If you’re running a blog for higher education, sometimes, the problem isn’t that you’re not prepared for all the logistical challenges such as scheduling, consistency, and formatting, that you might face. There are instances that the most basic thing you have to worry about is coming up with engaging and relevant content ideas on a regular basis.

Do you feel like you’ve already written about a lot of topics? Are your posts getting a little too repetitive? Are recent events and materials provided by your institution just not interesting enough to post about?

If you find yourself in any of these scenarios, here are some fresh content ideas that you can use to jumpstart your creative juices as you plan your content calendar for the year.

1. Create featured content that highlights key players of your institution

Sometimes, we get so bogged down by the thought that we have to produce something fresh about the institution all the time that we forget some of the key resources right under our nose—like students, alumni, and faculty.

• Try creating a “A Day in the Life of a Student” feature showcasing promising co-eds from each course or department.
• Compile Student Advice straight from the students themselves to give prospective students ideas on what it would be like to be part of your institution.
• Feature successful alumni to talk about their experience in the school or feature faculty members to highlight the credibility of your course offerings.

2. Student life is a great topic that often gets overlooked in most higher education blogs. Try out these topics —

• Add topics about available internships for students. This could focus on both students as well as your institution’s career services office. Be sure to highlight the kind of opportunities students have access to for being a part of your institution.
• A rundown of student events in your campus is a great way to showcase academic and extracurricular balance for prospective students.
• Highlight work-study opportunities for students, which is not only helpful for increasing your visibility, but also an essential source of information for students.

3. Explore non-academic related content

It doesn’t all have to be about your school or the curriculum.

• Articles about the “The Best Playlist to Study To” or “The Best Workout Playlist” are great topics that can help encourage engagement from students. It’s also a relevant way to spur interest from students regardless of their interests.
• Try crowdsourcing information from your blog followers by starting a list of the “best books to read to if you’re an English major” or something along those lines to tap into different course niches and encourage active engagement.
• Start polls or surveys that encourage fun and honest student feedback.

4. Use your blog as an official platform for information

Blogs for higher education don’t necessarily have to center on narratives about the institution. Remember, the goal is also about getting your blog recognized as a reliable source of information. This means adding key information about your institution is just as critical.

• Announcements about important school events are great content for your blog.
• Stories about student organizations that highlight the diversity of extra-curricular opportunities are also important.
• Tips and announcements about course schedules are also great ways to drive a lot of traffic towards your blog.

5. Don’t neglect the interests of prospective students

While you want to highlight how great being part of your institution is, remember that there are other things that prospective students take into consideration. Incoming co-eds will have different needs to enrollees.

• Try adding tips and advice for first-day of school jitters.
• Topics about how to choose a major is also an interesting angle to explore.
• Relatable content about what it is like to be a working student or a student athlete could be a great, niche article.

6. Show sentimentality to build better connections with readers

Higher education is a major milestone that showcases a student’s determination and hard work. And establishing an emotional connection with prospective students is a great way to impart the great experience that students have had with the school in a concrete and emotional sense.

• Ask students to write a letter to themselves during Freshman year and publish these on graduation day as a way to reminisce about their college experiences.
• Another idea would be to ask the graduating class to write a heartfelt letter to their “freshmen selves” detailing what they have learned. It’s a great way to give incoming students insight into what it’s like to be part of your institution.
• A collection of the most practical advise a graduating student could give incoming ones.

These are, of course, by no means a complete list of ideas that you can try. But hopefully, these can get your creativity going. Remember, your goal is to fill your blog with content that educates and resonates with your audience and if you’re able to do that, you will be able to create a steady stream of interested prospects who could one day be loyal alumni.

If you need help creating content and making sure that you deliver interesting and engaging content that converts, contact us today.

And if you have more ideas on topics that can be published on higher education blogs, share with us and leave a comment below.