Everyone who has ever created content has dreaded staring at a blank screen, unsure what to write about. This is a regular part of the writing process. But when you run out of ideas, it can stall your productivity and even hurt your SEO rankings if you’re not posting fresh content regularly.

Thankfully, there are proven ways to generate creative ideas for your writing. This blog will explore ten effective strategies to spark your imagination and help you get back to writing.

One way to brainstorm ideas for writing is to use a spreadsheet AI tool. This flexible spreadsheet helps you organize and analyze your content ideas to choose the best topics for your audience.

Table Of Contents

• A 10-Step Guide on How to Come Up With Content Ideas

• 7 Smart Strategies to Come Up With Content Ideas

• What to Do When You Have Content Block

• Make Decisions At Scale Through AI With Numerous AI’s Spreadsheet AI Tool

A 10-Step Guide on How to Come Up With Content Ideas

1. Know Your Audience Deeply

Before you start brainstorming, clearly define who you're creating for. What are their pain points, needs, interests, and goals? Use data from past content, analytics, polls, comments, or tools like Google Forms and Instagram Q&As. The better you understand your audience, the easier it becomes to generate relevant ideas.

2. Set a Clear Purpose for the Content 

Ask yourself

• What do I want this content to do? 

• Is it to educate? 

• Inspire? 

• Sell? 

• Entertain?

Knowing the “why” helps you choose the right topics, tone, and format (e.g., listicle, how-to, opinion piece).

3. Choose a Broad Topic or Theme 

Think about content “pillars” or categories that align with your brand or niche. Example: A wellness coach might use pillars like fitness, nutrition, mindset, and lifestyle. From each pillar, you can zoom in and create subtopics.

4. Break It Into Content Buckets 

Within each pillar, break down content into styles like Personal stories, How-to tutorials, Mistakes to avoid, FAQs or myths, Tools, and resources. These formats help you approach a single topic from multiple engaging angles.

5. Use Audience Language to Guide You 

Go where your audience hangs out and listen: Reddit, Quora, Facebook groups, YouTube comments, or product reviews. Copy their exact phrases and questions—they make excellent content titles.

6. Look at Trends and Keywords 

Use free or paid tools like: Google Trends, Ubersuggest, Keywords Everywhere, Spot rising search terms, and identify underserved queries you can answer.

7. Reuse and Reframe Old Content 

Go back through your old posts, tweets, or newsletters. What performed well? What got the most engagement or saved replies? Update it with a new hook, story, or insight. 

With Numerous

You can paste your content archive into a Google Sheet and prompt: “Group posts by topic and flag those with highest engagement.” This gives you a curated list of strong ideas worth refreshing or expanding.

8. Create an Idea Dump Without Editing 

Set a timer for 10 minutes and jot down every idea that comes to mind—no judgment, no deleting. Even “bad” or offbeat ideas can evolve into something great later. The goal here is volume, not perfection.

9. Organize Ideas by Priority and Format 

After your brainstorming, sort your ideas: 

• High priority vs. low 

• Evergreen vs. trend-based 

• Short-form vs. long-form. 

This helps you decide which ones to develop and which to schedule for later. 

With Numerous

Drop your brainstormed ideas into a spreadsheet and use prompts like: “Tag these ideas by content format (listicle, how-to, opinion) and suggest 2 headline variations each.” This not only saves time but turns your ideas into ready-to-use outlines.

Step 10: Build a Quick Draft or Outline 

Once you pick an idea, break it down into the following: Hook or headline, 2–4 key points or sections, CTA or takeaway. This helps you move from idea mode to writing mode with clarity and direction.

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7 Smart Strategies to Come Up With Content Ideas

1. Use the "Problem-Solution" Framework to Generate Content Ideas

With the "problem-solution" framework, you identify your audience's problem and brainstorm actionable solutions. Then, you create content for each of these actionable solutions. Content that solves a particular problem always connects. Readers are looking for answers—they're more likely to click, read, and share content that feels helpful and actionable. 

2. Reverse Engineer What's Working for Others 

You don't have to reinvent the wheel—learn from the content already performing well. Study top-performing blogs, social posts, or YouTube videos in your niche. Use tools like BuzzSumo, Ahrefs, or Ubersuggest to see what's getting engagement. Look at the structure, angle, and format—not just the topic. 

3. Repurpose Conversations and Client Questions

If one person asked you a question, chances are dozens of others are wondering the same thing. Scan your inbox, DMs, support chats, coaching calls, or testimonials. Write down every question people have asked about your service, product, or niche. 

Pro tip

Keep a spreadsheet of FAQs and update it every week. Then turn those answers into posts using simple frameworks like "How to," "What is," or "The Truth About..." 

4. Tap Into Personal Stories and Lessons Learned 

People relate to stories more than they relate to facts. Stories bring emotion, vulnerability, and connection—often what your audience craves. Think of a recent win, failure, or turning point. Share what happened, how you felt, and what you learned. Tie the lesson back to your audience's struggle or goal. 

5. Use AI and Content Idea Tools to Spark Angles 

Sometimes you need a little push to move your brain in a new direction. 

Use platforms like

• AnswerThePublic – for question-based content. 

• ChatGPT – for idea expansion and hook testing. 

• HubSpot Blog Ideas Generator – for topic inspiration. 

And with Numerous

If your brainstorm lives in a spreadsheet, you can prompt: "Suggest headline variations based on these rows," or "Group these ideas by tone: educational, opinion, case study." This helps you sort, explore, and evolve your content without starting from scratch. 

