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
tidy up service Northbrook ..What is web-marketing? Why does your business need it?The best... Read More
How would like to have an email list of thousands... Read More
If you're having problems generating a lot of sales at... Read More
Would it surprise you to know that Compaq Computer? outsources?... Read More
Five Nifty Ways to Make Your Site Sticky!'Stickiness' is one... Read More
Promoting a Website is not an easy task. New Website... Read More
Do you have a website or are you planning on... Read More
On the Internet, links are very important for websites to... Read More
How to market your business? It needs your continual effort.... Read More
Keeping it clean could give you a boost.By Mark White... Read More
Often, website owners would like to promote their new business... Read More
One of the great advantages of advertising and marketing on... Read More
It is said that content is king, but today 'fresh,... Read More
Managing your online business from home is a great way... Read More
Google Sitemaps is a simple and fast way for your... Read More
According the National Association of Realtors(R) ("NAR") surveys completed between... Read More
Ezine publishes have large amount of loyal subscribers. If you... Read More
Measuring and understanding your Website's success is a critical process... Read More
Once you have built and uploaded your home business website... Read More
Promoting your website can seem like a daunting, complicated task.... Read More
You own a website and you want more traffic. More... Read More
We have a running joke in our office that one... Read More
A great way to get the word out about your... Read More
Have you noticed lately how savvy webmasters are using simple,... Read More
1. Directory Linking Create a directory of web sites on... Read More
reliable home cleaners Buffalo Grove ..After the incredible success of Hotmail.com, the use of signature... Read More
There are many ways to promote your website for free... Read More
You have invested your time and money into putting up... Read More
(but also one of the most crucial part)It is time... Read More
Creating a sense of credibility for your product and website... Read More
Every web business should be using testimonials. Testimonials are extremely... Read More
Once you have finshed designing your website, you want to... Read More
Once you have built and uploaded your home business website... Read More
Many companies after spending a substantial amount of money on... Read More
What is the accepted standard for signatures? Who sets these... Read More
Personalized search is a hot topic especially since Yahoo! and... Read More
Have you noticed lately how savvy webmasters are using simple,... Read More
WEB DIRECTORIESDirectories play an important role in aiding a site's... Read More
One of the best ways to promote a Website inexpensively... Read More
On a regular basis I receive e-mail through all my... Read More
Contests and Sweepstakes.They are web advertising magnets that draw huge... Read More
The internet has the capacity, sometimes, to divorce not just... Read More
We get so caught up with internet marketing and "web... Read More
Behind every good web page are codes only the search... Read More
When you design a website you should create it so... Read More
As a small business owner are you looking at promotional... Read More
Ok. So you've got your website done and stocked with... Read More
We have dealt with the tags so the search engines... Read More
The latest trend in online marketing focuses on local search.... Read More
If you've gone through all the hard work of a... Read More
Web Site Promotion |