Have you ever sent out a company-wide email for a content submission request, but ended up with zero ideas? Unfortunately, many request forms end up ignored or forgotten if professionals aren’t motivated to submit their content creation ideas. The good news: this article offers insights that can help you get your team to send in their blog and social media content ideas.
Why Do Submission Requests Fail?
Even if you send a hundred content submission forms, they won’t be effective if you’re not addressing the reason they fail in the first place. The following are the top reasons your employees aren’t motivated to participate in ideation:
1. Competing priorities
Your team members are already drowning in their day-to-day responsibilities.1 When they see your request for content ideas, it gets pushed to the bottom of their to-do list. Even if they want to help, they’re too busy meeting deadlines and preventing fires within their workspaces.
Generating content creation ideas feels like a nice-to-have task that can wait until tomorrow. Unfortunately, tomorrow brings a new set of tasks and responsibilities, which pushes the request further down their priority list.
2. Unclear expectations
Most content requests are vague. This is especially true for leaders who ask for “ideas” or “insights” without giving any real direction. Your team members may simply be staring at the blank email, wondering what you want from them.
Should they write a full article? Just send a topic? How lengthy should it be? What format do you need? Without clear guidelines, people freeze up and end up sending nothing at all.
3. Low value or impact
People need to understand why their contribution matters. When content requests feel like busy work or just another marketing task, your team won’t prioritize them. They don’t see how sharing their expertise connects to business goals or helps their career growth.
If the request forms you send don’t clearly show the value and impact of their participation, they’ll most likely skip it. Employees would rather focus on work that feels more meaningful to them compared to a vague submission process.
Read more: Running Out of Ideas for Content? No Worries, We Got You!
3 Ways to Encourage Submission of Blog and Social Media Content Ideas
Getting your team excited about sharing ideas isn’t rocket science—it just takes a little thoughtfulness. Here are three strategies that actually work to boost participation:
1. Ask for outlines rather than full drafts
The biggest mistake most leaders make is asking for complete content pieces right off the bat. That’s like asking someone to build a house when they haven’t even drawn the blueprints yet.
Instead of putting pressure on employees, ask for simple outlines that take just a few minutes to create. You can provide templates that make this even easier. These frameworks give people a clear roadmap to follow without requiring hours of writing time. Some examples you can use are:
General Template:
- Title Idea:
- Proposed headline (optional):
- Target Audience:
- Key Message:
- Main Points:
- Call-to-Action:
Quick Submissions:
- Topic or Trend:
- 2-3 Important Points
- Main Takeaway
Best Practices:
- Title
- 2-3 Tips
- Why do these work?
Read more: Rethinking Content Marketing: Focus on Value Proposition Over Customer Desire
2. Make submitting an idea easier
If people have to jump through hoops to submit their ideas, they’ll mentally set it aside. Create the smoothest possible path from brain to submission.
This can be done in different ways. For example, you can set up a shared Microsoft Word or Google Doc where people can add their outline in two minutes. You can also use a Dropbox folder where they can drop voice memos or quick notes.
Consider setting up a dedicated Slack or Asana channel for idea management where people can share content creation ideas as they think of them. If you prefer face-to-face brainstorming, you could schedule short coffee chats or walking meetings where you capture ideas in real time. The key is meeting people where they are and using familiar tools in your content creation workflow.
Pro tip: Focus on simplicity, not complexity! The easier you make submitting, the more ideas you’ll receive.
3. Develop a way to recognize contributors
Recognition doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does need to be visible and meaningful.2 Highlight contributors in your company newsletter with a brief spotlight on their expertise. Give them a shoutout in team meetings and explain how their idea is helping the business.
Consider small but thoughtful rewards like a gift card to their favorite coffee shop or an extra day off. Some companies create a “Content Contributor of the Month” program with a nice prize. The goal is to make people feel genuinely appreciated for sharing their knowledge and show others that contributions are valued and noticed.
Pro tip: Reward ideas even if they don’t get published—you want people to feel valued for trying, not just for winning.
Learn valuable content marketing strategies with Allied Insight.
Allied Insight is a content marketing service provider that believes in unique, tailored solutions. Marketing isn’t one-size-fits-all. For your business to reach its target audience, you need content that speaks to them. With our expert team, we ensure your content delivers the engagement you need.
Want to learn how? Contact us today!
References:
- State of the Global Workplace. (2025). Gallup. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspx
- The Importance of Employee Recognition: Low Cost, High Impact. (2024, January 12). Gallup. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/236441/employee-recognition-low-cost-high-impact.aspx
