How to Research and Write Content Quickly

You’ve had your morning coffee, your word document is open, and you’re ready to write your first blog of the day. You check your blog topic and– you have no idea what it’s about.

While it might not happen with every blog, every so often your topic might as well be in a different language. Content writers are no strangers to this problem, so feeling like you don’t know where to start is a common experience.

When you find yourself in this situation, don’t slam the panic button. You’re well-equipped to learn about a topic and write an informative blog in a timely manner. With a few tips, your research and writing process will be fluid and less stressful.

Research Reputable Sources

Unreliable information wastes your time and causes frustration. You want to streamline your research so you get a clear idea of your topic so you can write about it with confidence and use the sites to back up your content.

You don’t have to spend 3+ hours researching your blog topic. With the right tools, you can complete your research within 1-2 hours at most for a new topic.

• Use Advanced Search. Searching your topic without any filters could bring up competitor’s blogs or sites that don’t have the best information. When looking for concrete facts, use the Advanced Search option on Google. In the domain bar, type in .gov and .edu, so your search results will have dependable studies and statistics.
• Avoid Sites with Mistakes. One site might strike you as a reliable source for information. But then you discover spelling errors or improper grammar. The best response to finding seemingly good content riddled with mistakes is pressing the X in your window, especially if you’re looking for authoritative links. You will find better resources.
• Look for News Articles. If your topic is a recent or breaking story, consider looking for any news articles to deepen your understanding of the subject.

After finding about three to five sources, you’re ready for the next hurdle– writing.

Create a Roadmap

Starting out with a blank screen and waiting for the blog to fall out of your fingertips isn’t the most productive way to consistently write content. Building out your blog’s structure will give you an idea of how to write the content and puts words on the screen, which is an encouraging sight.

• Write Your Heading and Subheadings. Your title and subheadings will give you direction with your blog and help with cohesiveness and transitioning between sections.
• Establish Your Keyword. With your keyword in mind, you’ll know how to shape the content to support the main idea.
• Bullet Main Points. Flesh out the structure with bullet points underneath your subheadings. The points could be steps in a procedure, causes of an issue, or any vital information that your audience needs to know.
• Format. Edit your title, subheadings, and bullet points so they’re the correct font size and bolded. With these signposts on the page, your approach to the content will have more clarity.

Now that you have an outline, your blog takes on a fill-in-the-blank structure. It’s time to write your introduction, fill in the information underneath your subheadings and bullet points, and your conclusion.

Write What You Know

When your introduction stumps you, don’t worry. Start at the informative areas, fill in your bullet points, and get a clearer idea of what your blog looks like. After writing the body text, you’ll have an easier time introducing it.

Still stuck? Try saving a statistic for the beginning to introduce the topic and go from there. Your keyword should show up within the first two paragraphs.

Writing out of order might bother some people, but completing sections of your blog will make you feel productive and take off the pressure of writing it all from start to finish.

Remember Your Audience

Balancing information with the right tone poses some obstacles. You don’t want to sound robotic, but you want your audience to get the facts quickly and respond to the CTA (call-to-action, the text that encourages your reader to reach out to your firm/business). You want your tone to be authoritative, but some sensitive topics might require your blog to be sympathetic and understanding without sounding condescending or sappy.

Narrow down your audience to your market, possible age range, and take your topic into account. Keep your bullet points informative and use introduction areas for your tone and voice. A few sentences that connect a subheading to the bullet points will help guide the reader to your information and show that you’re invested in the topic.

After Writing

When you’re proofreading, check for cohesion between your sections and that your information is easy to understand. Simplify wordiness and make sure you have your keyword and CTA.

People might feel rushed through the editing process if their research was bogged down with poor information or if they felt that writing took too long. Implementing tips to speed up your research and writing process will alleviate some of this pressure and allow you to edit with a calm and clear mindset.

The digital marketing world thrives on a fast pace and consistency. At Legal InSites, we understand the value of quickly and regularly producing quality SEO content that bolsters rankings and provides information to our clients’ audiences. Feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions.