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
house refresh service Lincolnshire ..You have invested your time and money into putting up... Read More
Web site owners are realizing Jack Humphrey's Power Linking isn't... Read More
With all the "How To" articles, and great advice available... Read More
The Google patent application submitted in March, 2005 has generated... Read More
Most people who are not doing well on the internet... Read More
The most successful advertising is obviously expensive. There are ways... Read More
As a small business owner are you looking at promotional... Read More
Directory marketing can help boost your companies performance a great... Read More
Fresh Web Content Yields Better Search Engine ResultsAll too often,... Read More
You may already have thought about the following 3 ways... Read More
On the Internet, links are very important for websites to... Read More
If you master these nitty-gritty website promotion tactics, you'll be... Read More
One of the great advantages of advertising and marketing on... Read More
I've collected some really cool free products for you that... Read More
Here are 5 questions to flex your mental muscle to.... Read More
Once your site is launched, half your battle is won.... Read More
Would you attempt to use a cell phone with a... Read More
Success in business thrives on ideas.The more creative you're the... Read More
Interested in boosting your link popularity, raising your Google PR,... Read More
Think about it, when you browse any web site, you... Read More
So you have completed that new site and want to... Read More
Cross promoting is when two or more businesses promote their... Read More
Before one can fully understand the importance and necessity of... Read More
I just reviewed a new website and I'm in shock.... Read More
So, you don't have a multi-million dollar advertising campaign? You... Read More
licensed cleaning services Lake Forest ..Successful websites extend their reach far and wide! They build... Read More
Would you like to prevent Internet users from visiting your... Read More
This author's open-source marketing plan, as announced on June 29,... Read More
If you want to make money on the web, you... Read More
Does your business struggle with profitable online marketing? If so,... Read More
Yes indeed, that's all you've got, 30 seconds to make... Read More
1. Generate Targeted Traffic from Online Discussion Forums.Online discussion forums... Read More
Being a restaurant owner means you are always interested in... Read More
I've collected some really cool free products for you that... Read More
Here are the website promotion tactics to reinforce and increase... Read More
With all the "How To" articles, and great advice available... Read More
Promotion... also known as selling. Not an easy task in... Read More
How to improve conversion rate for your website? How to... Read More
Website promotion Internet marketing is perhaps the most important part... Read More
So, you don't have a multi-million dollar advertising campaign? You... Read More
The shortcut to succeed in business is to do what... Read More
Yes, it can be done. Here are 7 ways that... Read More
Learn How To Use These Six Explosive Marketing Techniques To... Read More
With the web today you "sorta haveta" have a rank... Read More
Do you dream of running your own business? Well, get... Read More
In this article I discuss some ineffective and/or unethical website... Read More
Does your website offer visitors a quick and easy way... Read More
Niche markets and mini sites are taking lately by storm... Read More
If you've gone through all the hard work of a... Read More
Links are the main pillar of your website. To navigate... Read More
Web Site Promotion |