Here at Niccolo Marketing, we work in a variety of different sectors from energy to recruitment to news, and when creating content in these areas, it is crucial to us that research is done thoroughly.
A common challenge for bloggers, independent authors, copywriters, and other content producers is writing a quality post under a short deadline. Because of this, it’s critical to build writing abilities that will enable you to produce quality material quickly.
Even if you’ve developed a certain area of expertise for your freelance writing, there’s a good likelihood that at least occasionally you’ll be writing on subjects in which you lack expertise. In these situations, thorough research is necessary.
Contrary to popular belief, writing an article is more difficult than just searching for a few keywords and then writing it. There is a lot more to it, and there are several helpful research hacks and suggestions that may make the process of producing an article much simpler.
Here is an insight to how as a team we conduct our research when writing an article or a blog post:
Toby
Time Management for Research: – “While expanding my experience writing I have picked up a variety of different methods to do with researching that work for me when writing an article. But in order to use these efficiently, I have to ensure I have enough time to do them. When beginning a new piece, I usually give myself a comfortable amount of time before the writing begins to fully understand the topic, and gather the information I need. For example, If i have an hour to write a 500-word article, I will give myself at least 20 minutes to research, ensuring I am versed in all the relevant information I need, and will write a few subheadings to outline the direction the article will go in.”
Utilizing Forums: – “Research can occasionally come to a halt, especially when struggling to find in depth information on a very specific subject. This is where forums can come in. Searching the topic or terms you’re looking for into a site like reddit can lead to a plethora of posts regarding it, or in turn, people discussing the more in-depth piece of information you’re looking for in the comments of a post about the broader subject.
Now, of course most of the information you find can’t be presented as fact, but it can be great for opinions or reactions, as well as it could lead you to other reliable sites through people linking them in their reddit posts.”
Rhiannon
Interviews: – “I have found when writing that having first hand contact with someone in the field that I am writing about can be really helpful and insightful. Not only does it give you a unique perspective on the subject, but it’s a fantastic way to increase the shareability of an article. Statistics aren’t the only way to back up a point with evidence, quotes from expert sources or anecdotes from case studies are just as important. You obtain objective, third-party quotes that bolster your arguments, they receive a hyperlink in exchange, thus they are often willing to assist with content marketing.
Reaching out through LinkedIn or twitter, or through email is usually the best way to do this.”
Dominic
Research Studies: – “When researching, taking the time to seek out any relevant statistics or studies that could help your writing is key.
A statistic is one of the easiest methods to persuade your reader that what you’re saying is true whenever you’re attempting to make a point about something.
They are a much more effective way of relaying information, for example It is more appealing to say “according to the BBC, online shopping will account for over 70% of purchases in 2020” than to just say “many people purchase on online,” which many readers will infer to be accurate.”
Kata
Reliable Sources: “In recent years, the emergence of the Internet as a research tool has allowed writers to source large amounts of information in a relatively fast and easy way.
However, because the World Wide Web is still mostly unrestricted, it is up to the author to make sure that all of the sources are reliable (i.e. they can be traced to a reliable primary source such as a newspaper article, academic essay, sound or video recording, etc.).
Choosing reliable sources to gather your information from is important, and through experience of writing, you’ll quickly learn which sites are best to gain factual information from.
You must be able to distinguish between dependable sources and unreliable sources since not all sources are trustworthy. Use your critical thinking and analytical abilities to determine a reputable source by asking yourself the key questions.”
Other top tips we use to research:
Widen your research – There’s nothing wrong with doing a simple internet search to get you started while doing research because it might be daunting to know where to begin. While not always accurate, online sources like Google and Wikipedia are an excellent approach to get a general understanding of a subject because they often provide a basic overview along with a concise history and any important points.
Sometimes, starting wider can lead you to small nuggets of information that you are looking for, rather than searching for your exact topic right away.
Stay organized – You may encounter a vast variety of material during the data gathering process, including webpages, PDFs, and videos. To avoid losing something or being unable to correctly reference something, it’s imperative that you maintain all of this information structured in some fashion.
Utilizing quality sources – You must be able to distinguish between dependable sources and unreliable sources since not all sources are trustworthy. Use your critical thinking and analytical abilities to determine a reputable source by asking yourself the key questions.
Subscribe to industry newsletters – This is a useful research tip whether you’re writing about trends or using news items in your content. To make sure you have the inside scoop, search the topic in your email to view a complete list of recent articles and press releases, both of which are likely to be published elsewhere.