Still following along on the Copywriter's
Crash Course in article
marketing? Ahh, I'm so pleased! With any luck, you'll
be an article-writing machine by tomorrow. But before you
being submitting articles on the web as a brand-building strategy,
keep the following Do's and Don'ts in mind.
1. DO use keywords
in your article title and through the supporting paragraphs.
What are keywords? Quick answer: they're the most popularly
searched terms that folks in your niche market are using in
Google and other search engines. You MUST learn more about
keywords before beginning your foray into the world of article-writing.
Find out about keywords here.
2. DO feature information
your reader can use. If you never give away any good
secrets in your articles, your reader is going to see through
the facade, and quickly. A great marketer shares the wealth
(of knowledge). This is how the internet experts build their
credibility! Do you know a thing or two about internet forums?
Tell some people about it in your articles.
Acquire adoring fans by offering useful information!
3. DO include live
links to your website. Everyone on the web who picks
up content from article distribution sites like Ezinearticles.com
adheres to their strict policy of including live URL links
and a bio from every article author. This is huge, and the
sole reason to write the article in the first place! So, take
the time to include links to your website (or sales letter
page if you have one,) and make them live. But please keep
your links to three or less!
4. DO follow a tight
article body structure that's easy to read. If you're
still keeping up with this article, it's probably because
I've made it easy for your eye to follow along. There's nothing
worse than having to sift through a long trail of endless
information that's all lumped together. Be kind to your reader
and break up your article into easily-understood sections.
5. DO include an Author
Bio that positions you as a market leader. Your author
bio should be dynamic, timeless, and include a call to action.
Don't forget that your article is going to be read within
the context of someone else's website. If your bio is dull
and boring, your reader won't feel compelled to "follow
you home." Tell them flat-out what to do. "Visit
Wordfeeder.com to find out how expert
articles can position you as an expert in your field!"
Article Writing Don'ts
1. DON'T skimp on
quality. Just because you've committed yourself to
writing hundreds of articles does not mean that the articles
should be sub-par reading. The quickest way to destroy your
own credibility is to submit sloppy work. So please proofread
for spelling and grammatical errors, and maintain solid sentence
structure throughout.
2. DON'T start rambling
incessantly. We've all had our chatty spells. Sometimes
we get going on a topic and just can't seem to stop. Just
because you're on a roll does not mean the reader is following.
In the name of professionalism, stick to the topic at hand.
3. DON'T write an
article that's vague. Always check your article for
informational value. Be specific! Your reader will thank you
for including well-developed thoughts, and the payoff will
come in the form of purchased product on your website.
4. DON'T be tempted
to rip off someone else's work. While some people may
not be paying close attention to your online conduct, the
people who matter usually are. If you steal someone else's
ideas, you may be able to fool people into thinking you're
somebody you're not... for a while. Eventually, that facade
will quickly fall away when your future clients attempt to
know you on a deeper level. And that will totally wreck you
in a heartbeat. So don't do it!
5. DON'T include too many personal
stories. Every once
in a while, it's nice to get an up-close impression of a fellow
internet marketer. Wow, real people with real lives, kinda
neat! But if you're constantly blowing hot air about how you
did this or that, potential customers are going to lose interest.
The key question is "What's in it for the customer?"
Okay. So we've covered the basics of What
to Do and What Not to Do in your articles. If you feel that
you don't have time to devote to such painstaking detail,
that's okay. There are plenty of ghostwriters who have perfected
this craft and will gladly write targeted articles for you.
I'm one of them!
