How to Choose Blog Topics That Actually Grow Your Business

How to Choose Blog Topics Without Overthinking It

Most business owners have no idea what to write about on their blog.Not because they don’t know enough—but because they know too much.

Seriously. You’ve been doing what you do for years. You’re deep in it. You’ve got acronyms, processes, client stories, tools, frameworks—all spinning around in your head. It’s second nature to you. Which makes it easy to forget: your audience is not living in your world.

That’s the problem. When you're the expert, it’s hard to remember what it’s like not to know this stuff.

So when people ask, “What should I blog about?” here’s what I tell them. Start by thinking like your customer, not your competition.

Let me walk you through five ways to do that. These are the same methods we use at The Haven Agency when we build blog strategies for our clients.

1. Answer Real Questions You’re Already Hearing

Start here. It’s the easiest win.

If a client or prospect asks you something—write it down. That’s a blog post.

It doesn’t matter where the question comes from. A proposal meeting. A networking event. A late-night text from your cousin who doesn’t understand what you do. If someone takes the time to ask it, someone else is probably Googling it.

Years ago, I had a client ask, “What’s the difference between a landing page and a homepage?” That turned into a post that still brings traffic today. Why? Because it’s a real question from a real person who was trying to solve a problem.

And most of the time, that’s all your blog needs to be—helpful answers to honest questions.

2. Share What You're Learning As You Learn It

Here’s a secret: you don’t have to be ten steps ahead to write something valuable. One step ahead is enough.

If you just discovered a tool that helped you streamline your workflow—talk about it. If you figured out how to automate something in Zapier or noticed a trend in how your clients are making decisions—write about that.

People want to learn from people who are in it. Not from ivory towers. Not from polished “thought leaders.” Just from people who are paying attention.

I once wrote a short post about how I batch client newsletters using Google Docs and AI tools, and it got more engagement than some of our big, polished articles. Why? Because it was useful. And people could picture themselves doing it too.

3. Use Research Tools—But Don’t Let Them Kill Your Voice

You’ve probably heard of tools like AnswerThePublic or Google Trends. They’re great. Use them.

Type in a phrase related to your business—like “best payroll software” or “how to switch insurance providers”—and they’ll spit out a bunch of questions people are asking.

You’ll see stuff like:

• “Is it hard to switch payroll companies mid-year?”

• “What’s the best dental insurance for small businesses?”

• “Do I need a marketing agency or just a freelancer?”

That’s real content fuel.

We use these tools to run monthly topic reports for clients. It’s not guesswork—it’s data. But here’s the catch: don’t let the data strip away your tone. Just because a tool told you people search for “how to reduce credit card fees” doesn’t mean your post needs to sound like a Wikipedia article.

Say it your way. Be clear. Be helpful. Be human.

4. Watch What Your Competitors Are Talking About (Then Do It Better)

Look, I’m not telling you to copy anyone. But you should be paying attention.

Go check out what your competitors are writing about. What’s on their blog? What’s getting shared on LinkedIn? What are they bringing up on podcasts?

It’s not about following trends blindly. It’s about seeing what conversations are happening—and asking yourself if you have something valuable to add.

Maybe your competitor wrote a post about “5 Things to Know Before Choosing a Merchant Processor.” Great. Could you write a better one? Could you give clearer examples, better analogies, or explain things in a more straightforward way?

Probably.

And if your version feels more like a real conversation than a jargon-fest, guess who’s going to build more trust?

5. Let Your Business Goals Guide the Calendar

This one’s big. Because content that doesn’t support your actual goals? That’s just extra work.

If you’re trying to land new clients in Q3, your blog should be focused on decision-making topics: how to switch vendors, what to look for in a new partner, when to make a move, how to compare your options.

If you’re about to launch a new service, your blog should build awareness and answer all the natural objections before you even get on the phone with someone.

Same with seasonal industries. Insurance? Write about open enrollment when it’s timely. Real estate? Spring’s your moment. Tax prep? January through April, go hard.

Don’t create content in a vacuum. Let your blog work with your sales cycle.

Wrap It Up

Good blog topics aren’t hiding. You’re surrounded by them.

They’re in your inbox. In your meetings. In your own Google searches. In the little notes you make after calls. You don’t need to become a different person to write great content. You just need to stay curious, listen well, and speak up when you’ve got something to say.

At The Haven Agency, we help business owners like you figure this stuff out—then we turn it into strategy, content calendars, and marketing that actually helps people and grows your business.

If you’ve been sitting on a bunch of ideas but don’t know where to start, reach out. I’d love to help you turn those questions into real content that works.

Spencer Johnson

Owner & Founder, The Haven Agency

Schedule a call | thehavenagency.com