Tips Guides Resources

It’s often a hard task in this Information Age to catch the eye of your target audience. If you are fortunate enough to accomplish that much, then you have really achieved something. Whether it’s a catchy title, artwork, photograph or a banner on the Web, it really doesn’t matter. The bottom line is that it did the job. You got them to look at your material. But what now?

Statistics show that you have about fifteen seconds to lock their attention in with your content or you lose them. How does your target audience respond to your material? Does your content draw them in and catch their interest? Or do they look at it for several seconds, lay it down and go on to next available source of information? Is your web content SEO compatible? Is your keyword word/phrase density the right mix that lets your target audience find your web page via a search engine without being redundant in the body of the text? Is the next click of their mouse to another page on your site or back to the search engine window? All of these are legitimate concerns for anyone in the business of producing content.

The written word is a wondrous thing, but it is absolutely useless if the target audience doesn’t read it! The most articulate piece ever written is not effective if it is cumbersome, inaccurate and difficult to find or presented too late. But there is a simple solution:

*Capture your target audience and don’t let them go until you are through with them!*

Sounds pretty straightforward and simple enough, right? And it is simple. But never allow yourself to fall into thinking that simple means easy. Picking up a shovel and digging a hole is simple, but seldom easy. The way to capture your target audience is by presenting them with content that they want and need to read. To achieve that end, your content must meet four criteria:

1. Be competent
2. Be concise
3. Be accurate
4. Be on time

Be competent: Content must be well organized, informative and grammatically correct if it is to hold the interest of your target audience. Sentences should come together to form paragraphs that flow into each other as the pages are filled. Content format must match the media being used to convey it; i.e. Internet content should meet density standards for keywords and be SEO compatible, resumes and cover letters should follow accepted formats, articles and essays should contain an introduction, body of text and a conclusion, etc.

Be concise: Filling your content with unnecessary text can be, and often is, a drop-dead deal breaker for many in your target audience. Many readers simply don’t have the time or patience to wade through the muck for a tidbit of content. Others become bored if the pace moves along like pond water. Either way, you have failed. And in this game, second place is just the first loser.

Be accurate: No information at all is better than incorrect information. If you hope to win the confidence of your target audience, then you must be accurate in your presentation of the material. Even when writing fiction, you must convince the reader that you know what you are talking about. That your are credible. Never lie to your audience; they will know. The whole thrust of your efforts is to win the trust of your target audience and to be trusted you must be trustworthy.

Be on time: There is not much need to submit your proposal the day after bidding closes or your article after the copy has gone to bed. One thing you can be sure of; the two people less understanding than a college professor about late papers, are employers and customers.

Whether you are writing a report for your employer, a college term paper, a piece for publication or just for fun, I believe you will be well served to follow these four simple rules. Your ultimate objective should be content that is competent, concise, accurate and on time. If you do these simple things then you will have gone a long way towards capturing that all too elusive target audience.

Mike Lawson is a freelance writer and entrepreneur running many Internet ventures. Learn more about writing successful content for your articles or website at Appalachian Writer’s Forum or Bluegrass Solutions Article Directory.

As an article author and article marketing enthusiast I am sure you are aware of any number of great article directories to be found on the internet. They serve as repositories of knowledge by allowing authors to submit their articles for review by the editor for inclusion in the directory. This can mean massive exposure for the author and the authors personal website because publishers and free to copy the articles into their own websites provided they keep the link back to the authors website active. I am also certain you are aware of the fact that most of these article directories use scripts specifically designed for that purpose.

They all have their advantages and disadvantages and some similarities. For example, like almost all directories, the index is subject driven. This means the articles are organized by a subject heading and subheadings. This has the advantage of allowing the editor to decide which subjects will or will not be included in the directory. One disadvantage is that building such a directory that is all inclusive would be difficult unless the editor plans to think of a heading and subheadings for every possible subject in the world. Some people would argue that you are better off with a niche type article directory that concentrates on one subject. Other people would state that it is virtually impossible to build an article directory that actually is all inclusive.

There is another article directory format. It does not use a regular article directory script. Instead it uses a forum script . Some of these new forum style article directories simply have a single forum where authors are encouraged to post their articles. Others have a group of several forums designed for articles on a few specific subjects. A new development in this area is a forum that includes 26 subforums which are simply arraigned in alphabetical order. As an example, A Forum, B Forum, C Forum. All an article author has to do is register for the main forum and post their articles in the appropriate alphabetical subforum by subject.
Aardvark articles go in the A forum, Zoology articles go in the Z forum which seems simple enough. This kind of forum has the obvious advantage of being all inclusive as you can post articles on any subject you can think of from A to Z.

These forums are configured so that registered users can add their author bio box in the signature file under the user control panel. This signature file automatically appears at the bottom of every message the user post on the forum including articles. It can include information about the author and the authors copyright policy as well as links to the authors homepage or websites. Visitors can copy and paste the articles on to their own websites as long as they adhere to the authors copyright policy which usually means keeping the links to the authors webpages active.

From the article authors point of view there is another advantage to these forum style article directories. Registered users can post their messages and their articles and they will appear immediately. There is no need to wait for approval by an editor and in most cases users do not have to wait for approval by the forum moderator either.

These forum scripts usually also have an rss feed generator that visitors can use to subscribe to the forum rss feeds. The rss feeds themselves are automatically generated by the forum scripts and usually include the most recent messages posted in the forum. These real simple syndication feeds are a great way for the forum users to gain even more exposure for their articles and websites.

Burl Collins is the owner of MSRD Inc and invites you to visit the MSRD Inc Forum

Your audience is hungry for information. But they want it in the right format. The format must be easy to read, easy to digest and easy to apply. If you deliver your articles the way your audience likes it, they will reward you by reading every article you publish.

They will even visit your website, sign-up for your ezine and eventually visit your product page just to receive more of your helpful information. By writing short articles you can capture attention, gain more traffic, create more sales and most importantly, be helpful to people when they need it. Here are seven quick tips to help you format your articles and make them go the extra mile:

1. Question/Answer.
This is a popular format for everyone wants their questions answered in a 123 fashion. If only all questions could be answered in a numbered method. Discover your audience’s burning questions that you have the answers for. List the questions; write a short paragraph that answers each question. Write a short introduction and even shorter summary. There you have it. An easy to read and easy to digest short article answering your audience’s most pressing questions.

2. Problem/Solution.
I absolutely love this format. I myself have gotten tons of problems solved with this format, after reading someone’s problem/solution article. Therefore, many of my business problems that I solve become guess what kind of article? Yes. You are right; they become problem/solution articles. Simply describe the problem in one short paragraph and offer the solution in a one sentence paragraph below it. Or vice versa, describe the problem in a one sentence paragraph and give the solution in the longer paragraph.

3. Myth/Truth.
The myth/truth format is another format that I use often in my writing. I guess because there are plenty of myths to destroy in any field. No, really I don’t see it used as much as the other formats. So it becomes one of my attempts to be different. Also, you can easily convert other formats of yours or your favorite writer. For example, if you are inspired by another writer’s topic instead of plagiarizing their work simply turn their list of mistakes into secrets or solutions. Simply present the facts in your own voice and viewpoint.

4. Tips/Advice.
I think you know by now. I love writing short articles that help people. I mention that because I felt myself wanting to write, the same words at the beginning of this tip. You know,” I love the tip format.” This article is a great example of the tips format. I listed eight tips and short advice on how to accomplish the tip. So, list out your tips and write a short paragraph of advice to explain the tip.

5. Top Ten List.
A variation of the tips format is the top tips list. Your top tips list may consist of the Top Five, Top Ten, Top Seven or practically any number of ten or less. I have even written the single most important tip to …Sometimes, that one gets more attention than the other numbers, because it answers a desire in all of us that want it as easy as possible. It’s great if I can achieve it in a single step or even the 2 most important ways sound better than three or seven.

6. How To.
Just as we all want to achieve anything in the easiest way possible, we also like to be shown how to do anything and everything. My clients have often said to me, “Just give me 5 easy steps or 3 easy steps and I know I can do it. I’m the same way, aren’t you? Format your article to teach something and offer easy steps to accomplish it. Again, list them and write a short paragraph explaining each step.

7. Ways/Secrets/Habits.
Another variation of the How-to article can be written in ways, secrets, habits, or things. I have even formatted one of my articles into weapons called “7 Weapons to Conquer the Giant Procrastination.” The weapons became how-to tools to overcome procrastination keeping you from writing your best book now.

