But of course, nothing is ever that simple. There happens to be a lot of information out there about the same topics, so how do you make yours the information people find, read and continue to come back for. Repeat after me “Q-u-a-l-i-t-y and R-e-l-e-v-a-n-c-e”. That’s it. Give your readers content full of quality information they are actually looking for.

There are many ways to get your articles maximum attention from your target market. Here are some specific article marketing tips that you need to live and breath. They’ll greatly improve the odds of your success and at the same time you’ll create a relationship with your prospects the can last a lifetime. I call them “The Big Four”.

Biggie # 1: Be The Expert

Research is a word that many people dread. Most of those who shy away from research have yet to recognize its true value. If they did, I’m willing to bet they would change their tune on the subject. In order to come up with quality information for your reader, you will want to do research to come up with new ideas and find the latest theories and trends in your niche.

A lot of people assume reading a few blurbs about a subject here and there is enough to write a quality article. That is far from the truth. In order to really give your readers what they want to know, you’ll want to dig deeper. Determine who the experts in your specific area are, find out what they have to say on the subject and take a look at the items they are recommending. Do as much as you can to get background information and facts.

Researching your content improves credibility and expertise. You’ll be able to present quality content people will want to read and continue to come back for. If you don’t have time to research a topic in depth, find someone who does.

There’s a reason they say “Knowledge is key!”

Biggie # 2: Make an Outline

Once you gain the knowledge you need to write a truly relevant article, you need to find a way to transfer the information from inside your brain all the way to the computer screen. The most tried and true method from novelist, to journalist, to, yes, online article writers, is the outline. The outline will save you a thousand headaches by keeping you organized and focused with all of your hair follicles still neatly or messily in place.

An outline doesn’t have to be extremely in depth or comprehensive. Start off by planning the introduction, add a few key points for the body, and finish it up with a conclusion or miniature summary of your article’s main points. Here’s a little trick writers use to create their outlines.

• Tell your readers what you’re going to be talking about. (Introduction)
• Talk about it. (Body)
• Summarize what you just told them (Conclusion)

Don’t be fooled into thinking that putting together an outline will only create more work for yourself. In all actuality, it’ll save you time in the long run. Your thoughts will be organized and you’ll be able to focus on each individual piece of the puzzle that when complete will flow together nicely.

Biggie # 3: Jazz It Up!

The most important function of any article is to inform its reader. But, your article must get and keep their attention in order to inform, right? Absolutely!

Many people neglect to focus on the fact articles need to be compelling, but they also need to sell if you’re trying to make money online. There are many elements of copy you can include to make your articles compelling and lead people to a certain action. You can create interest and increase action with things like:

• Attention grabbing headlines and subheadings (These draw the reader in and leave them wanting to know more)
• A hook line (This will keep them reading)

Keep in mind that everyone is very busy these days, if you want to get your article read from beginning to end, you will have a higher chance of success when you add a bit of creative copywriting.

Biggie # 4: Lead Them Onward

If you remember nothing else about people who buy online, remember this:

You will make more money when you TELL your reader what to do next!

The internet is all about choice, endless choices swimming around in a vast ocean of information. You can’t expect your readers to go where you want them to if you don’t tell them. You can’t push a boat out to sea and just hope it lands on the beach of a tropical paradise. You must make a map, be the Captain, lead them there. So after your readers finish with your article, tell them what to do next.

For instance, if you want your reader to visit your website to learn more about your product or service; send them there. If you would like your reader to complete a survey or give their opinion on the topic they just finished reading about, tell them where to go to do so.

This is where your author or resource box comes into play and can quickly become your best friend. Use this area to tell a bit about yourself or your website, and give your readers something to do. Give them a clear call to action.

Remember, keep it relevant by finding the right topics for your target audience and doing as much research as you can about that topic. Next, create an outline to keep you organized and focused. Then jazz it up with attention grabbing headlines and subheads to keep them reading. Finally, be the captain and lead them where you want them to go next, to achieve maximum benefits from your article marketing efforts. Ladies and gentleman, that’s the Big Four. Now go out their and light up those keyboards.

Peace & Prosperity,

Andrea Chin

P.S. What are your best article marketing tips?

To get you started with your writing, here are some suggested dos and don’ts of article marketing that you should be aware of.

Dos

• Write a short article. Write an article that is easy to digest and easy to understand. The shorter your article the better, although, don’t make it so short that it doesn’t deliver the information the reader is looking for. Keeping your article to 350 – 700 words is a good frame of reference.  My blog posts are generally shorter in length then articles submitted to an article directory.
• Present an article like a TV talk show. You might have watched talk shows, it’s entertaining and informative. Write your article in the same manner – entertaining and informative.
• Provide value.  Present a problem and provide a solution for every problem you make. Readers have a lot of questions and they’re searching the internet for solutions; when you provide them with a solution, you’re giving them something of value. At the same time you’re gaining their trust and building your credibility.
• Write to One.  Write as if you are having a 1-on-1 conversation with someone you care about.
• Include some tips on your articles. There are two types of tips you should include, the command tip, which tells people what to do and the mistake tip, which tells people what not to do or what to avoid. Articles warning against what not to do or what to avoid are a great way to build upon personal relationships and show you care.

Don’ts

• Too many spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors will make you look unprofessional and damage your reputation. To avoid these mistakes, read and reread your articles after finishing. Consider having fresh eyes read the article whenever possible.
• Too much self promotion. Hype and bragging will chase away more customers than it will attract and eventually destroy your reputation. People aren’t looking to be sold to. Chances are they discovered your article while searching for information to solve a problem. It’s Not all about you and your product and/or service; it’s all about how can you help the reader.
• Too long. Articles that are too long can mean boredom; boredom means no readers; and no readers means no potential customers. An article should be easy to read, informative and entertaining.  Stay on topic and get to the point.
• Bad Headline. Most readers judge an article by reading the headline. Bad headlines mean little or no readership. Try to use headlines that are catchy and contain keywords.

Writing an article is easier than most people think. Follow these simple article marketing tips to get your article marketing started.

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If you’d like an immediate start with marketing your business online using article marketing, send me an email.

Article Marketing is a Proven Marketing Strategy for Website Traffic!!

Here is an easy to understand explanation of how Article Marketing works:

1. You write an article.
2. You submit it to article directories.
3. Your article shows up in search engine results.
4. Web publishers (website owners & bloggers) grab your article from the article databases and use your article on their sites free of charge.
5. Inside your article, at the end, you include a resource box (aka author bio) that contains a link to your website and call to action. When the article is published, the resource box section must remain intact and also be published.

Here are the three main ways article marketing generates traffic for your business:

1. People follow your call to action and click your link from the article directory and end up on your website.
2. Webmasters publish your article (with your link intact) on their own site.
3. Your search engine position increases because you gain more backlinks.

Implementing article marketing will take some effort on your part, but the results will be well worth it. This proven marketing strategy is one of the most cost efficient and effective ways of generating traffic to your website and promoting your product or service. Follow these guidelines and you can be sure to get the targeted traffic you want to your website.

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