Mastering The Art Of Article Writing
Topics: article marketing, article writing, writing for the web, professional writing services
Writing good articles is neither an impossible nor difficult task. It simply takes time to learn and become skilled at performing it well.
You’ll be surprised how easy it becomes and how much quicker you accomplish it with time. This article addresses issues for both the DYI article marketer and those looking to outsource the work.
The Do-It-Yourself Group:
I would recommend that all newbies to the world of internet marketing write their own articles at the onset of their business. I say this for two reasons:
* You learn early on what makes a good article; whether you write it or hire it done for you. You will do more harm for your business than good if you distribute sub-standard content across the Internet. It also defrays start-up expenses at a crucial time in most cases.
* You learn everything there is to know about your niche through the research you must do. You grow into a legitimate expert in your field and not just a parrot of what the product producer says.
Before you write the first word, go to the major players in the field and see HOW you must write to be accepted on their sites. Every directory or submissions service has their own set of rules for accepting content for publication.
I do an end-run around all of that and use a submissions service that submits articles to over 5,000 publishers with one click of the mouse. Articles are not distributed until they meet the criteria required by all publishers for acceptance. It makes life easier and it’s free to boot.
Here are some key factors to make permanent habits in your article writing program:
* People read about 20% slower online than in print. If you make it hard for them, expect to lose them early on. Write in bursts of 8-14 words per sentence in paragraphs of 3-5 sentences maximum. Use sub-titles often.
* Write article between 550-800 words long. Shorter will not be published on many directories and longer tends to bore readers.
* Internet surfers are scanners first, readers second. They arrive at your article page while following the “information scent” they sniffed out through their search criteria. They scan the page in an “F” pattern looking for hints of the scent that brought them there. If they don’t find it on the scan-zoom-they’re gone. You have about 5-15 seconds to catch their interest.
* Use your main keywords in your titles and sub-headings when possible. Use keywords at or near the beginning of the first sentence in paragraphs. This makes it easier to “sniff” them out in a quick scan for the “information scent.”
* The rules for numbers are different online than offline. It’s “ok” to use numerals instead of spelling our numbers less than 10. It enhances the scanability of the piece by offering a quick glimpse at the statistical content in the piece.
* Bulleted/numbered lists are your friend. Use them often. It is not recommended, however, that you mix them up - use either/or per piece you write.
* Avoid the passive voice. It drags your content out and slows the readers progress; often causing them to leave. You will usually find the passive voice around verbs that end in “ing.”
* For Pete’s sake, use a word processor to write on that uses a good spell/grammar checker. I run an article directory and will tell you firsthand: spelling and grammar count. Publishers are building a reputation with their sites and simply won’t publish the “also rans.”
The Outsourcing Crew:
Not too much to say here other than you get what you pay for in most cases. A motocross friend of mine told me something years ago I have
found useful in numerous situations: “If you have a $10.00 head, buy a $10.00 helmet.” If you want professionally written content that captures your target audience and sells the click on your link in the author’s box expect to pay more than $5-10.00 per article.
I hire and fire writers all day long. My rule of thumb is this: if it takes me longer than 5 minutes to edit a piece, I kick it back to the writer or fix it myself and don’t use that writer again.
If you use a provider that sends you work you must edit heavily, replace them. Your time is too valuable to do work you already paid to have done. Find a professional writing service that gets the bulldog fed.
Cutting-edge internet marketing information, products and services: www.bluegrassmerchants.com web content, articles and copywriting from an established professional writing service: www.bluegrasssolutions.org
Previous Articles Highlighter:
Learn The German Language (1)
There are many ways to learn german like watching german films, reading german newspapers or magazines and of course books or German/English dictionary. These are all ways to learn a little bit but if you want to learn it seriously then you have to learn it with an online program that provides audio and video lessons.
Is Your Article A Winner Or Not (2)
Your following points must then follow in a structured and organized manner, addressing each and every point you intend raising in your article. Structure should follow smoothly and your article writing style should encourage the reader to be able to easily read your content, without making it a belaboring task to work through the information.
How To Use Effective Communication Skills To Get What You Want (3)
Imagine being in rapport and easily understanding others in your life. If you want to achieve your desired results every time, learn and utilise the skills of how to use effective communication skills to get what you want.
