Oh, I get it, believe me.
You envisioned sitting down to write a blog post for your business and expertly crafting the words like Charles Dickens toiling under candlelight. You planned on relaxing afterward with a glass of bourbon.
Nope.
You’re staring at a blank screen and a blinking cursor, and you have no clue where to begin.
Rest assured. We’ve advised you on the most fruitful places to lurk online for resources, and now we’re going to detail some blogging best practices for researching efficiently.
Research Your Blog Topic in a Few Mouse Clicks
Great question. You need a recipe for quick-and-easy hitters.
- Start simple
- Expand your search
- Narrow it down
- Select wisely
Blog Topic Generators
Do you have your topic? There are blog topic generators out there that can turn the simplest idea into a range of general directions.
Let’s say you’re trying to resonate with your buyer persona, who typically struggles with finding great resources about metal machining. A place like SEOpressor.com might get you started with titles like:
- 5 Pieces of Advice To Know Before Learning Metal Machining
- This Year Will Be The Year of Metal Machining
- 15 Secrets That Experts Of Metal Machining Don't Want You To Know
Some of the results may not be what you’re looking for, but sometimes good research involves first learning what you don’t need.
Build Up Search Engine Queries to Narrow Them Down
Search engines aren’t always perfect treasure maps, but they can point you in the right direction.
Let’s say you start basic and search “metal machining.” You’re going to find some 44 million results, and most of them are going to be completely useless. But after poking around a bit, you find something that strikes a chord: “metal machining, fabrication, & welding.”
You enter that to narrow your search. Poke around again and you find another stronger resource: “steel fabrication processes.” Maybe you’ll even find some patterns to craft a kick-ass keyword for your own SEO.
Online Newsletter Subscriptions
You’ll receive monthly, weekly, or even daily emails funneling trade wisdom directly to your eyes. Find something you like?
- Bookmark it
- Print it out
- Jot it down
- Make a mental note
That online article you just saved may save yourself hours of research for a blog post you’ll write 7 months from now.
Wiki Sites and Forums
OK, don’t burn my house down for allegedly pointing you toward misleading or false information. Wikis and forums like the question-and-answer site Quora - while stocked by human beings who are inherently flawed and biased - can be good launch pads to greater wisdom.
DON’T CITE OR LINK BACK TO THEM! Use them to:
- Dig up relevant info
- Find the original source
- Vet for credibility and authority
Blogging Best Practices: Easy Paths to Efficient Research
Maybe your boss is screaming at you to write 500 solid words in just 1 hour. Or perhaps you’re merely seeking simple blogging strategies for your inbound marketing campaign.
Good news, it may only take a handful of keystrokes and clicks.
How to Audit your Online Marketing
If you are executing digital marketing, congratulations! You are most likely already one step ahead of your competition, and making strides to meaningfully connect with prospects online. But, how do you know if you’re seeing continual success year over year, and improving your metrics?
Without the tools in place to analyze and benchmark your efforts, it is impossible to scale your online marketing and ensure continuous success.
