Blog post ideas: 40 searchable topics and the method behind them

Ahrefs puts it plainly: "It's easy to come up with blog post ideas, but writing about random topics won't get you traffic to your blog. You need to write about topics with traffic potential." Its study of the roughly 14 billion pages in its index found that 96.55% get no traffic from Google at all. So the list below is not 40 subjects but 40 search patterns that turn up in most niches, each with an example query, to fill in with your own subject and check before you write.

40 blog post ideas, grouped by what the searcher wants

Swap in your subject and keep the pattern if Google's predictions and results show that people search it. The last column is the format the query usually calls for; blog post examples shows a real post in most of them.

Ideas for readers who want to learn

#	Pattern	Example query	Format
1	How to [do a task]	how to descale an espresso machine	How-to
2	What is [term]	what is a sourdough starter	Explainer
3	[Subject] for beginners	watercolor painting for beginners	Guide
4	How does [thing] work	how does a heat pump work	Explainer
5	Why does [problem] happen	why does bread dough not rise	Explainer
6	[Task] checklist	moving house checklist	Checklist
7	[Thing] examples	cover letter examples	Examples
8	[Thing] template	invoice template for freelancers	Template
9	[Subject] ideas	small garden ideas	List
10	[Subject] tips	tips for running in the heat	List
11	How long does [task] take	how long does a bathroom remodel take	Short answer
12	How often should you [task]	how often should you water succulents	Short answer
13	Can you [action]	can you freeze sourdough bread	Short answer
14	[Subject] mistakes	common sourdough mistakes	List
15	[Subject] myths	lawn care myths	List

Ideas for readers comparing options

#	Pattern	Example query	Format
16	X vs Y	quartz vs granite countertops	Comparison
17	Best X for Y	best running shoes for flat feet	Roundup
18	X alternatives	Trello alternatives	Roundup
19	Is X worth it	is a robot vacuum worth it	Verdict
20	X pros and cons	metal roof pros and cons	Comparison
21	Types of X	types of roof shingles	Explainer
22	X or Y for [use]	laminate or vinyl flooring for a kitchen	Comparison
23	Difference between X and Y	difference between baking soda and baking powder	Explainer
24	X review	[a product you have used] review	Review, from real use

Ideas for readers about to decide or buy

#	Pattern	Example query	Format
25	How much does X cost	how much does a website redesign cost	Cost guide
26	How to choose X	how to choose a wedding photographer	Guide
27	What size X do I need	what size generator do I need	Guide
28	Questions to ask before X	questions to ask a roofing contractor	List
29	Signs you need X	signs you need a new water heater	List
30	DIY vs hiring a pro for X	diy vs professional carpet cleaning	Comparison
31	What to look for in X	what to look for in a used car	Checklist
32	When to replace X	when to replace running shoes	Short answer

Ideas for readers fixing a problem

#	Pattern	Example query	Format
33	How to fix X	how to fix a leaky faucet	How-to
34	X not working	garage door opener not working	Troubleshooting
35	Why is my X [symptom]	why is my dishwasher not draining	Troubleshooting
36	How to get rid of X	how to get rid of fruit flies	How-to
37	How to prevent X	how to prevent ice dams	How-to
38	What does [warning] mean	what does a check engine light mean	Explainer
39	What to do when X	what to do when your flight is canceled	Guide
40	How to clean X	how to clean a cast iron pan	How-to

The same patterns, filled in by business type

The patterns are generic on purpose. Here is how they read once a real business fills them in, one idea per intent:

Business	Learn	Compare	Decide	Fix
Local plumber	how to unclog a drain without chemicals	tankless vs tank water heater	how much does a water heater replacement cost	why is my water heater making noise
Online coffee shop	how to make cold brew at home	french press vs pour over	how to choose a coffee grinder	why does my coffee taste bitter
Project management software	what is a gantt chart	kanban vs scrum	how to choose project management software	how to fix scope creep
Bookkeeping practice	what is accrual accounting	bookkeeper vs accountant	how much does a bookkeeper cost	how to fix bank reconciliation errors
Hiking blog	how to layer clothes for hiking	trail runners vs hiking boots	what size backpack do I need	how to prevent blisters when hiking

Your content pillars decide which rows belong on your blog: an idea outside them can rank and still bring readers who will never need what you sell.

Where to find more ideas

Your own Search Console. Once a site has some traffic, the Performance report lists the queries it already appears for. A query with impressions but no post that answers it is an idea with evidence attached.

Google's autocomplete. Type the start of a pattern plus your subject and note the predictions. Google says it looks at "the real searches that happen on Google" and shows "common and trending ones relevant to the characters that are entered," so a prediction signals real demand, if not how much.

People also ask. The question box on the results page lists searchers' follow-up questions. Many are posts in their own right, above all the ones current results answer badly.

Competitors' best pages. Ahrefs' advice is direct: "If you have competitors, they're likely already ranking for many keywords on Google." The full method is in how to find competitors' keywords.

Your customers' questions. Backlinko suggests asking your sales team "What questions they keep hearing." Our post on what a content strategy for SEO is makes this the first step: collect the five to ten questions customers ask most often, in their own words.

Forums and communities. Backlinko also points to "subreddits, Facebook Groups, and industry forums," where recurring questions and busy threads show what people want answered.

How to check an idea before you write it

An idea is worth a post when it passes five checks:

1. Demand. People search it: autocomplete, People also ask and a keyword tool's volume all count. For long-tail keywords too rare for any tool to measure, Search Console impressions are often the only proof.
2. Intent. Search it and look at what ranks. If the results are product pages, videos or a calculator, a blog post is the wrong answer however good it is; search intent shows how to read the results.
3. Winnability. Look at who ranks. If every result is a large brand with a dedicated page, choose a narrower variant of the same idea.
4. Fit. Google asks whether you have "an existing or intended audience for your business or site that would find the content useful if they came directly to you," and warns against writing about things "simply because they seem trending."
5. Shelf life. Prefer ideas whose answer holds for years: an evergreen post keeps earning traffic, a trend piece has to be replaced.

Keep the ideas that pass in a backlog, separate from your publishing calendar; our guide to editorial calendar templates for SEO explains why a calendar full of hopeful rows stops being trusted.

How Structura handles this

On paid plans, each Structura campaign starts from keyword research instead of a blank list. It proposes a ranked list of keywords from the campaign's objective, its sources and what is searched in your niche. Each row shows monthly search volume, a difficulty meter, and whether the phrase is a how-to (DIY) or a comparison (Research) search. The difficulty ceiling is set from your site's current strength, phrases above it are grouped as long-term Pillars at the bottom, and the order of the list is the publishing order.

The research looks for how-to and comparison searches, the kind a blog post answers best. Ideas that depend on what only you have, such as a review of a product you used, still come from you: add them to the list as keywords. On the Free plan there is no keyword research, so campaigns pick topics from their objective and skip topics your site already covers. The features page shows what the research behind each campaign looks at.

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