Increase Sales With An Easy-To-Navigate Web Site (4)
13. Make sure all links work. Make it easy and logical for prospective buyers to get to the information they're looking for. Apply these steps now and watch your sales increase!
5 Irresistible Reasons To Write A Short Book First (5)
Develop a continuing flow with a website, a stream of articles, reports, follow-up products and even services to build your book, your brand and your profits further. If you don't decide to take the shorter easier route of writing a short book first, you may be this time next year still wondering if you should or shouldn't write a book.
Ensuring Your Article Submission Strategy Evolves (6)
Article submission was a fairly easy and simple practice that has become a little less easy over time. The reasons for this is that the editors and the software of article directories have stipulated certain rules, to maintain the credibility of the directory as well as the overall integrity, which is generally a positive development.
3 Ways To Keep MS Word From Killing Your SEO Strategy (7)
The good news is that it only takes changing a few settings once to eliminate this problem for every future document you write. This is important because your SEO strategy is only good if your content is good as well.
5 Ways To Brain Storm Non-Fiction Book Title Ideas For Your Book (8)
For example, visit Sears and look at the brand names of their proprietary products. The short names of these products are concepts; that tell a story in an instant.
Article Submissions - Learn Some Tips On Getting Your Article Submitted To The World (9)
Be aware that there are sites that do not accept submissions from article services. For those you will have to submit one by one. 5. Some sites require registration.
Copywriting Tip: Do Your Client A Favor And Ask For The Order (10)
We're bombarded with all kinds of information. Two minutes after we see a sales letter, we've forgotten it. So you have to create interest, enthusiasm and maybe anxiety.
Marketing In A Recession: Why You Won't Survive If You Stop! (11)
NOT Marketing In A Recession Cannot Possibly Help You! If having no business is your problem, then not marketing and trying to get some coming in cannot in any way make things better.
Article Marketing - Five Top Tips For Successful Article Marketing (12)
This means your content will match what your potential market are looking for and will appear high up on the search engine results. 5. Always be honest Always ensure any information you share with your readers is 100% accurate.
SEO Copywriting Essentials - Calculating Keyword Density (13)
Because of this, you'll need to subtract the singular percentage from the plural percentage: 3.2 (singular) - 0.9 (plural) = 2.3 (actual singular density) Calculating Two-Letter Keywords I'm sure that the folks that created Live Keyword Analysis were trying to be helpful when they programmed the tool to ignore all two-letter keywords.
7 Special Holiday Gifts For Writers (14)
On the fun side, look for a miniature life raft or rope, oxygen mask. Anyway, you get the idea. Have fun and you can be sure it'll be fun for your special writer.
SEO Copywriting: How To Choose Article Marketing Topics To Achieve Maximum Exposure (15)
Many web surfers think that they can do something themselves so search for a "how to" solution. However, after discovering how complicated or involved the process can be, they may decide just to hire a professional.
Whatever Your Business, Printing Deserves Some Attention (16)
The brain whether you are aware of it or not recognises colour first, above everything else. It then creates an emotional response based on the colours it has been shown.
How To Write A Book That Pulls Readers In Like A Magnet (17)
Your professional format will include a strong heading (question) your reader needs answered and the answer. This professional formula presents the problem and solution quickly without a lot of words.
Trash Your Newspaper! Real News Will Be Online (18)
Many large newspapers have been purchased by large corporations that promote a specific agenda. There have been long histories of newspapers that have chosen to purposely omit useful information or purposely skip researching a fact's truth in order to promote the ideas of the newspaper's owners.
7 Profitable Things You Get To Do When You Write Your Book (19)
Develop your book into an ebook. Technology has advanced making it easier and easier to electronically publish your own e-books. The profits from each sale on a per-unit basis can be 10X the royalties earned by your original book.
Binders For Your Reservation Books (20)
The spacing of the rings will also vary between binders. Appearances are very important in any business, but especially so in service industries. Keeping your reservation book in a protective binder will improve your customers' impression of your business and add to your professional image.
Newer Articles Highlighter:
Article Submission And Related Services (1)
If you are merely writing articles for your own personal sharing of expertise or information, the article submission purpose is to allow yourself the chance of your article being read.
