Trust, Authority, and Impact.
What is the common theme among these three things?
They are all hallmarks of content that places companies and content creators at the top of their respective fields. And so, every piece of content you create should strive towards this trio.
So, how can you create content that demonstrates your authority and trustworthiness? There's only one correct answer to this question; Research!
If you are a serious content marketing geek, driven to blow minds with really in-depth content, you will need to conduct research. You can use it to create content that moves beyond your competition and enables you to support your claims with facts and figures.
When it comes to researching content for blog posts, there are no shortcuts. While inspiration may strike you hard and feel like you've got an idea ready to go in your head, you must plan out precisely how you will write it, whom you will pitch it to, and what shape it will take.
There is so much information on the internet that a topic can seem like it has been covered a hundred times, but you must give it your twist. It's not just what you write but how you do it that matters.
This blog will go through 8 valuable strategies to research for a blog post to develop a unique and high-quality piece of content and how to rank it higher in the SERPs.
Strategies to Research for a Blog Post
1. Conduct Competitor Analysis
Performing competitor analysis is the first thing to do before writing a blog.
What are your competitors writing about?
You may believe that scanning the competition for content ideas constitutes plagiarism; however, this is not the case. Remember, you're just seeking ideas to help you produce a completely original with a new perspective on a topic.
If you want to find content ideas for the blog, whatever topic you have decided to write, search your keyword on Google and check out the websites ranking on the first page. Skim through their content and look out for the subheadings covered in their blog. This practice will give you a great idea about what you should cover in your blog.
2. Use Keyword Research Tools
One of the popular ways to research a topic before writing a blog is by compiling a list of keywords related to your main topic. Several keyword research tools are available on the internet, including Ahref, Semrush, and others. You can use these tools to get keyword ideas.
When writing content, remember to include keywords, including high and low search volume and short-tail and long-tail keywords.
You should also perform keyword research of your competitor's website to extract the keywords they're ranking for. You can add these keywords to your keyword database to outrank them in the SERPs.
3. Research the Headline of the Blog
The next crucial step is to craft an eye-catching headline for your content before you start writing it. To write an impactful blog headline, consider what people are searching for.
Here are a few resources that might assist you:
- Google Search: Use Google's 'suggest' feature to know about the most popular queries on the search engine. It will suggest many great headline ideas from the blog ranking on the SERP. You can take ideas from those blogs.
- Google Trends: Once you collect some blog headline ideas from Google Search, use Google Trends to check its search volume in different regions.
- AI Headline Generators: If you want to go for a more manageable, convenient, and time-saving option, you can try AI writers for generating headlines. You can try LongShot's Headline generator feature. You have to enter your keyword and watch the AI create tons of great headlines for your blog.
4. Search for Solid Facts and Data
When creating content, it is essential to search for relevant facts and data points that can help to build authority and credibility. By including accurate and up-to-date information, you can help to ensure that your readers will trust and value your content.
With so much online information available, it's more like an information overload; it can be tricky to know where to start your research. However, by using reliable sources and fact-checking your data, you can be sure to create content that is both informative and trustworthy.
To fasten up the process of fact checking, you can also use tools like LongShot which does not just detect false claims but also suggests the corrections needed.
5. Check 'Related Searches' on Google
Have you ever seen the recommendations under 'Related Searches' at the bottom of Google SERPs? It's a terrific place to get ideas for your blog content.
If you've researched a keyword with some good stats, a quick peek at the related searches area can provide you with more information on other searches people are doing
You can use these to get important information about your target audience's search queries. This feature is an excellent way for writers to dig deeper into the topic they are researching, but it is also a treasure chest of information for content marketers.
6. Dig Into Public Forums
Searching through public forums can be a great way to find inspiration if you're looking for content ideas.
By reading through various discussions, you can get a sense of what people are interested in and what kinds of questions they have. For instance, Quora is a free online forum where people can ask and answer questions on various topics. Users vote on the best answers, and the most popular solutions get featured.
Another fantastic resource for content writers is Reddit. Like Quora, it's great for determining what types of questions your audience has. With its vast and ever-changing collection of subreddits, you can always find new and exciting topics to write about.
7. Subscribe to Newsletters
You can find great ideas for your next blog post or article by checking out industry newsletters. These are a great source of content inspiration, as they curate the best content from around the web and deliver it straight to your inbox.
They're a great way to stay up-to-date on the latest industry news and trends.
Consider searching and subscribing to the popular newsletters in your niche for a more targeted set of content ideas.
8. Use Also Asked
If you're wondering what people are searching for on Google, the Also Asked tool can be a helpful resource.
This tool displays a list of related questions asked about a given topic. It groups similar questions and inquiries by categories to help you discover content gaps in your blog.
When you know what people are searching for, you can better target your content to meet their needs.
Conclusion
According to Orbit Media data, bloggers spend 9.5 per cent of their time researching and preparing the content for the blogs.
When researching a topic, you should spend enough time to get a clear understanding of the subject matter. However, you don't want to spend so much time that you never get started on your project. And so, you need to research a topic efficiently before writing. Once you're ready to get started with writing, check out our tips on creating unique content.
We looked at 8 effective ways to research a topic before writing. This included using various tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, Also Asked, etc., looking at various public forums, and search results, among other resources.
You can use these methods to create well-researched and engaging blog posts that your audience will enjoy reading. Once you're ready, check out our tips on creating unique content.
So, what are you waiting for? Start using them now!