8. Reasons.
Most people can understand any given topic better if they can know the whys or reasons that support it. Websites are becoming more and more popular across the globe. As a website developer, I wanted to help my clients understand strong reasons for them to get a website now. Yes. The article became, “10 Reasons You Need a Website.” Think of something you want to convince your clients of and write an article doing so. For a software developer wanting to sell more of his ebook creation software, his article became “18 Reasons to Write an eBook and Give it Away Free”

Every one loves bite-sized, useful information. Why not join the Information Revolution, by writing short articles to promote your ezine, website, product or service. Your readers will enjoy receiving your expertise and make sure your articles go the extra mile by telling all their friends about your informative, helpful service.

A professional writing quote should be clear, concise, and informative. The goal is to tell the client exactly what you’re going to do for them and how you’re going to do it. The more detailed and professional the quote, the better chance you have of nailing the job.

Tip: for maximum effectiveness, make good use of bulleted lists, sub-headers, and a professional logo or header. Here is an example format you might use:

HEADER/LOGO

Introduction

Included Services:
–Service 1
–Service 2
–Service 3

Price and Terms:
–Price
–Terms

Below you will find specific guidelines a writer should follow when creating a quote for a client. These are guidelines that are unique to each project; others are sometimes interchangeable.

Website Content/Copy:

When preparing a writing quote for a website, bulleted lists are essential. In the quote, include a bulleted list of every page you’re going to work on:

–List the names of the pages (home, about, contact, widget makers, how to make a widget, resources for widgets-you get the idea);
–The exact number of pages;
–If you’ll make the content SEO friendly;
–How many rounds of edits are included;
–Deadlines;
–Any other services you’ll provide.

SEO Articles:

In quotes for SEO articles, it’s essential to determine:

–Approximate word count;
–The number of articles;
–The keywords they’re using;
–If you’ll be doing the research;
–Who’ll provide the topics;
–What topics the client wants;
–Whether you relinquish all republishing rights;
–Deadlines;
–If you’ll be in charge of the article submissions.

When you’ve determined this information, include it in the quote with all the details. Let your client know if you charge additional fees for article submission and if you have different rates for specific word counts.

Ezine/ Magazine/Website Articles:

These articles, while they include many of the same elements of SEO articles, tend to be longer, more involved, and higher quality than SEO articles. When you’re creating a quote an ezine or website article, determine:

–Approximate word count;
–Topic (s);
–Whether you’ll retain republishing rights;
–Whether it will be ghostwritten or you’ll be credited;
–What deadlines you’ll have to meet.

Keep in mind that you’ll rarely be commissioned to write a magazine article unless you’re a known author or an expert in another field. Usually you’ll write a query letter, but that’s a whole other article.

Advertorials:

Advertorials are essentially informative marketing articles about a specific company or product. They require that you really explore a company and understand what exactly they do. Writing a quote for an advertorial involves the same requirements as a regular article (see directly above), but there are some additional elements to determine:

–Whether you’ll research the company on your own or if the information will be provided for you in the form of PDF’s, Word documents, or any other medium;
–How the company wants to portray themselves and what angle they’d like you to pursue.

Press Releases:

When providing a quote for a press release, you need to determine:

–If it will require technical writing;
–If it will require research or if the materials are provided by the company;
–If it is a press release from scratch or a rewrite;
–If the company has particular formatting requirements;
–Whether it will be released online, in print, or both;
–If they want you to submit the press release.

A.M. Brown authors an effective writing blog and writes everything from press releases and technical documents to website content for AM Professional Writing Services.

I’m not a writer — I’ll tell you that right up front. But I can give you some hints and tips that will make your article marketing campaign much easier if you’re like me and you want to make money fast and easy. Find and hire a good ghostwriter. You won’t be sorry you did.

You can find writers simply by doing a Web search for “ghostwriter,” “ghostwriting services,” or “writing services.” You’ll need to look over their website and make sure they offer the service you’re looking for, then contact them with your proposal. Most independent ghostwriters list their e-mail address or have a “contact me” link on their site, and many of them will get back to you that same day.

Don’t be shy. Talk to several different writers until you find someone that you can communicate with. I probably e-mailed 15 people before I found my girl, and she is great!

I’ve had her ghostwrite articles for me on several topics, including my drywall business in the real world when I needed a press release. She did all her own research and even wrote in a style that my customers and contractors could identify with. I ended up paying her $100 for the piece, and I keep coming back to her with more projects. Heck, she could be writing this article! You’ll never know!

The thing about ghostwriters is: You do have to pay them. Like everything else in life, quality costs $$. You can expect to pay anywhere from $20-$50 per article for a good, well-researched piece, but here’s what you have to ask yourself: Would you rather do it yourself or pay somebody else to do all the grunt work?

