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How to write a good web article in 5 simple steps

A good web article should accomplish 2 things:

It should be relatively short (say, 500 to 800 words).
It should answer a question or share some useful tips the reader may not know already. (The operative word here is useful).

Step 1: Headline. To begin writing your website article, first think of a working headline. I call it a "working" headline because for now it's more like a line explaining what the article will be about. You can finesse it with clever wordplay later on if you like.

A good example of a working headline might be:

"5 Kitchen Knives to Own if You're an Aspiring Home Chef"

Notice that we've used the words "kitchen knives" and "home chef," both of which are terms people will likely use in their Google web searches. You want your article title to be compelling, sure; but if it's for the web, you've also got to fill it with keywords so people can find your website.

Step 2: Introduction. Introduce your article with a few, succinct lines that state a clear point. Try not to be too wordy with your intro; 2 or 3 sentences should do.

Step 3: Key points. Come up with five or so key points you'd like to explain in the article. The points should clarify what you're stating in the opening paragraph. Type them out, skipping lines in between.

Step 4: Development. Now fill up each point with some explanation and additional information to support whatever you're saying. In this case, everything is pretty straightforward. First, you probably listed the different types of knives and explained what each one looks like. Now, go back and fill in the blanks – what each knife is used for, and how to use it correctly.

This particular "itemized list" article will really help the reader if photos of each type of knife are included. Have the person who publishes your website spend some time either taking photos, or finding good stock photos of each knife, to show next to its name and description.

Remember that details are really important here. Consider the "how" and "why" of whatever claim you're making. "Be safe with your knives" is not a good example of supporting details. You want to give the reader a trick or tip they didn't think of before. Tell them HOW. "When walking with a knife in hand, always hold the blade at your side, pointing down toward the floor."

Step 5: Conclusion and call to action. To end the article, offer the reader some final words – maybe something encouraging about learning cutting techniques (if you have an article on this also, now would be a good time to link to it). Or, you can close with that helpful line about kitchen knife safety.

Author Bio: Wrap everything up with a 2- or 3-line bio covering your expertise, sharing your website link, and inviting people to sign up for your mailing list if you have one.

That's it; that's how to write a single article for your niche-specific website. If the idea of doing this 100 more times starts to seem less appealing, give us a shout at Wordfeeder Copywriting and Marketing. Email dina@wordfeeder.com for your bulk website content writing needs today!

Wordfeeder.com is the home of Dina Giolitto's Copywriting, Copy Editing, Web and Print Marketing Services. Interesting in learning how to market your business successfully using the latest online and offline methods? Eager to master the art of writing copy that gets you more clients and sales? Then keep following along! We publish articles regularly and post them on our home page. Write to dina@wordfeeder.com with comments or for a project quote today.

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