Blogging can require intensive research, depending on the subject matter. And when you are writing about complex subjects, your blog is only as good as the data you have. From using Google to sourcing reliable statistics, here are some effective ways to research blog topics.
Blogging is writing and can be regarded in the same manner as journalism in some cases. Not all blogs are as intense, but you can take it to another level by getting facts from the horses' mouths or immersing yourself in a world you wouldn’t otherwise see. For example, finding out why so many female students choose to have a sugar daddy relationship could be useful in trying to understand some of the challenges, complexities, and struggles of young women today.
For quick and easy research, Google is your best friend. It offers the most relevant data out of all the search engines, with multiple categories to choose from. For instance, you may not have noticed that you can choose to see news articles from reliable outlets after a query. You can also choose videos and images, which is handy when looking for tutorials or infographics. It also helps to learn how to search properly using operators to include or exclude words and phrases.
Of course, there is always the AI route when researching a topic these days. Despite the negative press it receives, especially on the web, AI can offer insights that Google might miss. In essence, it is a combination of collated data from the web anyway, but it can speed up the process for travel blog posts, for example, by not having to scroll through multiple websites and pages to find what you need. However, be aware that AI isn’t guaranteed to be accurate.
Some blogs are more user-friendly than others, but you may be writing for an audience that expects specific data. This is especially true of medical, scientific, or even crime articles that need to be accurate for a more informed and valuable read. Yet, it can be hard to find stats and figures. Services like Originality AI are set to include fact-checking for subscribers. Some of the best sources include Gallup, Statistic Brain, and KOMarketing Associates, and may not be free.
There’s only so much research available through online sources, and some subjects require a more hands-on approach. For example, it isn’t enough to write about a restaurant based on second-hand data, especially if you plan to critique the food. In this case, you absolutely need to get out into the real world and sample the food for yourself. Your personal experience can be different from another’s, especially when it comes to subjective matters such as eating.
Trying to see a situation from another perspective is a good way to research blog topics. You can also do most online using Google, AI tools like ChatGPT, and online statistics sources. Yet some subjects, like dining, require getting out and experiencing things for yourself.
This is a collabortive post