My Blog post that solved a problem is How to Get Your Picture to Show up in Comments

1) Which of the seven ways to identify a problem to solve has worked best for you in the past? Which is a new method that you will be trying?

Solving my own problems has been my main method of brainstorming post topics.  All of the other ideas have really opened up ways for me to find more topics, though.  I love the ideas of looking for questions in search referrals (Keywords!) and internal searches, as well as looking for problems on other sites.  All of these help keep your blog posts relevant to not only your current readers, but to those who you want as future readers.

2) In the past, have posts that solved problems received more comments or created more buzz for you?

Definitely!  My first post that solved a problem created two guest posting opportunities for me, as well as received several comments from readers thanking me for helping them with the issue.  I was a little shocked at the response, but readers really do LOVE it when you help them.

Nirvana Mamma

I have either solved my own problems, used social media, or asked family and friends. I tend to write about my life with my kids, so it hasn't really fit my blog to write posts that solve a particular problem. Looking at it from a different angle, when I have written about issues such as my daughter's prematurity, or the fact that my girls are mixed babies, I have gotten a very positive response (and an increase in comments versus my other posts). I haven't written those posts to "help" people, but I hope that I have shed a light on issues, or my perspective of certain issues.

My most recent post doesn't have anything to do with issues, but it is joyful. Or it's my version of joy.

The morning discovery

1. Which of the seven ways to identify a problem to solve has worked best for you in the past? Which is a new method that you’ve never tried before?

Look for problems on other sites is one - actually I used inspiration from this very Forum for today's post!  Solve your own problems is probably the other one - who doesn't love to share a solution to something they've been pondering over, especially if it's a great solution?

1. In the past, have posts that solved problems received more comments or created more buzz for you?

I have not written a lot of problem solving posts, but I know that I have SHARED a lot of them on my blog.  I definitely think solving reader problems can be a great way to drive traffic, because when people find a creative solution they really like, they're most likely going to pass it on if they meet someone else with the same problem.

My problem-solving post: Your Blog, Your Work, Your Property: How to Protect Your Blog from Plagiarism

I am so excited to read everyone's linked posts today - I am expecting to go to bed tomorrow night with far fewer unsolved problems :)

1. Which of the seven ways to identify a problem to solve has worked best for you in the past? Which is a new method that you’ve never tried before? For me, it's mostly asking friends and family. I tend to write problem solving posts based on things I've had a lot of people ask me about in the real world. For instance, I always have people asking me where I find such good craiglist deals, so I wrote this post: How to Buy Things on Criaglist.
2. In the past, have posts that solved problems received more comments or created more buzz for you? Not really much more than average.

And here's today's post: How long does it take two college boys to eat a plate of cookies? Hey, maybe this could even be considered a problem post! :)

1. Which of the seven ways to identify a problem to solve has worked best for you in the past? Which is a new method that you’ve never tried before?

I'm too new to blogging to figure out which method has worked well.  I have not used social media or friends and family to identify problems.

1. In the past, have posts that solved problems received more comments or created more buzz for you?

I think that my posts which solved problems for readers may have been too specific to create interest.  I've written posts in answer to readers' questions.  I've also written posts to help prep readers for job interviews.  In fact, one reader notified me that she won a VP/executive position with my help but the posts didn't get much interest. 

I've even created tutorial posts like the one below to help address some 31DBBB questions but they got very little interest aside from the people who needed the answer.

How to set up Hootsuite for Twitter

The posts with the most responses are the generic/ basic ones.

1. I love to use Twitter to see what people are talking about in my niche and if there are any questions I'l always endeavor to answer them in an upcoming post. I used to use Yahoo Answers to find questions too but I haven't done this in a while, I found it was quite effective so I must make a point of going back there.

2. Absolutely! If it's a hot topic that people are looking for it generally brings in much more comments than usual.

Hi Y'all.

My Problem (hopefully) Solved is all about babysitters! I hope my readers get some great advice from me on this one, because I've certainly had my share of experience with the Good, the Bad, and the Ditzy!

And, y'know, I did a 'problem solving" post last week about inserting the buttons at the bottom of a feed or blog post for email, subscribe, digg, facebook, etc (the FeedFlare Buttons provided by Feedburner) and I didn't really get a great response. I thought it would go over better! Oh well.

Which of the seven ways to identify a problem to solve has worked best for you in the past? Which is a new method that you’ve never tried before?

This is a fun task today. Honestly I never specifically seek out to solve problems but the pointers are awesome like the use of search keywords. I'm drafting a post for it based on one of the popular keywords that landed people from google to my blog. The method I haven't use is looking at other blogs for problem solving inspiration. Should get on that wagon.

In the past, have posts that solved problems received more comments or created more buzz for you?

It was more like a review from my travel that generate some comments, not much but I saw people has been reading the infos I put on Universal Studio Singapore a lot from Google. I need to 'utilize' today's task more in my blogging.

Which of the seven ways to identify a problem to solve has worked best for you in the past? Which is a new method that you’ve never tried before?

I've had the opportunity to solve my own problems. When I write, I ask myself the same questions I ask my readers. Even if I've worked out the answers before it helps me review them all over again. 

In the past, have posts that solved problems received more comments or created more buzz for you? 

Yes they have and I've noticed that they also ask more questions during their comments which helps prompt more posts in an effort to help solve them. 

http://truthfulspeaking.blogspot.com

http://joyofgivingbirth.com

1. Which of the seven ways to identify a problem to solve has worked best for you in the past? Which is a new method that you’ve never tried before?

Solving problems is the reason I started both of my blogs; although I tend to write about solving my own problems. :P I've just started taking into account the search referrals. I was actually inspired by a search phrase for my Fallen Kitten article today: Can Long-Form Comics Avoid Scrolling?

1. In the past, have posts that solved problems received more comments or created more buzz for you?

It depends on the post, but I do find the ones that answer questions get more attention. I was invited to contribute an article to an expat informational site after writing about starting my business.