When I first started writing articles I focused on what most appealed to me, motivation and reasons for building a business. In the weeks that followed I wrote over twenty articles and submitted them to multiple sites. As promised, my newsletter subscribers increased, sales came, and things were shaping up perfectly. All seemed well. Until…
One of the areas that also is dear to my soul is mental energy and self-programming. So I wrote an article about harnessing and using mental energy, making it work for us rather than being a victim of forces against us. This article got thousands of views more than any of the others. I realized then that writing an article is not just about what interests me, but that I have an obligation to find what others need and provide it.
Each article that I write is researched both for what readers need and, where necessary, so I can provide the best information. Credibility is the lifeblood of a marketer, and trying to be a false expert is not effective for long. A well-written article is more effective, long-term, than just about any other traffic generating method. Good articles tend to cycle. They get picked up, shared, enjoyed by hundreds, sometimes thousands of readers. They build credibility for the writer, set them up as an expert, and create that long-term relationship that is so vital for success in business.
Here are some basic tips to start and really get going quickly:
1. Brainstorm with a few friends about what information people need and want most. Stick to what you know well or have a passion for. When you have a list of ten good ideas, break them down into sub-ideas. Try for ten of those each. This will turn ten ideas into a hundred very quickly.
2. To keep the writing flowing, write an article at least four times per week. An hour should be enough to write a rough draft, and then another to verify your facts and produce a final draft. Eight hours per week may seem like a lot, but this can quickly lead to a snowball effect of credibility and corresponding website traffic.
3. Avoid article spinners, or other devices designed to turn one article into multiple articles. They destroy meaning and often produce an article that we would not want associated with our name!
4. Stick at it and have fun. Practice makes this process a bit easier, and the results can be amazing. As you do more and more research you may find that you are learning as much as you are teaching, and in so doing will constantly expand yo
ur range of topics.
Article writing is unlike any other direct traffic method. The readers of your articles have proven that they enjoy what you have to say and want to know more. These are the very type of motivated buyers that marketers struggle to find! When they buy from you, visit your blog, or sign up for your newsletter, make every effort to establish a long-term relationship. Continue to provide quality content and useful information, and you will have unlocked the keys to the marketing kingdom.
My readers are encouraged and requested to join my new article directory:
