Each week I receive dozens of article submissions to my websites from aspiring authors, website owners, and entrepreneurs. Unfortunately, I can only use a small fraction of the articles I receive because the writers are making one of the crucial mistakes listed below.
KEY POINT: When you submit articles to a newsletter/ezine publisher or a website owner, you have to remember that we aren't going to publish YOUR article for OUR customers and visitors unless it is a high quality article that gives something of value.
If you're writing articles like crazy, but getting very few of them actually published, then you might want to re-evaluate your approach. Are you making one of these crucial mistakes?
1. Poor Subject Matter:
If you're going to bother to write an article, write about something that we're interested in reading about. In other words, address a problem and provide a solution. Articles that approach an old problem in a new way or with a new twist work well too -- you don't have to necessarily discover a whole new problem that no one else has ever though of before (If you discover a whole new problem and have the solution you better be thinking of product creation not just an article!).
2. Write with personality:
No one likes to read text books. Put a little of your own personality into your writing and make it engaging and entertaining as well as informative. If you have a sense of humor, use it. You have a good chance of being published on one of my sites if you make me giggle... Belly laughs are nearly guaranteed to be published.
3. Write for your audience:
Don't send an article about the value of protein in the American diet to a Russian Political website or the publisher of a podiatry newsletter... They don't care.
4. Write a decent sized article:
I would much rather an article be a little bit too long than very short. Four hundred word articles just don't have enough meat in them. I'm not suggesting that you ramble, but you've got to give me some details if you want me to publish your piece.
5. Break up your article:
Don't write your article in three long paragraphs. Break it up into smaller paragraphs with a few single lines, bullets, etc. to make it easier and more enjoyable to read. Again -- no one likes to read text books.
6. Spell Check and Grammar:
I don't mind correcting a couple of mixed up letters now and then, but let's be reasonable -- spell check your articles. Grammar is another thing that bugs me. I know that I don't always get it perfect myself, but your grammar has to be reasonable. Some of the people sending me articles need to take a high school English class.
One last point in this category is word usage -- don't use words in your article unless you actually know what they mean. Using big words doesn't necessarily make you look smarter. Did you know that newspapers are aimed at a sixth grade reading level?
7. Stop sending sales letters:
No one will publish an article that reads like a sales letter... period.
8. Forget about affiliate links:
Use your head... why would anyone use your article if it's full of your affiliate links? Ever hear of the "Golden Rule?" This is kind of the "Golden Rule" of writing articles -- don't expect someone else to do something that you wouldn't do. Would you publish another writer's article if it were full of his affiliate links? I doubt it.
9. Create a reasonable resource box:
A resource box should tell me who you are, what you do, and how I can get in touch with you. It's not unlimited advertising space for you to describe every website you run and each product you sell. Don't bother sending an article where the resource box is half as long as the article itself. That "Golden Rule" thing applies to resource boxes too.
10. Only write about what you know.
Even if you're writing an opinion piece, get your facts straight. Don't write an article filled with advice that you have no business giving.
If you take nothing else away from this article, remember that good copy always answers "What's in it for me?" When you're writing articles to send to newsletter and website publishers, you have to answer that question on two fronts...
What's in it for the publisher? Why should they show your article to their customers and visitors? Does it give something of value?
-- AND --
What's in it for the people who will ultimately be reading your article when it's published?
After all, the idea is to provide some worthy content that compels readers to visit your site, subscribe to your newsletter, or buy your product. So next time you send an article, what's in it for me?
? Chris Yates - All Rights reserved. http://www.yoursitesupport.com
recurring cleaning service Mundelein ..This article reveal the same techniques that many Internet marketing... Read More
There's such a thing as taking search engine optimization too... Read More
The Internet can be a confusing place to do business.... Read More
WEB DIRECTORIESDirectories play an important role in aiding a site's... Read More
What is web-marketing? Why does your business need it?The best... Read More
Business is war.To get to the top, you must fight... Read More
Joe Nogood owns a small but thriving gift store. He... Read More
1. Directory Linking Create a directory of web sites on... Read More
Have you noticed lately how savvy webmasters are using simple,... Read More
Though it's wonderful to get all those hits to your... Read More
Repetition is the key to getting your adverts and promotion... Read More
The first step to starting a profitable online business of... Read More
In this article I discuss some ineffective and/or unethical website... Read More
Behind every good web page are codes only the search... Read More
On a regular basis I receive e-mail through all my... Read More
Holding a contest or sweepstakes can draw a lot of... Read More
Promote your website using articles - Internet is all about... Read More
Driving traffic to your website can be a time consuming... Read More
Learn How To Use These Six Explosive Marketing Techniques To... Read More
I think you all know that buying pop ups in... Read More
Viral Marketing is allowing people to giveaway and use your... Read More
It's no big secret that banner ads have become less... Read More
Often, website owners would like to promote their new business... Read More
This could be the most amazing article to ever be... Read More
You can learn many things you didn't know about your... Read More
tidy up service Buffalo Grove ..Success in business thrives on ideas.The more creative you're the... Read More
Promoting your website might seem like an enormous task that... Read More
Professionals in tend to under-estimate the power of the web... Read More
The latest trend in online marketing focuses on local search.... Read More
You own a website and you want more traffic. More... Read More
A prospect's mind is an intimate place... Read More
Here are some simple and easy tips on how to... Read More
The ChallengeWebSiteMarketingPlan.com was to be a companion site to the... Read More
Your success on the internet is directly related to how... Read More
Are you happy with your website? (Does your business even... Read More
The internet has the capacity, sometimes, to divorce not just... Read More
Writing articles for your site and for the use of... Read More
The beauty of the Internet is that it allows you... Read More
Is your business lagging behind?Are you frustrated?Cheer up.Here are 10... Read More
1. Generate Targeted Traffic from Online Discussion Forums.Online discussion forums... Read More
This article explains in detail the various issues related to... Read More
Write it, offer it for free on your site and... Read More
It's no big secret that banner ads have become less... Read More
Have you even been to CNN's website? Odds are you... Read More
Free content builder. Articles are the best way to add... Read More
If you want to make money on the web, you... Read More
When you are deciding on the major search engine directories... Read More
DMOZ editors are supposed to be professionals in the category... Read More
Seeking effective affordable website promotion should begin with listing your... Read More
Do you know how your web site fits into the... Read More
Web Site Promotion |