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Home::Online Promotion
Writing Articles that Captivate Your Readers
Author : Leokadia Angela
You've heard it time and time again: if you want to get your
name out there, write articles and allow them to be freely
reproduced (with a resource box pointing back to you, of
course). Largely, that is true. A well-written article can:
- help you build your profile as an expert
- draw traffic to your site, and
- help you to build a database of potential clients through
associated e-courses or a newsletter.
So far you probably haven't heard anything you didn't already
know. What YOU are likely to be struggling with is the process
of actually writing the article. Sure, you can come up with the
content - but how do you really grab those readers? How do you
keep their attention all the way through? And most importantly,
how do you make them want to come back for more?
Let's assume that you understand the basics of constructing and
editing an article (it has a beginning, middle, and an end and
you know how to check the grammar and spelling.) Most of us can
manage that. But if you're not content with simply "getting
something out there" - if you want to WIN readers - then you
need to start thinking about what they want to know, rather than
what you want to tell them.
Put your readers first - every time. Give them what they want,
and they'll be queuing up to read anything you produce. Give
them something bland (or worse, blatantly self-serving) and
they'll blast by you so fast you'll be spinning in the back
draft.
The following four steps will give you a blueprint for writing
articles that captivate your readers - whatever the topic.
== 1. Find Out What Your Readers Really Want ==
Sometimes you'll know what they want because you're an expert in
the field, and understand the problems. If you don't know the
subject area well, you'll have to do more research. Look for
forums on your topic and see what people are discussing. What
are the problems that need solving? Can you provide an answer?
("If they have a headache, give them an aspirin.")
== 2. Start With An Attention-Grabber ==
Spend time working on your opening. Try to avoid trite questions
like "Have you ever wondered why so many people find it
difficult to lose weight?" Firstly, it's dull. Secondly, it's
not targeting the person reading the article - what do they care
about the difficulties "many people" have with losing weight?
They only care about THEIR weight problem!
Try to come up with an opening paragraph that gives the reader
that warm "Hey, this is about me!" feeling right away. Better
still; try to generate a rush of excitement - "This could be the
answer I've been looking for..."
Example: "The diet gurus make it all sound so easy: to lose
weight, all you have to do is expend more energy than you take
in. Huh! If it were that simple, the "Big People" stores would
be out of business in a heartbeat. Luckily for those of us who
are tired of diets, gyms and dull group meetings, there is a
back-to-basics way to tackle this. A way that won't cost you a
fortune or leave you feeling deprived."
== 3. Write As You Speak... Then Edit! ==
The sample opening above also illustrates the importance of the
tone you use in your article. You need 'meat' in each article,
of course, to make it worth reading - but make sure it's not
indigestible!
You're better off writing your article in a natural, relaxed
style that's akin to normal conversation. It doesn't matter if
the first draft is a little too informal - you can fix that when
you edit. Naturally you don't want to irritate your readers with
a too-breezy style, but too-formal is worse. Readers may want
facts, tips, and strategies, but they hope to be entertained,
too! Let your personality shine through.
== 4. End On A High ==
What's one of the biggest problems with most articles? They
fizzle out! Writers often don't know how to end on an upbeat
note. They either just stop dead or they come up with a trite
ending like: "So what are you waiting for? Get started today!"
The beginning and the end of your article are the two parts that
make the biggest impression. Start by creating a feeling of
anticipation... and leave them feeling satisfied (or excited)
when you finish.
If you are offering advice to help them solve a problem (like
obesity) gives your readers a reason to feel optimistic and good
about them. Don't make rash promises... but do offer hope. If
you are giving hints on marketing or business, sum up the
benefits of acting on your tips. You can also experiment with
using a pithy/humorous quote, or giving readers a specific
action to get them started. Be creative - and don't rush it.
Here's a final tip: create an article-writing cheat-sheet for
yourself. Divide it into beginnings/middles/ends and add more
useful strategies as you think of them. (For example, using the
tips in this article, you might write: ENDINGS - end on a high,
offer hope, use funny quote, suggest action to get started.)
Do this, and you'll be steadily cranking out articles that
everyone wants to publish!
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