TWENTY FIVE TIPS IN WRITING ARTICLES FOR THE WORLD WIDE WEBWriting articles can provide you with enormous amount of exposure on
Web. You are branding yourself "on a shoestring budget, smell of an oily rag"... and best of all, it hasn't cost you a cent, but a little time and effort.
Writing a free content article is simple and follows a similar professional approach as an article for a standard, paying market.
People want quality content : for their ezines and their web sites ; however, as you no doubt realise by now, competition for content is fierce. Every Web site owner wants content (informative and helpful) and hundreds of writers want their content visible on Web. It's FREE promotion through your signature file at end of your article. Articles that provide good and accurate information, or ones that explain how to accomplish something are usually best, and will be read most often.
So start by pointing out a problem your reader has. Ask yourself this vitally important question: How will your article help people in solving their problem? In this article I attempt to provide a solution, ie. how to promote your online business "on smell of an oily rag"!
Here are some pointers in writing articles for www and getting them published by article announcement lists or ezines (electronic newsletters):
Firstly,
1. Accept that writing for web is different to writing for off-line world. People tend to skim and scan (note alliteration) when reading online. They read quickly scrolling down page.
2. Identify your target audience. 3. Give your article a catchy title that will grab people's attention and make them want to read it.
4. Keep your title reasonably short. Put some thought and effort into your heading - again to get your reader's immediate attention.
5. Be professional and take your article writing seriously. Write about something you know professionally. Don't be overly casual in your writing (ie. don't write exactly as you speak)
6. Keep your paragraphs short.
7. Get to point quickly (enough waffle with maple syrup, Craig!).
8. Target your article to your audience with "focussed information".
9. Be brief, if you are a "waffler", like this writer. People want immediate information online and have limited time usually - it's "instant coffee, sorry generation.
10. Write briefly and concisely (redundant words, meaning same thing, Craig!) Try to keep your article under 1000 words. (People get bored quickly reading online). Most paying markets usually only accept between 500 and 1500 words...and with a bit of luck they may even"pick up" your great article. Try to be concise in your wording. Brevity is hall-mark of good writing...or so say many of teachers of writing!
