Great content is the tip of the iceberg. Underneath is great internet research. If you already know your topic inside and out, research should still be part of your process, to see what your competitors are saying. Research will help you create unique content that adds value to the online discussion and positions you as an authority.
Internet research may seem like a no-brainer. Anyone can type keywords into a search window. But good internet research, research that goes beyond the obvious to separate out misinformation and find the best answer, is a skill that requires practice.
Here are seven tips to improve your internet research results.
1. Look past page one
The links on the first page will be the ones that most closely match your keywords. But the most cogent or interesting information on your topic could be on page two or three.
Click around on page two or three and you might find a thread that takes you on a new direction that adds a fresh perspective.
When I don’t have my keywords quite right – when my search results aren’t on topic – I often find better search terms on page two or beyond.
Your search engine has decided that the results on page one are most relevant to your search. But there are nuances that can’t be captured by an algorithm. For better internet research, don’t stay stuck on the first page.
2. Evolve your internet research terms
I recently needed to find a company that would repair a broken car window on a Sunday. My internet research turned up a list of towing companies – not what I wanted. It took me several tries to find the right combination of terms relating to auto glass and repair. When I did, I suddenly had a very different list with multiple companies that could do the repair.
If only one of the websites that comes up in a search is what I want, I search again using keywords from that site.
The same is true when I’m doing research for a client. If I don’t get the results I want the first time, I use Google’s suggested terms to try different searches.
3. Filter your search
There are several ways to filter your search, if you’re getting too many irrelevant results on top. Click on News in Google search to get only news articles. Click Tools and you can filter by the time or limit your results to those that match your search terms verbatim.
Another way to get results that are an exact match for your search terms is to put them in quotes. You can put all or just part of search in quotes.
Searching for Sara J Smith will generate a lot of noise. A search for “Sara J Smith” will return more relevant results.
You can also use a minus sign to filter out unwanted results. For example, if you wanted information about an entity called LION (there are lots), you could eliminate results about African lions by searching for lion – animal.
4. Know your sources
There are lots of statistics and data points swirling around the blogosphere. Good research can separates the verified from the bogus.
Wikipedia is a great source of information on a lot of topics – except when it’s not.
I’ve found helpful information on timelines of historical events and definitions of medical terminology in Wikipedia. In other cases, the Wikipedia page is someone’s opinion.
The page on homeopathy is a good example. While it includes accurate information about the history and theory behind homeopathic medicine, the page also includes opinions such as “Homeopathy is not a plausible system of treatment.” If I want unbiased information about homeopathy, I will need to conduct my research elsewhere.
An easy rule of thumb is that someone’s blog is not a good source. Use information from a trusted organization such as the Mayo Clinic or PEW research over sarajsmithblog.com. Blog posts can be helpful to orient you to the types of information others are citing on a topic. The links in blog posts can also lead you to primary sources.
5. Double check your facts
A data point sourced from a trustworthy web resource is great. A data point corroborated by two trusted sources is a solid fact. Was the 2018 unemployment rate in South Africa really more than 27 percent? According to numerous sources, that information is correct.
If a piece of information strikes you as unusual, it’s especially important to corroborate it.
If a source lists South Africa’s unemployment rate as 40 percent, find the primary source for that statistic and get a second source before you quote that number.
6. Get technical in your internet research
Don’t be afraid to delve into research papers and studies. If you don’t need to go into a lot of detail, you may be able to get the information you need from an executive summary or abstract that highlights the study’s conclusions.
Many scholarly and scientific articles are available for free online. Search through Google Scholarto limit your result to research papers. You may be able to access additional research through your public library’s online resources.
7. Don’t give up
This is the key to good internet research. It’s tempting to go with the first answer you get. It can also be tempting to give up if you don’t find what you’re looking for after a few tries.
The hallmark of a good researcher is that she is dogged.
She will look for clues in online forums and on social media. She will keep trying different search terms until she finds the authority on the topic.
Good search is an education. By the time you finish, you’ll have learned something new and interesting. You’ll be ready to write like an expert.
Pro tip: This is why professional writers don’t have to write on just one industry or area of expertise. Research is our secret superpower that lets us write with authority on a wide range of subject matter. (The exception is writing for an audience that has a high level of technical knowledge. In that case, you might need a writer who has expertise to communicate in the language of the specialty.)
Almost any information you need is available on the internet. Keep digging and you’ll find it.