Let’s cut to the chase.
Your audience doesn’t care about the content you publish the way they did before COVID-19.
(It’s why I’ve pushed ‘pause’ on a BUNCH of irrelevant topics on our content calendar.)
For example, if you own a popular travel blog, you’ve likely seen traffic to your site dry up overnight. Who wants to read about the top 10 travel destinations at a time like this?
Or let’s say you sell a program. What will your audience feel if you bombard them with the same amount of carelessly untailored sales messages? They’d ignore you, right?
Here’s the problem…
a) you can’t abandon your niche and begin writing on COVID-19 news and updates. But b) you can’t ignore the pandemic, as it’s front and center in a ton of your readers’ minds.
The good news is there’s a way to tweak your content strategy to find a balance between the two and learn content creation during a pandemic that’ll reach your target audience. (For more on content strategy, read our guide What Is Content Strategy? A (Complete) Beginner’s Guide).
Need an example? Check out what Airbnb did to modify their site for content that matches the pandemic. See how it addresses the global crisis with empathy:
Source: airbnb.com
So, how do you do the same with your content?
The truth is it depends on your audience. You know your readers best, so it’s up to you to create pieces they’ll love and relate to in this time of crisis.
But if you’re struggling with ideas, this blog is here to help you. In it, I’ve gathered insights from Google Trends on hot topics in the top seven blogging niches today.
You can go ahead and write content around one of the topics I’ve listed. Or you can use this list for inspiration to come up with your own steaming hot topics your audience will love.
Ready to get started?
Let’s dive in.
Content Creation During a Pandemic in Today’s COVID-19 Era: What to Write About in the Top 7 Blogging Niches
When creating content for your audience during a pandemic, always remember your #1 goal: to improve your readers’ lives by solving their problems and fulfilling their needs and desires.
So, step into your audience’s shoes. Feel what they’re feeling. Only then will you be able to write something they’ll devour.
1. Business
Running a business of any size is tough during a pandemic. If you’re in the business niche, here are three hot topics your audience will love to read about.
1. How to Transition to Managing Your Business Remotely
Even after the pandemic, businesses could permanently shift to home-based work. It’s no wonder shifting to working remotely is a hot topic today.
Source: trends.google.com
2. How to Safeguard Your Business
With as many as 15,000 retail stores across the country in danger of permanent closure, business owners are wondering how they can avoid this fate and keep their companies intact. They’ll definitely be interested in tips on safeguarding their businesses.
Source: trends.google.com
3. How to Reopen Your Business
As virus restrictions gradually ease, a ton of business people are preparing to reopen business. At this point, they’ll be looking for tips on how to implement social distancing in the workplace, how to boost up employees’ confidence, and how to rekindle consumer interest in their goods.
2. Career
According to The Atlantic, working from home is here to stay. For a ton of Americans, a career will now mean Zoom calls, working in PJs, and superhuman self-motivation. It’s not a surprise these topics are trending.
1. Tips for Working from Home
Working from home is not a vacation. After the initial novelty wears off, people find themselves swamped with work and lacking the motivation to push forward.
When they do, they search for guidance on how to remain productive without a boss looking over their shoulder.
Source: trends.google.com
2. Tools for Working from Home
Lists of the top tools for time management, productivity, and online meetings will inspire your readers to take control of their work life.
Source: trends.google.com
3. Education
With the kids at home all day, parents are no doubt asking a ton of questions on how to care for them and continue their education.
1. Tips on Homeschooling
70% of the world’s student population is at home, meaning parents are now their main educators. For many parents, tips on how to homeschool kids are a valuable resource.
Source: trends.google.com
2. Online Courses
Of course, education isn’t limited to children. For many, home quarantine means extra time to learn a new skill, earn a certificate, or touch up on existing knowledge.
There’s a ton of great courses you can recommend to your readers. Focus on those that teach them skills they can use to get a new job or income source. For instance, my Content Strategy and Marketing Course gives students a comprehensive path towards becoming a profitable content strategist in just six weeks.
Source: google.trends.com
4. Travel
Even if you’re in the travel writing niche and you’ve seen site visitors dwindle, you can still turn things around for your blog with these hot topics.
1. Travel Insurance
With people considering travel again in the (not so near) future, they’ll want to know everything they can about insurance. For instance, will their insurance company cover their health expenses if they get sick abroad?
Source: trends.google.com
2. Virtual Travel
People with wanderlust are certainly feeling the itch to see the world again. It’s no wonder virtual travel has become so popular.
So, how is it done? Is it here to stay even after the pandemic? How do you sign up for virtual tourism? Is it as good as the real thing? These are great questions to answer in your blogs.
Source: trends.google.com
5. Health
If you write in the health niche, you’ll have seen a spike in your site visitors. However, make sure to keep these visitors by writing on topics they care about during the pandemic.
1. Indoor Exercise
Without access to gyms and parks, your audience will want to know how to stay fit at home.
Source: trends.google.com
2. How to Boost the Immune System
Before a vaccine is found for COVID-19, the immune system is our best bet for recovery. It’s no wonder tons of people are searching for tips on boosting the immune system.
Source: trends.google.com
3. Health Insurance
Now more than ever, people are asking health insurance questions such as:
- Is it possible to get a new policy during the pandemic?
- Does my health insurance cover COVID-19 hospitalization?
- What’s the best health insurance provider today?
Source: trends.google.com
6. Finance
Financial worry is rising as the pandemic continues to sweep through the world. To help readers, provide tips on how they can better manage their budgets and create new income streams.
1. Creating a Budget
With unemployment rising, people are scrambling to find new ways to save money. They’ll flock to your blog if you can help them live comfortably while spending wisely.
Source: google.trends.com
2. Finding New Income Streams
To help readers deal with the loss of jobs, teach them how to open up new income streams during the pandemic.
Source: trends.google.com
3. Investing
Investing can be a dangerous game during a pandemic. However, there are investments that always turn out to be worth it. For instance, investing in a course that teaches a new skill gives people the chance to find online jobs and gain income during quarantine.
For instance, my Content Strategy and Marketing Course gives students all the skills they need to gain a job as a highly-paid content strategist in only six weeks.
Source: trends.google.com
7. Relationships and Family
With the stressful situations created by COVID-19, relationships can turn sour and become strained. Offering tips on dealing with hurdles and achieving a peaceful home life is a great help to families.
1. Tips for Dealing with Challenges in Marriage
No matter how much love there is in a marriage, it’s not easy to spend 24 hours a day with the same person. During this trying time, you can expect couples to search for tips on handling the strain and stress of being quarantined together.
Source: trends.google.com
2. Games to Play with Kids
With the kids home all day, parents are hard-pressed for ideas to keep them entertained. Offering unique ones in your content will keep them coming to you.
Source: trends.google.com
Inspire Your Readers to Improve Their Lives Because of Your Smarter Content Creation During the Pandemic
Don’t be the brand that didn’t at least attempt to pivot their marketing.
In the end, it won’t be how well you write or how creatively you position your content.
What keeps your readers hooked is how deeply you understand their deepest fears, needs, and desires during this unprecedented time.
When you answer their questions and address their needs, you’ll get the privilege of helping them and increasing traffic to your site at the same time.
Want to go deep in on understanding content strategy and marketing, building audience personas, and creating content that works? You need our ultimate six-week Content Strategy & Marketing Course.