I’ve noticed something over the years. When I blog about things that just happen to be trending, my traffic soars, especially on those occasions when my article somehow winds up on the front of Google’s blog search or another similar site. Blogging about trending topics doesn’t necessarily fit every niche, but it fits most in one way or another. Here are five ways to do it…
Use Twitter Trending Topics
On Twitter’s home page will always be a list of ten words or phrases that are trending at the moment. Sometimes they suggest a good topic for an article, but I’ve found other tools to be more helpful in the process. My favorite happens to be TweetMeme’s site which shows what’s being tweeted about the most.
The reason I like the trending topics on Tweetmeme even over Twitter’s own is that it concerns itself with what links are trending and not just what words are trending. Furthermore, Twitter is still working out ways to ward off schemers who have figured out how to game the #hashtag system.
Use Google Alerts
Google Alerts is not something I use on a regular basis anymore, but I did for a long time. It basically will alert you to the latest indexed search results on any given words or phrases in an email once per day. It’s especially handy if you happen to blog about a brand or an organization. Let Google tell you what’s being said across the net on that subject.
Use a Real-time Search Engine
I recently reviewed Sency, a real-time search engine that has some nice features. Real-time search engines help you to sift through what is happening at this very moment on any given keyword.
Follow Large News Sites
I realized a long time ago that using an rss feed from a site like CNN totally killed my ability to enjoy feed reading – there’s just too much. So for me, I follow major news sites in three different ways.
- Via Google News and other sites that act as aggregators of major news sites. Unlike a feed subscription, I can simply log on and browse, then leave – no stress.
- Using my Bookmarks toolbar. I keep a folder on my bookmarks bar in my browser with about twelve of my favorite news sites, some of which are off the beaten path and would not be covered by Google News.
- By following a Twitter list of major news sites on Twitter. Follow the one I’ve put together here.
Subscribe to Bookmarking Sites
Certain niches seem to have picked up on the power of niche bookmarking sites, but larger networks can be helpful too. Just a few of my favorites as samples would include Delicious, Digg, Design Moo, Blog Engage, The Web Blend, and FavShare.net.
I haven’t been too comprehensive. What are your favorite ways of finding trending topics on which to speak to the world via your blog?
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I just use Google Alerts to let me know who is linking to my blogs! no news feeds.. I don’t like to poison my mind!
Hesham´s last blog ..Famous Bloggers: It’s the time to update your blog to Wordpress 2.8.6
Haha, good way to look at it.
This is a excellent tip. I am going to try it out on an upcoming blog post. Just have to find a trending topic that fits my niche.
Paula from Affiliate Blog Online´s last blog ..We’ve Been Featured on Famous Bloggers Club
I’ve had that same struggle with my blog on underwater basket weaving…
Brandon,
Last weekend my traffic more than doubled my highest 3 day period ever. Usually the weekend is pretty low traffic days for me.
I launched my social media series with posts on Friday and Saturday and they received a lot of attention. They were also my most re-tweeted posts.
Seeing the traffic, I almost wish social media was the main topic of my blog, but it is a side topic. It does seem that blogging trendy topics will generate more traffic, but I wonder how much will stay?
Brad
Brad Harmon´s last blog ..5 Ways to Tell if Your Small Business is a Social Media Lemming?
Brad, I think sometimes we have to decide when something is important enough to us to launch a second or side-blog. Not that we need to devote too much time to it all, but sometimes we’re just too full of a subject to pepper our regular blog with it. Just a thought.
Brandon,
Great point. My blog is just an infant at 6 weeks old, and this is my first blog. I’m not sure I am ready to try multiple blogs yet, but I have committed to holding my categories to the current level. I will probably combine or eliminate a couple of them soon.
I started daily postings this month, so by the end of the year I should have a great idea if I have enough interest or material to launch another blog.
Brad
Brad Harmon´s last blog ..5 Ways to Tell if Your Small Business is a Social Media Lemming?
frankly it is a good way of looking at it …good 1
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Great tips. I will try to use these tips for my blogs. I often get problem in finding new topics for blogs.
That is a common struggle. Glad this helped just a bit.
All creative tips Brandon. I’ve used Google Alerts in the past when either posting on hot topics or looking for interesting blogs. I’ve come across some gems when using this system.
As for Trending Topics on twitter they still have some work to do to weed out the spammers.
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Ryan, agreed. Hard to tell what Twitter is going to have to do in order to make trending topics really work well.
Great advice as usual Brandon! I have a question for you: How do you change the settings on your tweetmeme gadget? I am on blogger and I have inserted through Intense Debate. Do you know if I can change it? Thanks!
Kevin M.´s last blog ..What Heroes taught me about bitterness and anger
Okay Kevin, on my soapbox…
#1, dump Blogger and migrate to Wordpress.
#2, dump Intense Debate and use native Wordpress commenting.
Now, if those aren’t an option, I’m afraid I’m not sure. I inserted my tweetmeme button into my code. I wish I could offer more than that bro.