Tips for Generating Associated Content Article Topics

At first Associated Content's concept sounds daunting: I have to come up with my own topics? I have to write what I know? What if I don't know what I know? Believe me, I was truly at a loss. I have always been best with structure. The topic does not matter all that much; if I do not know a lot about it, I will learn it, through thorough research. I need to be given that topic, though, to have somewhere to start.

If you are feeling like I was, Associated Content does offer some help. Their weekly newsletter lists hot topics, and their daily newsletter features a popular article. They have contests and make offers for specific topics as well. If you are looking for an assignment, you need look no further. As far as inspiration, as soon as I quit limiting myself with my "no I can't" attitude, I learned that there is plenty. If you get stuck, try one of my top 5 sources of inspiration.

5. Suggestions from Family & Friends

With any project or situation, when you have no idea where to begin, there are certain people to whom you turn. Asking their advice on topics makes sense because they know you well and will be able to give you topics and styles with which they know you work well Probably these are also some people who will be reading your articles regularly. So why not give them what they want to read? It is always great to make a strong start.

*Bonus Tip: If you have a blog or web page, be sure to link to your Content Producer page on Associated Content. Let your visitors know when you have added a new article. Also, put together a mailing list of all of your friends and family who would like to see your new articles and send out the link when you get published.

4. Responses, Rebuttals & Reviews

Everyone has an opinion, so share yours! When you read an article or see a feature with which you strongly agree or disagree, write about it. Be sure to include details of where the original can be found, or, even better, a link to the original. The same principal can be applied to products, services, movies, concerts and anything else you want. Maybe you tried a new gadget that saves you time, or one you wish you never bought - let others benefit from your experience with a review.

*Bonus Tip: Reviews, responses and rebuttals are great times to utilize forums, chat rooms and comments. Write a few sentences describing your position, or use the lead in from your Associated Content article. Then post the lead on relevant sites with a link to your article to increase your views.

3. Questions You Are Asked & Questions You Have

If you are not sure what you know, think about the questions. People come to you with questions because they believe that you have the information that they need. You can also make this work with the questions that you have. Once you have gone through the trouble of finding the answer to your question, you have probably learned a bit about the subject. Share this information with a worldwide audience by posting an article on Associated Content.

*Bonus Tip: You are providing information for which people will probably be searching - this is a great time to try out a keyword density analyzer. Good keyword density will make it much more likely that people will find your article when searching.

2. Hobbies and Favorite Activities

Most people have a hobby, or at least a few activities that they really enjoy. If you are good at persuasives, a 'Why You Should Try' article can flow easily when you highlight your favorite aspects. If you are better with facts, there are still plenty of directions to take. You could write a 'Getting Started with the Basics of' for beginners, and follow up with tips for the more advanced. You can list the best regional or national organizations, resources, tournaments and forums. Again, think of questions, either that you had when you were getting started or that you had later in your involvement with the activity. Chances are good that someone else is wondering the same things, so share your knowledge.

*Bonus Tip: Just like with reviews, this is a great time to post links to your Associated Content article on web sites. Also, it would not hurt to contact related organizations, particularly those that you may have mentioned, and ask them to post a link to your article on their website or to include the site address in literature that they distribute.

1. Your Daily Life

No, I am not suggesting that your air your 'dirty laundry' or that of your friends and family on the internet. Definitely if you do write about someone, it would be a polite, respectful idea to let the approve the article first. That said, there are plenty of ideas that you can pull from your daily life without stepping on anyone's toes. With so much happening in your life everyday, it can be overwhelming to pinpoint topics for articles. Do not say that you have nothing interesting to write; you probably have more potential ideas than you realize. If you like prose, poetry or humor, that sweet/funny/exciting/frustrating incident can be a great source - of course it is a good idea to change any identifying details, and it is also good to run it by anyone involved. Maybe you solved a problem or found a great way to save time - tips always make a great topic. Try to watch your reaction to things. Anything about which you feel strongly can probably be turned into a persuasive or opinion article. Also, do not disregard the idea of a series. As you are writing, consider the size of your topic, how general the information is, and whether there might be any off-shoot topics there. Turning a broad topic into a series of articles does not just give you more to write, it also gives you a chance to link your articles to each other and get more views.

*Bonus Tip: Make friends with your note pad. Even if you only use a fraction of the ideas that you jot down, you can always revisit your list when you are stuck for topics. Any time something strikes you, make a note of it, or make up an article title to jog you