When I put it in that context for my business, paying a little money seemed like nothing, especially given the response that press release generated. Plus, when I read her final product, I upped her pay to $100 bucks. And it paid off for me: Suddenly people were coming out of the woodwork with holes in their ceiling for my crew to fix. Insert bad joke here.

There are also some really good places where writers come together in a group and you can pick and choose between them. Before I hooked up with my favorite ghostwriter, I hired people off of Guru and Craigslist. Some people also use Monster. Guru is free for employers (that’s us), which is really nice of them I think!

1) Guru: Free for employers; employees pay a fee to search projects. Guru gives you all the info on people who bid on your project including resume, references and ratings by past employers. That way you can choose the best one for your job.

2) Craigslist: Free for everybody. You choose your geographical area and then you can search postings by people looking for writing work or post your own project. You can go outside your area if you don’t care that they work offsite.

3) Monster: Free for job-seekers, so employers pay a fee to purchase job postings. It costs $475 for one posting up to about $13 grand for 100 postings. I found this a little steep, but some people really trust Monster a lot more because of name recognition and the fact it’s been around so long. It’s up to you!

The best part about ghostwriters is they agree that you will own the copyright for any material they write for you. You’ll probably want to make that clear in your initial agreement, but that’s what the term “GHOSTwriter” means. They get the money you agree to pay. You get your articles. You drive traffic to your website, in turn driving sales, which makes you more money. Everybody’s happy.

Roger Haumann owns a drywall contracting business by day and makes money online by night. Visit his blog, Get a Rush, to read more about his online business. Roger is also a frequent contributor to Article Marketer, an online article distribution service.

If you read these lines you already know that article writing is one of the best ways to increase your traffic and get more visitors. It is now a major weapon in search engine optimization. Everybody knows that and each day hundreds of new articles are being submitted to the popular article directories.

So how can you make sure to grab attention among all those thousands of articles that are around? The answer is simple: Be different.

Nowadays, I always wonder why so many times articles out there deal with a topic in such an abstract way that you get the impression the author is barely interested in the topic.

Let’s put some groove into your articles and make it different:

Your Opinion Counts

People need guidance and they love to read opinions. But too often articles don’t offer a clear view on a topic but just a digest of what everybody already knows and agrees upon.

Don’t repeat what everybody knows anyway. Often in forums or blog comments your find high-quality content from people who really know about a subject. Even if you don’t know more facts about a topic you will at least have an opinion.

You may use an article to publish your personal view of a certain topic or aspect. If you agree or disagree with a common view on a popular topic - write it down. Just be sure you explain why your view is the way it is in words people can understand.

Use Humor

Don’t be boring. Spice up your article using a nice and humorous style. Sound like a normal person having a conversation instead of professor giving a lecture. Just make sure you use common sense when judging your humor.

Consider that your articles may be read by people from different cultures and religions all over the world. What you may think to be funny could be an insult to another person. Don’t provoke intentionally or be sarcastic. Write as if you always have a little smile on your face.

In fact I have found that if you smile while you are writing. Your language will automatically get more friendly and humorous. It works.

Tell A Story

An article does not have to be an essay. Sometimes you can explain something much better by telling a story. People have been telling each other stories for centuries.

The Internet hasn’t changed that. People want to know about things that happened to you or to certain people. This way your message is much more personal than if you just write about some abstract concept or product.

Get Some Inspiration

Do a search on your topic or subtopic. Read existing articles on your topic in the major article directories. Get familiar with what other people have said about this topic. Read three or four articles then write down some more ideas and concepts that come to your mind.

Often you will find an article representing a certain view. You may use this point of view to write an anti-thesis, basically stating that you don’t agree with the author or with a certain aspect that many people agree on. This will make you different and it will make people curious about what you have to say.

Search forums on your topics and pick up some different views there. Often you will find the mainstream views in the article directories but the real insider info you get when you visit forums and read peoples posts and opinions.

To sum it up, article writing is one of the best ways to increase your traffic and get targeted visitors to our site. You just have to make sure you set yourself apart from the gray mass of boring content all around you. Show your readers that you are a human being - not a content robot and people will read your article, click on your link and republish your article on their websites.

If you want to know more about writing profitable articles easily, get all the secrets that I have put together for you in this free report here:
freereport.contentinsane.com