Need help coming up with ideas?
Try this free online tool called Portents Content Idea Generator:
http://www.portent.com/tools/title-maker/
You type in a subject and it keeps spitting out headlines to make you think. You can get all kinds of story ideas from its formulas. They are similar to the media pitch formulas I shared on this blog a few years ago. Some examples:
- 9 Facts about (subject) that will Make your Hair Stand on End
- The 5 Best (subject) YouTube Videos
- 16 Ways to Become the MacGyver of (subject)
- Warning: You’re Losing Money by Not Using (subject)
Plug in a subject and give it a whirl. I can see it being used in a number of ways. For example, you could use several of these “titles” to craft a curated blog around a theme or to brainstorm chapter headings for a book, bullet points for a presentaton, video titles, etc.
Here's an explainer article about how the tool was born and more ways to use it:
http://www.portent.com/blog/copywriting/content-idea-generator-origin-story.htm
When I create something, I generally come up with the title last. With this tool, you could use one title to get an idea for the content you want to create AND then brainstorm another idea with it for an attention-getting title. Two for one!
Are all the formulas great concepts? Probably not. You've seen these types of headlines before. Whether the headline is a good fit “as is” will depend on your subject. I’d recommend you see what it gives you and then play around with the words to come up with your own fresh take on the headline it creates.
My calling it a "content creation tool" may be a bit of a misnomer since you still have to produce the content around the title it gives you, but as an inspiration exercise, it is fun and I like it a lot.
Leave a comment and tell me what creative tools you like for sparking ideas.