Are you intimidated by the thought of writing articles? When you think
about writing an article, do you have flashbacks to high school writing
classes, and feel paralyzed by the thought of putting words onto paper?
Don't fret. There are some easy general guidelines that apply to
writing articles for your web site or to distribute in article
directories, to other web masters, or to post to your blogs. Follow
these guidelines and you'll be writing great articles before you know
it!
Simply make your articles brief, informative, and user-friendly.
Articles do not need to contain technical information, but rather be
written to give the reader useful information in an easy to understand
manner. You can write articles quickly and effectively using these
guidelines:
Make your articles brief and direct. The most sought after web content
gives factual information on specific topics. Usually a one-page
article is just about the right length. If your articles are too long,
the user may lose interest and move on to another web site. If your
article is too short, you will not be able to include enough
information to tell the reader what he or she needs to know. A simple,
one page article containing three to five paragraphs is perfect for
your web site or to submit to an article directory, include in your
newsletter, or post to blogs.
When writing your articles, include the most relevant information on
your topic with links to further information included in your resource
box or on your web site. Cover the general information you wish to pass
on to the reader and make it easy for readers to locate additional
information on the topic. A web site containing many pages with brief,
precise content is much better than a web site containing 3 pages with
extremely long, complex articles. Keeping the interest of the reader is
your top priority. The average web site visitor does not want to spend
a lot of time finding the information they desire, but rather locate
general information quickly with the option to explore more in-depth
coverage easily.
Creating user-friendly content is imperative to keeping the interest of
the reader and enticing them to explore the subject further. Begin your
article with a description of what information your article will
contain, continue with the information written in a short, direct
style, and end with a summary of what the reader has learned from your
article. If you have a well-designed web site, you will be able to lead
the reader to further information through links placed to the side or
at the end of your article. If your article is for advertising purposes
such as in a newsletter or to submit to an article directory, a short
resource box at the end of your article containing your name, a short
bio, and a link to your web site will be the best approach. Do not
distribute links throughout your article, as it can be confusing and
distracting to the reader.
Remember to include all relevant and necessary information, but do not
overwhelm the reader with intricate details. Focus on your specific
subject and keep your articles brief. Choose your keywords carefully so
that readers and search engines will easily identify the article as
containing pertinent information. A one-page article containing precise
information and links allowing the reader to easily find additional
information is the key to writing a great article.
