Most marine customers don’t land on your site ready to buy.
They land there because they’re in fact-finding mode:
“What’s causing this problem?”
“What are my options?”
“What should this cost?”
“What size/type do I need?”
“What should I avoid?”
“Who can I trust?”
If your blog post is written like it’s trying to close the sale immediately, you lose them. In the fact-finding stage, the reader is allergic to hype. They want clarity, safety, and proof you know what you’re talking about.
This article shows you how to structure a blog post specifically for the fact-finding stage—so it ranks, builds trust, and naturally moves the reader into your next step without feeling “salesy.”
What the fact-finding stage really is
Fact-finding happens when the customer:
knows they have a problem (or a goal)
isn’t sure what the best solution is
is gathering info to avoid a costly mistake
In marine, this stage is intense because mistakes are expensive:
wrong hardware corrodes or fails
wrong paint system peels
wrong battery setup causes dead starts
wrong installer creates repeat failures
wrong service provider leads to downtime
So fact-finding posts should feel like you’re:
protecting the reader from mistakes
mapping the decision clearly
explaining tradeoffs like a pro
The sale happens later. The trust happens now.
Why I Wrote The Marine Blog Sales Engines
Most marine businesses treat their blog like a marketing accessory.
A “nice-to-have.” A place to post updates. A box to check so the website feels complete.
I wrote The Marine Blog Sales Engines: How Blogs Drive Parts, Service, and High Dollar Marine Sales because I’ve watched that mindset quietly cost marine businesses real money—every week, every season, for years.
And it’s not because those businesses are lazy or clueless.
It’s because the marine industry has its own buying reality, and most marketing advice ignores it.
The #1 mistake: writing for “buyers” instead of “researchers”
A fact-finding reader isn’t asking:
“Who should I buy from?”
They’re asking:
“What is true? What works? What should I watch out for?”
So your goal is not to convince them you’re great.
Your goal is to make them think:
“This is the first person/company that actually explained this clearly.”
That’s what moves them down the funnel.
The fact-finding blog post framework (marine-specific)
1) Start with a true “AI Overview” / quick answer
This is the “anchor” at the top. It should answer the core question in 10–15 seconds.
What it includes:
the direct answer
3–5 key facts
one safety note if relevant
one “what affects the answer” line
Example (bottom paint):
“Most boats in saltwater need bottom paint refreshed every X–Y months/years depending on usage and paint type.”
“The main variables are paint type, water temperature, how often you run, and how the hull was prepped last time.”
“If the last job was poorly prepped, even premium paint fails early.”
This overview keeps the reader from bouncing and signals expertise immediately.
Use The AI Overview Template For Your Marine Blog
2) Define the problem in the reader’s words
Fact-finding readers want to feel understood.
Add a short section like:
“If you’re here, you’re probably seeing…”
“Most owners start researching this when…”
Use symptoms, scenarios, and plain language:
“You’re getting algae growth fast.”
“Your bilge pump runs but no water moves.”
“You’re not sure which line size is safe.”
“You got two wildly different quotes.”
This is how you “lock in” attention.
Use This Template To Create Fact Finding Blog Posts That Define The Problem In Your Readers Words
3) Give them the decision map (options + tradeoffs)
This is the most important part.
Your post should lay out:
Option A
Option B
Option C
…and explain where each makes sense.
Marine customers need tradeoffs, not buzzwords.
Example (battery):
Flooded: cheaper, maintenance, ventilation needs
AGM: cleaner, less maintenance, costs more
Lithium: lightweight, fast charge, requires proper charging system and protection
Fact-finding readers are comparing. Help them compare.
Use This Template To Make Blog Posts With Decision Maps For Marine Customers
4) Explain what changes the answer (variables)
Most marine questions don’t have one “correct” answer because variables matter.
Add a section titled something like:
“What actually changes the recommendation”
“Why different boats get different results”
“The variables that affect cost/lifespan/fitment”
Marine variables to reference:
salt vs brackish vs freshwater
warm vs cold climates
boat storage (wet slip vs lift vs trailer)
usage frequency
hull material / system compatibility
prior work quality (prep, wiring, installation)
This is where you sound like a pro.
Use This Template To Write Posts About What Changes The Answers
5) Add “common mistakes” (this builds trust fast)
In the fact-finding stage, readers want to avoid pain.
A mistakes section is pure conversion fuel because it feels protective.
Examples:
“Buying the smallest bilge pump possible and expecting it to save the boat”
“Using the wrong sealant below the waterline”
“Skipping surface prep and blaming the paint”
“Overfusing or underfusing 12V accessories”
“Assuming dock lines are ‘one size fits all’”
This also subtly positions you as experienced.
Use This Template To Create Common Mistakes Blog Posts That Build Trust
6) Include a simple checklist they can use today
Fact-finding readers love tools.
