Writing articles is one of the most effective ways of
driving traffic to your site, and therefore earning more
money. A single article can end up reaching thousands of
people, as it is picked up by other websites and
republished in e-zines.
But how do you write an article that will get noticed by
search engines and your fellow webmasters? And how do you
ensure that it will interest the right sort of people: the
people who will be interested in what your website has to
offer?
The first thing to do is decide on a topic. Hopefully, it's
obvious to you that this should be relevant to your
website! If, for example, you run a website selling
cookies, you might want to write an article explaining what
makes a cookie taste so great!
Not only should the topic be relevant, but it should put
the reader in the right frame of mind to visit your
website. Take the cookie example. Imagine reading an
article all about how great cookies taste. It makes your
mouth water. When you get to the end, you see a link to a
site that sells cookies like the one the author was
describing. You aren't going to waste much time before
clicking on it! And when you get to the site, you are going
to want to buy some cookies as fast as possible.
Of course, you should write articles that are informative
and interesting. That is the only way they will be
republished elsewhere. But you do also need to make sure
they act as a kind of pre-sell for your website and its
products. You need to make sure that when someone has
finished reading your article, they are in the right frame
of mind to buy your products.
A way to do this is by subtly persuading them that your
product is important or will benefit them in some way. If
you are writing an answer describing how to do something,
try to hint that your product will help them do that. The
key is not to be too obvious. If you seem to be selling
something too obviously, webmasters will not republish it
and readers will not be convinced.
Second, you need to start thinking about keywords. Your
article, especially your first paragraph, need to be
keyword rich. This ensures that search engines will pick
them up. It also makes sure that webmasters looking for
keyword rich articles find yours.
The trick is to do this in a subtle way. Your writing needs
to seem natural. At the same time, you want to include
possible search phrases. You may need to do several
revisions before it sounds right.
A third thing to do is decide on a title. People reading
articles are generally looking for information. This means
that 'How To' and 'Ten Steps To' articles are popular, as
they tell the reader that you provide practical information
set out in a clear and logical manner. Another attention
grabbing title is a question. When you read a question, you
naturally want to find the answer. People will read your
article to do that.
You also need to make sure that your title is keyword rich.
Some people suggest starting your title with a keyword.
However, remember that your title has to be what attracts
people to read your article, so don't just make your title
a string of keywords.
Finally, there are a few key things to remember. Completely
correct grammar is not essential; what is important is that
your article is understandable. Remember that not everyone
reading will have English as their first language, so avoid
using too much slang. You therefore need to make your
meaning clear.
Construct your article logically. Have a beginning, a
middle, and an end. Move smoothly from one point to the
next. An ideal length is between six hundred and eight
hundred words.
And, perhaps most importantly of all, use a spell-checker!
There is no excuse for bad spelling. The odd typo might be
unavoidable, but do your best to eliminate them by
re-reading your article several times.
If you do all this, you'll have a good chance of getting
your article picked up and spread around. You then just
need to keep writing, keep your standard high, and soon
you'll be considered an expert in your field.
And, even better, the money will be pouring in!
----------------------------------------------------
Anita Buchan is a successful affiliate marketer who now
wants to help others earn the same money she does. For
honest reviews of home business opportunities, visit
http://www.dont-get-scammed.biz
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