Internet Marketing

How to write good articles for the web?

By and large, when talking about web businesses, we cannot fail to observe that their main purpose is to generate more traffic and implicitly, more sales.

The most important means is letting the people know that there is somebody out there that can meet their needs and offer them what they are looking for. Such businesses are all after increasing the amount of relevant (i.e. targeted) traffic on their Web sites. More traffic means more chances for conversions.

One way to attract traffic to a Web site is by submitting articles to specialized article directories. Such a practice is called article marketing. People read what you have to say about specific topics, closely related to your business, and if you gain their trust, there's a high probability that they will pay you a virtual visit.

Article Marketing - A Definition

Article marketing can certainly be regarded as a form of advertising. It consists of writing articles on topics closely related to one's business, and then submitting those articles to various directories or specialized article submission sites.

One characteristic of such articles is the presence of a so-called "bio box" at the end of the article. Such a section contains information about the author of the article, and about his business. These articles also include a link that can lead possible visitors back to the original Web site.

Tips for Writing Good Articles

OK, so you decided to write articles that you will later submit to directories and Web sites. Although this is a quite pleasant and rewarding task, keep in mind that it is not particularly easy, but not very hard either. You just need to remain focused and pay attention to several aspects. Above all, remember the following:

• Select a good topic

Do a little research; see what's of interest. Write on topics that are closely related to your business. Try to reach your niche customers by offering them the exact information that they need.

• Don't write extensively long articles

Keep in mind that the attention span of the Web user is significantly smaller than the attention span of a regular book reader. If you get boring, you lose your audience.

• Don't write very short articles

Short articles can't offer too much information. Web users will penalize scarcity of information by taking the most drastic measure: they simply click the much-dreaded X button on the upper right of a window.

• Write original content

Rather than purchasing articles and spending a lot of time trying to rewrite them and to adapt them to your needs, go for originality. This is a sure way to avoid duplicate content. Also, if your texts are genuine, you will most certainly gain notoriety and respect. Nothing beats the "fresh" feel of an article.

• Use appropriate, effective keywords

Keywords are as important as ever in such cases. They show your readers that they are reading something they are interested in, and you provide "food" for search engine spiders.

• Let your readers know that there is a person behind all those words

Be yourself. Be natural. Put a little of your personality in what you're writing. Of course, you should know where you must draw the line.

• Use language that is easily understood by the target readers

There is no need for complicated turns of phrase and words. Keep in mind that not all Web users are college graduates. Everyday language is best. It doesn't create confusion, and allows you to express yourself more freely.

• Use the slang of the niche you're addressing to

If you target a particularly narrow audience, make sure you know the buzzwords of the industry. Do your homework and let your readers know that you know what you're talking about. This will help you (in time) convince them that you are an expert in the field, and you will get more credibility, together, of course, with an increase in traffic.

• Mind your grammar and spelling

There are no little things on the Web more repelling than bad grammar and spelling. Nobody trusts a Web site where misspellings and grammar mistakes are frequent. It influences credibility in a negative manner, and it is only you who will have to lose.

• Use short sentences and paragraphs

Again, taking into account the short attention span of the Web users, you shouldn't indulge yourself in long, elaborate phrases and in endless paragraphs. Make sure that your paragraphs are no longer than 5 lines, and that you keep your sentences short and to the point.

• Write good headlines

Remember that headlines are good "bait" for both search engine spiders and readers. Catchy headlines that contain keywords should never miss.

Check out also our article on How to write a Press Release for the Web.

Article Marketing PROs and CONs

PROs

• Your Web site benefits from a surge in relevant traffic
• You will obtain a good name in the field by making popular and respected
• Article marketing will improve PageRank due to the increasing number of outbound links (links that come from outside your site)
• Visitors will want to return to your site
• Article Marketing is a great way to get backlinks

CONs

• Writing articles is a laborious activity
• Article submission takes a lot of time
• Not everybody can write good articles

What I would like to add is the fact that we frequently use this kind of advertising strategy for our business and overall, the results are quite notable - not only do we receive enquiries from readers, but the traffic and sales visibly increased since we began. At the same time, we have already managed to make a name in our field.

In the following list, you will find 10 article submission websites where you could submit articles. Note that some of them might require registering and it will take some time until the submitted articles are reviewed and until they appear online, but all are free of charge. At the same time, what is worth mentioning is that some of them are relevant only for our field of activity - software and marketing. In this respect, make sure that you submit your articles to the right categories unless you don't want to be considered a spammer.

10 Article Submission Web Sites

1. www.lxer.com/ - LXer Linux News is one of the most widely read Linux community news and opinion sites. It offers constantly updated information about GNU/Linux and free/open source software.

2. www.sitepronews.com/ - This is a valuable Webmaster news source. It comprises not only Webmaster-related articles and SEO tips, but also valuable information on various topics, such as marketing, e-commerce or advertising.

3. http://www.site-reference.com/ - This site offers Webmaster tips and tricks, fresh information, as well as quality Webmaster articles on various topics relating to online businesses. It also provides help on topics such as Internet marketing, design, programming and SEO.

4. www.selfseo.com/ - Self SEO combines various SEO instruments, internet tools and Webmaster tools in one place in order to help Webmasters build a successful website. They also offer Webmaster-related articles that contain valuable tips and tricks.

5. www.goarticles.com/ - This is an article search engine and directory, updated daily. It strives to meet the needs of contributing Authors, newsletter Publishers and visitors by providing one of the best and largest article databases on the Web.

6. www.isnare.com/ - iSnare Articles is an article directory search engine and also an article distribution service provider. It provides free content articles for e-zines and Websites. The articles hosted here are exposed to high search traffic, direct traffic and organic traffic.

7. www.ezinearticles.com - This article directory brings real-life experts and e-zine publishers together. It offers an extensive searchable database, which constantly offers fresh content to be included on Websites or in newsletters.

8. www.buzzle.com - It is supported by a large number of subject experts, i.e. authors and content contributors. This site offers information on a significant number of subjects. It is a medium where e-zine publishers can find lots of valuable information.

9. eyeonit.itmanagersjournal.com - IT Manager's Journal covers hardware, software and IT business innovation news. It offers vital advice for top-level managers and investors seeking to spot emerging trends that can increase efficiency within their enterprise.

10. software.newsforge.com - It provides information and resources meant to help those interested in making their experience with Linux more enjoyable. Their staff and contributing authors work in close collaboration with one another, as well as with other article directories.

**********If you really want to promote your Web site, we strongly recommend that you shouldn't rule out article marketing. It may actually do you better than you can imagine. Give it a change, and give your business an extra chance. Remember to put as much heart into this as you would into any campaign meant to boost your sales. Article marketing is a great tool that can promote you from being a bottom feeder to being one of the larger fish in the pond.

Pay attention nevertheless to duplicate content. Writing new articles and keeping your site constantly up-to-date are sure ways to prevent you from falling into that pit. You will see that article marketing is worth every second and penny invested in it.

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