When you work in the business of writing for the Internet, you often have to write about topics that aren’t very familiar to you. For example, I was once asked to write a well-researched article on ultrasonic flow meter readers. I didn’t know anything about them but I considered this an opportunity to educate myself about a new topic.

Here are some of the things I did to research mass flow meters and other things I didn’t know enough to write about:

• Start with Wikipedia. It’s not the best resource but it’s a good start.
• Scan websites related to the topic. For this article, I looked at sites like Sierra Instruments where these types of products are sold.
• Seek out an interview. Find someone knowledgeable about the topic who can tell you more.
• Look for photos online. Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words. You’d be surprised how much you learn by looking at images on a topic.

Being a web writer means that you’re going to have the opportunity to tackle many different topics. Don’t limit yourself to the ones you already know inside and out. Develop some strong research skills and you’ll be able to use your job to gain an ongoing education that will always keep you on your toes.

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