Many bloggers allow their sites to go fallow because they run out of ideas for new and meaningful blog posts. What the devil am I going to write about, they wonder. To do great blogging you need great sources, just like any newspaper or magazine reporter. One of the best sources for topics is other blogs. If you’re serious about blogging you should be subscribing to many good blogs – both in and outside your category. I follow about a dozen blogs by people like Denise Wakeman, Chris Brogan, Seth Godin, Leo Babauta and David Silverman. That doesn’t mean I read them all, though I do read at least the headlines. They offer fresh topics that I might use for my own posts. So I got hunting for ideas.

I also subscribe to corporate blogs or their Twitter posts. These are also rich sources for blog topics that can fill you with ideas for your own blog posts. Among the top corporate blogs, according to Technorati, are:

Google
Adobe
Facebook
Dell
Delta
Kodak
Boeing

Let’s take Google’s blog, as an example, since I subscribe to that one. It’s prolific, producing long posts almost every weekday. It’s also one of the best read blogs on the web. Let’s review some of its headlines over the last few months. I’ll number them so we can refer back.

1.Search options now on Google images

2.Google Latitude on your iPhone

3.Digital activism on YouTube

4.Submit your ideas to change broadband

5.Google tips for recent graduates

6.How to steer clear of money scams

7.Introducing Google Chrome OS

8.What we’ve learned about spam

Those are not necessarily precise or direct topics you or I would write about, but that doesn’t mean we can’t benefit by extrapolating the larger point. Be derivative. Lots of great ideas come from taking just a kernel of someone else’s idea.

Let’s take the first headline. Have we added any new options or enhancements to any of our products or services that would be of interest and value to those following our blog? It’s important to keep your customers apprise of product innovations, and it makes a good blog topic.

Headline 2: Do any of our products or services integrate with another company’s offerings? Do we have an affinity program with other companies our followers should know about? Any cross-promotions worthy of discussion?

Headline 3: Are you supporting any charities, non-profits, causes or movements your subscribers should be privy to? Are you instituting meaningful green business practices? Any crusades or campaigns?

Headline 4: Are we engaging our followers by asking for their ideas and opinions? People like opportunities to participate. They like when others value their input. Starbucks has mastered this technique. The coffee giant uses Twitter to occasionally ask questions of their followers. One terrific question was: “What concerns you most?” The answer to that open-ended question can give an organization much insight.

Headline 5: Have we shared any tips with our customers related to our business or industry? Just make sure it’s relevant and interesting to your readers.

Headline 6: Do we help our subscribers avoid problems and potential rip-offs? That’s a huge issue these days and helping your people sidestep the landmines is a valuable service.

Headline 7: Is there a new product or service introduction to share? Perhaps a new store we’re opening.

Headline 8: What company or industry research do we possess that could be shared with readers who would find it interesting or useful? Educate your clients. It will draw them closer to your business.

You get the idea. And Google is just one of many good corporate blogs you can follow. Find good sources and mine them. Be consistent and aggressive. Use your imagination to build on the inspiration of others – and keep that blog alive. Buzz up!