6. Apply Proven Content Formulas 

Formulas take the pressure off. They offer ready-made structures that readers already recognize—and respond to. Popular formats include: 

• "X Mistakes You're Making with ___" 

• "How I ___ in Just ___ Days" 

• "The Beginner's Guide to ___" 

• "What I Wish I Knew Before ___" 

• "Is ___ Worth It? Here's My Honest Take" 

Tip

Use formulas as a starting point. Add your unique voice, twist, or audience-specific framing to make them fresh. 

7. Ask Your Audience Directly 

The fastest way to create relevant content is to let your audience tell you what they want. Run Instagram story polls. Post "Ask me anything" boxes. 

Use a LinkedIn post to say

"What's one thing you're struggling with this week?" 

Add a question at the end of your emails

"What topic do you want me to cover next?" 

Bonus

Not only do you get ideas, but you also build stronger engagement and trust because your audience feels heard. 

Numerous is an AI-powered tool that enables content marketers, eCommerce businesses, and more to perform data classification tasks many times over through AI, like writing SEO blog posts, generating hashtags, mass categorizing products with sentiment analysis and classification, and many more things by simply dragging down a cell in a spreadsheet. 

With a simple prompt, Numerous returns any spreadsheet function, simple or complex, within seconds. The capabilities of Numerous are endless. It is versatile and can be used with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. Get started today with Numerous.ai so that you can make business decisions at scale using AI in both Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Use Nu

What to Do When You Have Content Block

1. Revisit Your Idea Bank 

You don’t have to start from scratch every time. Often, the ideas you’ve already captured—weeks or even months ago—just need a fresh lens or updated framing. 

Open your Notion board, Google Doc, or spreadsheet of saved ideas. Scan through and ask:

•  “What still excites me?” 

• “What feels relevant this week?” 

• “Can I spin this into a new angle?” 

With Numerous

You can drop all your old ideas into a spreadsheet and prompt: “Highlight ideas that mention [topic] and suggest 3 updated headline angles.” This helps you see new potential in what you already have. 

2. Change Your Environment (Physically or Mentally) 

Staring at the same screen in the same spot creates mental fatigue. A shift—whether in scenery or mindset—can refresh your perspective. 

Take a walk. Write from a new location (e.g., a café, a park, or a kitchen). Brainstorm with music or ambient sounds playing. Use pen and paper for a few minutes instead of typing. 

Pro tip

Movement unlocks ideas. Many of the world’s best thinkers (Jobs, Murakami, Churchill) solved blocks while walking. 

3. Record Yourself Talking Through the Topic 

Speaking out loud bypasses overthinking. When you talk instead of write, your ideas come out more naturally—like a conversation, not a performance. 

Open your phone’s voice recorder. Pretend you’re explaining the topic to a friend. Don’t stop to “fix” it—just let it flow. Later, you can transcribe the recording and extract quotes, structure, or stories for your post. 

4. Build a Low-Stakes, Fast Draft 

Perfectionism kills momentum. The cure is to lower the bar temporarily—not forever. 

Set a 20-minute timer. Pick any idea, and write the first version as if no one will ever see it. No formatting. No polish. Just a raw draft. Once it’s done, you can edit it. But now you have a starting point—something to improve, instead of a blank page. 

5. Use Frameworks and Templates 

Content templates give you structure. And when you don’t have to figure out the “how,” your brain can focus on the “what.” 

Choose a reliable format and fill it in

• “3 Mistakes You Might Be Making With ___” 

• “Why I ___ and What It Taught Me About ___” 

• “The Ultimate Guide to ___ (Even If You’re a Beginner)” 

Pro tip

Write your outline directly inside your spreadsheet. With Numerous, you can prompt: “Turn this headline into an outline with intro, 3 key points, and a CTA.” This removes the pressure of structuring your content from scratch. 

6. Collaborate or Ask for Input 

Sometimes your best ideas live in someone else’s brain. Collaboration provides fresh energy, outside perspectives, and new angles. 

Reach out to a peer, friend, or team member. Ask: 

• “What would you write about this?” or 

• “What’s a topic you wish more people talked about in our industry?” 

• Or host a 10-minute brainstorming session in which each person pitches 2–3 ideas. 

You’ll leave with more than enough. 

7. Reframe the Block Itself into Content 

Your struggle can be a story, and your audience can relate. Turning your creative block into a lesson gives you something honest and valuable to share. 

Be transparent

“I didn’t know what to post today. Here’s how I got myself unstuck…” Teach the process you’re using right now. Use it as a personal story, a guide, or a content challenge. It’s real. It’s useful. And it’s done. 

Writing content can be a daunting task, especially when you're just staring at a blank screen. If you need help, consider using Numerous to help you develop ideas, organize your thoughts, and even write your next piece. Numerous tools can help you quickly structure your content with their artificial intelligence. Get started today with Numerous.ai so that you can make business decisions at scale using AI, in both Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel.  Learn more about how you can 10x your marketing efforts with Numerous’s ChatGPT for Spreadsheets tool.

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Make Decisions At Scale Through AI With Numerous AI’s Spreadsheet AI Tool

Numerous is an AI-powered tool that enables content marketers, eCommerce businesses, and more to perform data classification tasks many times over through AI, like writing SEO blog posts, generating hashtags, mass categorizing products with sentiment analysis and classification, and many more things by simply dragging down a cell in a spreadsheet. 

With a simple prompt, Numerous returns any spreadsheet function, simple or complex, within seconds. The capabilities of Numerous are endless. It is versatile and can be used with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. Get started today with Numerous.ai so that you can make business decisions at scale using AI in both Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Use Numerous AI spreadsheet AI tools to make decisions and complete tasks at scale.

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