You can write articles based on the ideas that popped out of your head, but you may not have enough of them.
Don't despair though.
In this article, I'm going to show how you can get as many ideas as you want and know exactly what your readers want to read, their challenges, etc.
If you have an in-house list, mail a mini survey or one simple question.
Ask them their biggest challenge or most burning question they have in mind.
Provide ample of space for them to ask and expound if necessary.
Based on the feedback, you will know what your target audience want to know exactly.
Most of them will revolve around two or three topics so you know where to focus on in your next articles.
Your article idea can be as simple as answering the question directly.
An article can possibly be in question and answer format.
For people who are just starting out, there are other ways to tap into this too.
You can visit public forums in your niche and ask the same question or do the research yourself.
Soon you will notice repeat patterns.
In one of the forum I participate actively, every one month or so, the questions tend to repeat themselves.
If you take notes and write articles about them, you are going to get lots of readers.
Why? Because for one people who care to ask this question publicly, there are probably a few hundreds who have the same questions but are afraid to ask.
Taking this idea further, you can even create a product to sell for a profit.
You see, you don't have to come with product ideas that may or may not work.
Find out what the prospects want and give it to them.
Rinse and repeat.
The target market is the genius mind in your marketing.
Use it.