Add a checklist like:
“Before you choose bottom paint”
“Before you buy a bilge pump”
“Before you accept a yard quote”
“Before you order dock lines”
Make it practical:
what to measure
what to photograph
what to note
what questions to ask
This does two things:
improves usefulness (shares well)
reduces friction for your next step (they’re prepared)
Use This Template To Make Checklists That Sell For Your Marine Business
7) Answer the top 6–10 questions people ask
This section captures long-tail search and keeps the post complete.
Use short Q&A:
“How long does it last?”
“What does it cost?”
“Can I DIY it?”
“What’s the safest option?”
“What size should I choose?”
“What should I avoid?”
“When is it urgent?”
This is where you get both SEO depth and reader trust.
Use This Template To Create These Type Of Posts For Your Blog!
8) Add a “when to call a pro” section (no pressure)
This is key: you’re not hard-selling. You’re setting boundaries.
Examples:
“If you see fuel leaks, stop and get help.”
“If wiring is corroded or undersized, don’t guess.”
“If the hull has blistering or unknown coatings, you need proper evaluation.”
“If your pump can’t keep up with ingress, treat it as emergency.”
This makes your post feel responsible, not salesy.
Use This Template To Make Your Own Posts Like This
9) Close with the next logical step (soft CTA)
Fact-finding CTAs should be:
“If you want help choosing, here’s what to send us”
“If you want an estimate, here’s the info we need”
“If you want to avoid wrong purchases, confirm these details first”
Examples:
“Send boat length, usage (salt/fresh), and photos of the current setup.”
“For quotes: include location, timeline, boat make/model, and photos.”
This CTA converts because it matches the reader’s mental stage.
Use This Template To Get Started With Your Fact Finding Posts
Send me your filled in template and an e-mail to colbyum@gmail.com to get help with this or anything related to fact finding blogs posts for your company, please make sure to send me a url to your website and or Youtube channel and give me a brief overview of what you would like to accomplish in the next 90 days.
A marine example outline (you can copy)
Topic: “How to choose bottom paint for your boat”
AI overview (paint type + where it fits)
Why people look this up (growth, peeling, performance)
The main paint categories (hard vs ablative vs hybrid)
What changes the answer (usage, water, speed, hull condition)
Common mistakes (wrong paint over wrong coating, bad prep, cheap rollers)
Checklist before buying (what paint is on now, last job, hull material)
FAQs (how much paint, how long it lasts, DIY vs yard)
When to call a pro (blisters, unknown coatings, multiple layers failing)
Next step CTA (send boat specs + photos for recommendation)
That’s fact-finding done correctly.
What makes a fact-finding post “rank” in marine
Marine search intent rewards:
clear structure
definitions and categories
tradeoffs
checklists
cautionary notes
practical steps
What doesn’t work:
vague generalities
sales copy tone
“we are the best” paragraphs
skipping the real variables
If the post feels like it could have been written for any industry, it won’t win in marine.
Refinement checklist for fact-finding posts
When you revisit and refine a post, prioritize:
Does the top section give a clear answer fast?
Does it list options + tradeoffs?
Does it explain variables?
Does it warn against common mistakes?
Does it include a checklist?
Does it answer FAQs?
Does it include a responsible “when to call a pro”?
Does the CTA match fact-finding (help me choose / send info)?
That checklist alone will make your posts convert better than 90% of marine blogs.
Why Colby Uva is qualified to teach this to marine businesses
Writes marine content that matches how owners actually research: symptoms, options, variables, tradeoffs
Understands that trust is built in the fact-finding stage, not at checkout
Builds posts designed to prevent wrong decisions (and costly mistakes)
Uses structured formats (decision maps, checklists, FAQs) that scale across many topics
Knows marine buyers want practical clarity, not hype
Emphasizes safety-first guidance, which increases credibility in marine
Aligns content with business outcomes: fewer support issues, better leads, higher close rates
Understands both product-based and service-based funnels in the marine world
Builds “next step” CTAs that feel natural to researchers, not pushy
Focuses on publish-first and refine-later so businesses can scale content without getting stuck
Other Topics That You Might Be Interested In
Creating blogs for your marine or outdoors business that drive traffic, leads, and conversions.All sales follow a predictable sales cycle. Structure Your blog so that if follows this sales cycle and helps you to close more deals. Also train your sales staff so that they can use your companies existing blog to deal with increasing lead volume and keep consistent quality in their work.At the end of the day you need to be able to measure the revenue that your blog is generating. Learn different tools, techniques and frameworks to do this.How should you choose the topics that you are going to cover with your blog and how to integrate keyword research to see how many people are already asking the questions that you are answering.Depending on the size of the blog (number of posts) there may be different ways that you should refine your blog to generate more sales. Sometimes that is refreshing content, sometimes it's adding additional CTA's (Calls To Action), sometimes it's adding better pictures, and better videos. This section gets in depth on that topic.Youtube is the world's second largest search engine. If a picture is worth 1,000 words, then what is a video worth? Also combining your blog with your YouTube channel is a way to supercharge your success.
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