What data do you need to inform your content ideation process?

Great article. In my experience these additional 4 areas helps a ton ? Sentiment Analysis Gauge audience emotions surrounding trending topics to align content with prevailing sentiments. ? User Journey Mapping: Identify touchpoints and pain points in the user journey to tailor content for specific needs and enhance engagement. ? Global Cultural Trends: Infuse a broader perspective by incorporating data on global cultural trends for content with universal appeal. ? User-Generated Content Insights: Fine-tune content strategy with real-time insights from user-generated content, ensuring it resonates authentically with audience preferences.

I like to check in monthly on the demographics data that each social platform reports and create a more robust report putting it all together. This is far from scientific, but I find it helpful to see data from multiple portions of my clients' audience combined to get a clearer picture of the whole.

The very first thing I do is see the data around whatever content the brand has put out so far. Especially if I’m creating a youtube content strategy. - This is to identify what topics have done well with the limited audience they have. - Are the pieces that are doing hood evergreen topics or topical ones. - The geographical data to see what content is doing well in which area. (This i found insightful for a client who is in the edtech industry - we asked the sales team to doubled down on the locations)

Undoubtedly key word data can afford important guidance to map out your story and include the specific terms that will make it easier to find. But it’s still up to you to provide the kind of value in the content to keep your target audience engaged. If you don’t deliver the goods, you can count on a high bounce rate. That’s why it’s helpful to understand your audience beyond the demographics and geographical location. You can really tailor a story for peak performance if you also know their search habits and the things that make them tick.

For a simple, easy way to get an idea of the keywords your audience is searching, I suggest using Google Trends and the Related Searches section in Google search results. Start with keywords related to your product or service, and build out the universe of keywords by exploring those tools. This will help you begin to understand what people are searching in relation to what you're selling. Use those keywords to create content, and you'll start to rise through the search page rankings.

Being exposed to other people's ideas is the first step in ideation. The fuel the drives the creative spark. The initial strike that gets the billiard balls moving in your mind. So don't shut out the world. Keep feeding your brain instead.

How your users are navigating through your funnel is also something to consider. Is there a piece of content that could help tell a story that isn’t a direct call to action that can educate, create consideration or build brand awareness? Those are powerful pieces to keep in your arsenal.

Don't just look at external sources for content ideas. You can also look within. As a content writer, you'll have your own questions about an industry or topic that you want answered. And if you aren't overly knowledgeable about that industry (i.e., you're not an insider), customers will often have the same question. So don't be afraid to address these questions in your content.