Content Generation Idea: Using Online Groups, Facebook Groups, LinkedIn etc

Content Generation Idea: Using Online Groups, Facebook Groups, LinkedIn etc

Social media groups such as Facebook Groups, LinkedIn Groups or even Google+ Communities etc are another great way to not only come up with some content generation ideas, but are also a great way to keep your finger on the pulse of what's trending in your industry too. To see what people are talking about, what they're sharing and what's important to them.

Content Generation Idea 3: Using Online Groups, Facebook Groups, LinkedIn etc

And it's so easy to do that, all you need is an account on those social media sites and then perform a few searches, join those groups and then you can start. For Facebook, you need to perform the right search for groups and then you'll usually have to wait until you are approved before you can join it. But some groups don't require joining before you can view the posts (public groups).

But as a working example, for Facebook groups, just go to Facebook and search for some keywords related to your industry. Let's say you're in the dog training niche and you want to find some good dog training tips and ideas for content. Well you'd go to Facebook and perform a search like "dog training tips" and then sort by "groups". You can use this search URL as a shortcut https://www.facebook.com/search/groups/?q=dog+training&ref=top_filter just replace "dog+training" with your keywords.

You can even sort your search by open or closed groups too. Sort by open groups and you wont even need to join those groups before you can view the posts within it. The trick is to browse those groups and try to find questions that people have asked on how to do something. Because usually those good questions have a lot of answers in them. You can use these answers to form your content with. Of course, this can be applied to virtually any topic too since there are usually groups for virtually every topic and subject on Facebook!

LinkedIn Groups
You can do this same thing on LinkedIn groups too. Although finding groups on LinkedIn works a little differently it's basically the same steps involved. Search for something on LinkedIn (you'll need to be logged in) then sort by "groups". Then join those groups that have the most users in them (these are the most active). The thing is with LinkedIn groups is that it's a bit stricter and you'll have to wait to be approved before you can browse them. But when you are do the same thing and you'll find content ideas from the posts in those groups.

Google+ Communities
Google+ communities can be another solid way and place to come up with content generation ideas. It works basically the same way, You search on Google+ Communities for keywords related to your niche. You find some communities, you join them and then just look through the posts made on them. Usually these have questions that have been asked by people on how to do something. And people that have answered them. Look at those questions and answers and think about how you can form content from them.

And remember at the start of this post how I said you can also use these places to post your own content to? Well you can't just use these places for content ideas but you can also use them to establish yourself as a leading expert in your niche and also post your answers to them too. Your content that contains links to your website for example. You get the idea!

Do you use social media groups and communities for content generation and topic ideas?

What other groups and communities can you use for this purpose?