How to Find Content Ideas That Already Work
If you’ve been posting consistently and still hearing crickets, it’s frustrating. You start wondering if you’re bad at this, or if digital marketing just isn’t for you.
Truth is, most beginners don’t fail because they’re untalented, they fail because they’re guessing. And guessing is slow.
There’s an easier way to know what works before you create anything.
Step 1: Find People Already Winning in Your Niche
You don’t need gurus. You need regular people in your niche who already get likes, comments, saves, or shares.
Search your niche on:
Instagram
TikTok
YouTube
Blogs or newsletters
Example:
When I look at what works for LaxPlaybook or BBallPlaybook, I don’t start from scratch. I look at other coaches posting drills, breakdowns, or mindset clips and ask one simple question:
What are people actually responding to?
Step 2: Spot the Posts With Real Interaction
Ignore follower count. It’s a trap.
What matters:
Comments (especially thoughtful ones)
Saves
Shares
People asking questions
These signals tell you one thing:
This content solved a problem or hit a nerve.
Write those posts down. Screenshot them. Save the links. This is your research.
Step 3: Break Down Why It Worked
Don’t copy the post word-for-word. That’s lazy and obvious.
Instead, ask:
What problem is being talked about?
Is it educational, relatable, or emotional?
Is the message simple or overcomplicated?
Did they use a story, a tip, or a mistake?
Example:
If a basketball reel about “spacing mistakes” blows up, the magic isn’t the video, it’s the problem players recognize immediately.
That’s the part you want to reuse.
Step 4: Improve It With Your Own Angle
This is where beginners usually stop, and where you should go further.
You can improve content by:
Explaining it more clearly
Making it more beginner-friendly
Sharing a personal example
Updating outdated info
Turning one idea into multiple formats (post, reel, blog)
You’re not copying. You’re making it more useful.
That’s how better content is created.
Step 5: Repeat Until You Build Momentum
One good post is luck.
Five good posts in a row is strategy.
When you repeat this process:
You stop guessing
You post with confidence
You learn faster than most beginners
This is how average people get good results without being “naturally creative.”
Final Thought
The internet already tells you what people want, most beginners just ignore the clues.
Study what works. Understand why it works. Then make it clearer, better, and more helpful.
That’s not cheating.
That’s smart marketing.
