When people search online, they are searching for answers. Is there a frozen yogurt shop close to me? What are the benefits of using an electric toothbrush? How can I prepare my home for the winter?

The most helpful (and most read) articles are the ones that answer the very question that the reader is curious about. To write this type of article, you’ll have to know what people are asking about the keyword you have been given. Luckily, we can find posts and data that give us a hint about what people want to know. Here are some helpful sites to use: [Read more…]

The hardest part of writing any article is coming up with the right idea. That’s why we are here to help you form a plan before you sit down to write.  There are many resources online that can inspire you to create engaging posts for topics ranging from pool tables to car recycling.

Realize your first idea is probably not your best idea.

If you get the keyword “dentist” in the dental category, your first response may be to write about what dentists are, or how to become a dentist. Remember, your potential readers are searching for the keyword, and you need to discern why they are searching for it. People who search “dentists” probably aren’t wondering what a dentist is, nor are they probably trying to get in to dental school.

Spending a little more time checking out trends, ideas, problems, and [Read more…]

When you first select an article to write, usually you will only be given a keyword and the industry of the client. Sometimes you will have additional keywords and special instructions which may help clarify the keyword. These keywords are terms that the client has chosen to highlight, so it’s important that we use them correctly. Once you have a keyword, you must come up with a pertinent topic and an engaging direction or angle for your topic. Generating ideas can be challenging when you only have “dentist” given to you. This post will help you come up with article ideas. We call this ideation.

Painting Parallel

To help us explain the process of turning keywords into topics and engaging articles, we’ve invited in a special guest: Art.

(While we hope the following analogy will be useful, we also know that it may oversimplify the process of choosing a topic based on industries and keywords. It is meant to give general guidance and not be specifically instructive.)

Each painting represents a mental map, or the ideas that you present to the reader. It is a composition made up of other elements. You are free to use your own colors, and create your own composition—just make sure that the end product does its best to engage, interest, and teach the reader.

The following artists were given the “keyword” (or “key element”) mountain.  Let’s see how each artist decided to tackle it. [Read more…]