Content Ideation: Never Run Out of Ideas

The Creator's Biggest Fear: Running Out of Ideas

You need 3-5 pieces per week. That's 150-250 ideas per year. AI can help you generate, validate, and organize ideas at scale.

The Idea Generation Framework

Three approaches:

1. Audience-first (what they want)

• Pain points and questions
• Search trends
• Comment mining

2. Trend-first (what's working now)

• Viral topics
• Platform trends
• Industry news

3. You-first (your unique angle)

• Your experiences
• Your expertise
• Your perspective

Best content combines all three.

AI Brainstorming Techniques

Prompt 1: Audience pain points

I create content for [audience description].

Generate 20 content ideas addressing their biggest pain points related to [topic].

For each idea:
- Hook (attention-grabbing angle)
- Why they care
- Format suggestion (video/article/thread)

Prompt 2: Trend mashup

Current trends in [your niche]: [list 3-5 trends]

Generate 15 content ideas that combine these trends in unique ways.

Focus on: unexpected connections, contrarian takes, practical applications.

Prompt 3: Evergreen content

For [audience] interested in [topic], what are 25 evergreen content ideas that will remain relevant for years?

Categories:
- How-to guides
- Common mistakes
- Beginner FAQs
- Advanced strategies
- Case studies

Mining Your Existing Content

Prompt: Content expansion

Here are my top 10 performing pieces:
[paste titles and brief descriptions]

For each, suggest:
1. Sequel or part 2 ideas
2. Related tangent topics
3. Deeper dive opportunities
4. Contrarian response angles

Your best content tells you what to create next.

Trend-Jacking for Ideas

Monitor trends:

• Google Trends
• X/Twitter trending topics
• Reddit hot posts in your niche
• TikTok trending sounds/topics
• YouTube trending tab

AI prompt:

Trending topic: [describe trend]
My niche: [your content area]
My audience: [description]

How can I create content connecting this trend to my niche?

Give me 10 angles, focusing on:
- Practical application
- Contrarian takes
- Educational breakdown
- Entertainment value

Comment Mining

Your audience tells you what they want:

Prompt:

Here are 20 comments/questions from my audience:
[paste comments]

Identify:
1. Most common questions (content topics)
2. Pain points mentioned (problem-solving content)
3. Misconceptions (myth-busting content)
4. Requests explicitly made

Generate 15 content ideas addressing these.

The 10x10 Method

Generate ideas at scale:

Step 1: 10 broad topics
Ask AI: "What are 10 broad topics in [your niche] that my audience cares about?"

Step 2: 10 angles per topic
For each topic, ask: "Give me 10 specific content angles for [topic]"

Result: 100 specific content ideas in 15 minutes.

Validating Ideas

Not all ideas are equal. Validate with AI:

Prompt:

Content idea: [your idea]
My audience: [description]
Platform: [YouTube/TikTok/etc]

Evaluate this idea on:
1. Viral potential (1-10)
2. Search demand (1-10)
3. Audience fit (1-10)
4. Competition level (1-10, lower is better)
5. Production difficulty (1-10, lower is better)

Overall recommendation: Create now / Save for later / Skip

Explain reasoning.

Organizing Your Idea Bank

Create an Idea Database (Notion/Airtable):

Fields:

• Idea title
• Description
• Platform (YouTube/TikTok/Blog/etc)
• Category
• Viral potential score
• Status (Idea/Researching/Scripting/Filmed/Published)
• Priority (High/Medium/Low)
• Date added

AI helps you tag and categorize:

Categorize these 20 content ideas into themes:
[paste ideas]

Suggest 5-7 category buckets that capture all ideas.

Content Pillars Strategy

Define 3-5 content pillars:

• Core topics you always cover
• What you're known for
• What drives growth

AI prompt:

Based on my niche [description] and audience [description], suggest:

1. 5 content pillars (core topics)
2. 10 ideas per pillar
3. Mix of educational, entertaining, and inspirational

Ensure ideas span beginner to advanced levels.

Seasonal and Timely Content

AI calendar planning:

Generate content ideas for [your niche] tied to:

- Monthly themes (Jan-Dec)
- Holidays and events
- Industry-specific seasons
- Back-to-school, New Year, summer, etc.

Give me 50 timely content ideas distributed across the year.

Series and Sequels

Turn one idea into many:

Prompt:

Original content idea: [your idea]

Turn this into a 5-part series.

For each part:
- Specific focus
- Unique angle
- How it builds on previous parts
- Standalone value

Repurposing Your Life

Your experiences = content:

Weekly prompt:

This week I:
- [experience 1]
- [experience 2]
- [lesson learned]
- [mistake made]

Turn these into 10 relatable content ideas for [audience].

Focus on: universal lessons, practical takeaways, entertainment value.

Competitive Analysis

Learn from successful creators:

Prompt:

Competitor: [name/channel]
Their top 5 videos: [titles]

Analyze what makes these work:
- Topic selection
- Hook/angle
- Audience pain point addressed

Generate 10 similar ideas with unique angles for my audience.

Do NOT copy - find the underlying pattern and apply it differently.

The Content Calendar

30-day content plan:

Prompt:

Create a 30-day content calendar for [platform].

My content pillars: [list 3-5]
Posting frequency: [X per week]

For each piece:
- Date
- Topic
- Format
- Pillar category
- Goal (growth/engagement/education)

Balance: 70% proven ideas, 30% experimental.