Coming up with ideas for online content, or working out how to approach a topic, is one of the great challenges that faces professional copywriters. That’s why it’s essential to have some strategies in the bank for when inspiration eludes.

Think about the story

Remember that everything you write is telling a story; whether it’s an advertisement or an email, you’re writing to someone who is the main character in their own life. Appeal to that.

Try to think of narrative hooks you can use to lead into the topic. Is there a relatable anecdote that illustrates your point? A trending news story that’s relevant? These are the seeds of articles that won’t just get your point across but capture the imagination of your readers too.

Think about your audience

One of the simplest ways to generate writing ideas is thinking about your audience, what they’re interested in, what pain points they have, and how to best communicate with them. When you can get into the minds of your customers, it’s a small step to work out what they’ll find appealing and go from there.

Borrow some inspiration

While I’d never recommend plagiarising content, sometimes looking further afield for a few nuggets of inspiration is a great way to get started on your big idea. Remember that writing is a creative process. Nobody is an island, and sometimes even the smallest germ of an idea is all that you need to get started.

So next time you’re stuck for inspiration, why not check out all of our top tips for copywriting and content — who knows what you’ll come up with?