To Attract A Larger Audience And Sell More Books, Consider Becoming An Online Book Reviewer (2)
. and what I had seen others do. In the process, some of the ideas seemed far-fetched, but some of those paid off quite well, compared to the ideas the "experts" had shared with me.
The Article Directory Explained (3)
It can be used as a valuable how to guide to people that have not experienced that specific event or situation. This in turn has gone a long way in helping someone else and was merely conducted by submitting an article to an article directory.
The Role Of A Proper Press Release In Your SEO Services (4)
Press Release Sites Are Frequented By Web Users There are many enthusiast web users who love to visit the press release sites to keep themselves updated with the news from other websites.
Take Time To Submit An Article (5)
These also allow publishers to access these articles for potential publication beyond that specific directory. Over and above the publishers are the readers, people seeking information on or about items that affect their lives.
How To Use Ebooks To Start A Viral Marketing Campaign (6)
This is one of the easiest ways to make it go viral. Give it to your readers first. (Don't forget to tell them that they may also give your ebook away!) Next, submit it to ebook directories, as well as software directories.
Writing An Article Aligned With Your Passion (7)
This therefore offers an extremely cost effective option of getting the word out as to what you have to offer your clients and potential customers, via article writing. In your article writing about your passion, you should take the time to share advice on issues pertaining to what your business offers, without marketing the business or services directly.
Get The Results You Desire With Effective Communication (8)
For communication to be meaningful, the words used must establish the same thought or reference in both the sender and receiver. Words vary considerably with regards to their value for communication as they differ in their level of abstraction.
Ignore The Experts . . . If You Want To Make Foolish Business Mistakes (9)
Instead, seek out people who have been around for decades doing what you want to do. They will be right about 90 percent of the time. Ask them to explain why they conclude what they do, and you'll be able to spot when they are wrong.
The Power Of Writing Articles (10)
If you are asking why you need to invest time and money marketing online, the answer is simple. According to statistics, the number of Internet users in the United Kingdom increased by 171.5% from 2000 to 2008.
Tips To Guarantee Effective Communication (11)
As the sender, by retaining responsibility and by changing our actions, we can affect the results of our communication. To send messages clearly, note the following 5 tips: 1.
How To Increase Sales, Subscriptions, And Traffic With Action Words (12)
- Please forward this ezine to your friends and associates. Please keep the copyright notice intact. A "Call to Action" is one of many strategies successful copywriters use.
Ignore What People Care About . . . If You Want To Hear The Sounds Of Silence (13)
You won't pay any attention. Why not? Because that's not what you're looking for. I learned that lesson the hard way and want to share it with you.
5 Keys To Effective Content Writing (14)
Most of all, it has to be compatible with the attention spans of internet surfers who tend to skim content rather than reading every word. As you are creating content for your website, keep these 5 keys in mind: 1.
How To Use Twitter To Build Business Relationships (15)
Keep an eye on your numbers. Ideally you will have a balance of followers and follows. If you follow a lot of people but nobody follows you, you will raise a flag.
Increase Your Traffic By Writing Articles (16)
I have used several of these companies and the quality and cost of their work can vary enormously. Some of these companies charge per submission ad some charge a flat monthly fee.
When Good Social Marketing Gets Wasted (And How Good Copywriting Can Save It) (17)
But if you're reading this article, chances are you didn't join places like Facebook, Twitter and Ning to find new friends who invite you over for a backyard barbecue. You want business contacts.
Effective Website Marketing Tips: Forget What You Love And Focus On Your Market (18)
Finally, people buy what they want, not what they need (or what we marketers think they need). As a fitness expert, you might realize that children need programs to develop healthy eating and exercise routines, beginning in first grade.
7 Top Tips For Writing Blog Articles (19)
Read other interviews to glean interesting and timely questions, and then ask her those. Most experts are willing to be interviewed because they get some exposure out of the deal, too.
Copywriting Tip: Effective Website Content Positioning Begins At The Top (20)
So these few pixels will influence your conversion rates, traffic, search engine visits and ultimately sales success. But so many websites have a meaningless graphic on the top of their pages.