find their perfect side hustle and make serious money online.

5 thoughts on “21 Blog Post Ideas for Beginners (Updated for 2023)”

  1. Hi Edwin, I feel like it’s so difficult nowadays to get creative and come up with original blog ideas. Especially within a niche, I feel like there are already articles out there for any topic/blog idea.

    It’s hard to be creative sometimes, but your suggestions and tips are definitely helping.

    1. I would say that there’s nothing wrong with writing an article that’s already been done.

      You can just put your spin on it.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *