Getting someone's attention and holding it goes double for writing articles on the internet. Access to unlimited information online makes people very impatient, so it is crucial to keep coming up with fresh article ideas. Many would-be writers seem to have trouble in this area. As a result they don't write anything at all.
The good news is there are resources available right now to keep your creative juices flowing.
1. Television
Listen to people at your job, on the elevator or anyplace else people gather. What are they talking about? Odds are it's something they saw on TV. Yes it's been called everything from the idiot box to a vast wasteland but the power of television to connect people and get them talking cannot be overstated.
For instance the Soprano finale (lame) still has people buzzing. There is plenty of mileage you can get out of that subject. This doesn't mean you have to sit in front of the TV hours on end but you should find a way to add it to your article generating toolbox.
2. The Magazine Newsstand
There is a lot of talk that the internet will eventually replace books magazines and newspapers. I don't see it that way, especially since much of what you read online is regurgitated from the offline world.
Even if it does, the newsstands as of this writing are a huge reservoir of article ideas. Start checking them out on a regular basis. Newsstands are also great places to find topics with built in target audiences. You can tap into these markets and learn how to adapt it to your online article writing.
3. Discussion Forum
Chat rooms, message boards and forums are the water coolers of cyberspace. People are talking, asking questions, trading information and sometimes insults. A large and lively online forum is a great place to get article ideas.
According to a recent survey done by Digital Future Project, 43% of internet users who belong to some type of forum identify with their community online just as strongly as they do with their community offline. That's pretty powerful and it's only going to grow. Find a good forum and become an active participant. This will provide you with a constant source of article ideas.
There are of course other techniques you can use including creating surveys, checking out product advertisements or just asking questions. Whatever methods you prefer start using them now. Not only will you create for yourself a pool of article marketing ideas that never runs dry, but you will also make Paris Hilton's mom really happy.
You could live without that last part right? I understand.
