LPT Request: What tricks do you use to keep a conversation going when making small talk?

I'm pretty socially inept and rife with anxieties but trying to better myself. My biggest issue is when making small talk: I have no idea what to say nor how to hold the conversation without it going flat or how to pick it back up again after it stops. What are some of your best tips when trying to keep a conversation flowing with people you aren't super familiar with?