Article writing can be learned by anybody with the will, and article marketing is an extremely effective tool that can be used to promote a home business. The problem is, that most people cannot write articles effectively enough to maintain the interest of their readers, and when they do achieve that, hav even less idea of how to properly use them.

Writing articles is a skill – that cannot be denied – but it is a skill that can be learned. Sure, you will need a reasonable grasp of grammar in your language, but not so much spelling if you use a good spell checker. It is not these that are the problem, as much as knowledge of how to write the content in such a way as to be of use to the reader.

Therefore, let’s consider the reader and what they are seeking when they find your article.

1. Information

People use the internet for information, to chat or to buy something, and by far the most extensive of these is information. The vast majority of people that use Google are seeking information of one kind or another. It could be a price, it could be technical information or even what time the next bus is due, but it is information and most of that is the type of information that you can provide them with by writing an article on their topic.

Perhaps you own a website that serves those interested in the niche, or you might write an article oferig a link to an affiliate product offering you a good commission for each sale. In the latter you can make money without having a product or even a website, and in the former you have a means of collecting names and email addresses that you can use to keep in touch with people that have expressed an interest in your niche.

2. There is No 2

That’s right – there is no 2 that concerns you. People want information, pure and simple, and you can provide it to them either with a well constructed website that you advertise using article marketing, or with a well written article, offering good and accurate information about their subject, and that in their eyes will make you an expert in their subject. That’s right – their subject. It isn’t yours, but theirs, and you are providing information to them on their subject by writing articles on it.

There is more to article writing than simply dashing out a few paragraphs: it involves a degree of keyword research, should stress the benefits to the reader of what you have to say, and generally provide useful and interesting information.

How to Write Articles

There has to be a benefit for the reader, or there will be no incentive to read it. That benefit must be stressed in the title of the article: the first part of your listing that is noticed, and the part that will be at the top of the listings on Google, Yahoo, MSN, ASK or any other search engine results page. many people are confused by this,but if your article is accepted by an article directory, then it will published on a web page that is the same as any other, in that it can be spidered by search engines and listed on their page relating to the keywords being used by the person carrying out the search.

The title will be the heading for the listing, and your summary, or the first few words of the article, the summary that appears below the title in the listing. Visitors seeking information, using the keywords that appear in your title and article, will be offered your article to click, and hence the importance of a compelling title.

You should use the main keyword early on (main here is ‘article writing’, and other keywords used in the rest – in my title I have managed to include: article writing, how to promote your home business, home business, make money, article marketing, money from article marketing

You expand on the theme of the title in the introductory paragraph, including the main keyword within the first 100 characters, and then write the article itself. Use keywords sparingly (once each 300 words), and use vocabulary that explains and defines the main keyword. Use a sparse sprinkling of the other keywords used in the title.

If you use keywords too much, your articles are liable to be dropped from the listings because Google’s main objective is to offer its customers with as accurate and relevant information as possible on the keyword they are using for their search. Keep Google happy and you will be rewarded.

Most reward is in the form of high search engine listings for your keyword and lots of visitors. However, this can easily be transferred into cash if you have a good monetizing system operating on your website. You might be using Google Adsense adverts, selling affiliate products or offering a service, but traffic is what brings sales and writing articles brings the traffic.

As to the mechanics of article writing – well, let’s simply take that to be a different topic, becaue you are not going to learn about article marketing, or how to use it effectively in online advertising, in one article. Articles can be use to promote your home business, and you can also make money from article marketing if you understand how to do so.

Perhaps you have heard the adage “No news is good news.” In contrast, sometimes the news is bad. How are you going to communicate that bad news?

Your last employer fired you. You are writing a financial report to stakeholders, and the company is losing money. You were required to perform specific duties and meet objectives, but you didn’t. You have a job to do, and it’s taking longer than expected. You failed a class in your undergraduate program. You have to miss work—again. You need to raise taxes because your budget is too high. Too many patients are dying. Etcetera.

A. The Purpose of Spin

Now you have to put the bad news in writing. One benefit of writing is that you can craft your words very carefully to say what needs to be said, honestly, but in a manner that reduces the negative impact. You can tell the truth, but tell it in a way that gives a better impression than the news deserves. This is called “spin,” or “spinning,” the news.

Sometimes, good news is made to seem like bad news, and this is also spin. Here, however, we are going to discuss 5 strategies for making bad news seem less bad. These are strategies for hiding an unpleasant truth while being completely honest.

1. Replace disparaging terminology and descriptors with positive actions.

You could write, “The company is losing money.” Or you could spin this and write, “The company is reassessing weak revenue streams.” “Losing” is a negative term, but “reassessing” is a positive action.

Instead of writing, “I failed this class,” you could spin this and write “I am strategizing how to attain greater success next semester.” “Failed” is a negative term, but “strategizing” is a positive action.

2. Focus on what was achieved, not on how you failed.

You could write, “We didn’t meet expectations.” Or you could spin this and write, “We nearly met all expectations.” “Didn’t meet” is a sign of failure. “Nearly met” is a sign of progress.

Instead of writing, “18% of all patients died from hospital staff errors,” you could spin this and write, “82% of all patients successfully recovered while at the hospital.”

3. Downplay and disparage criticisms and critics.

You could write, “Harvard economists argue against our budget plan.” Or you could spin this and write, “While some Harvard economists reject our budget plan, others with more direct experience at the national level support our proposals.”

Instead of writing, “Our previous client was upset that we didn’t meet deadlines,” you could spin this and write, “Our previous client had difficulty understanding the time frame needed to produce high quality work.”

4. Understate negative characteristics by stating “not + [extreme positive term].”

You could write, “He thought our writing was awful.” Or you could spin this and write, “He was not completely satisfied with our writing.”

Instead of writing, “The professor was angry at me for arriving late so often,” you could spin this and write, “The professor was mostly, but not entirely, pleased with my attendance habits.”

5. Use big, undefined conceptual terms to minimize the complexity of a situation, uncertainty about the future, or the potential for opposing philosophical perspectives.

You could write, “We are going to require upper and middle class taxpayers to share an increasing percentage of the cost for health insurance for non-taxpayers.” Or you can spin this and write, “We are going to enact legislation to ensure that all citizens are healthy.” [“Healthy” is not defined, but because the focus is on “healthy,” readers may overlook the essential question: “How?”]

Instead of writing, “Our employees are encouraged to keep quiet about any alleged company wrong-doings and face termination without warning if they discredit the company in public,” you could spin this and write, “We encourage employee loyalty.” [The specific meaning of “loyalty” is not defined, though the company’s unspoken policies certainly will produce loyalty—from fear.]

B. Ethical Considerations of Spin

I cannot talk about spin without talking about ethics. Spinning the news may raise significant ethical questions, depending on your point of view. On one hand, you are telling the truth about situations and facts. None of the spin statements above are false. If the reader doesn’t ask questions or think about what you write, that is the reader’s fault, not yours.

On the other hand, you are intentionally attempting to make the reader have a false interpretation of the situation or facts. You want the reader to think more positively about a situation than he or she might otherwise. You aren’t deceiving the reader, but you are getting the reader to deceive himself.

You also need to think about the purpose you are trying to accomplish. Spin may or may not be appropriate. You might not need to spin the facts depending on who will receive the document, what the reader already knows, the impression you are trying to give, or your role.

Article writing is one of the best long-term strategies you can use to build your credibility as an expert, drive traffic to your business and website, and build a relationship of trust with your clients and prospects.

Following is a quick checklist you can use to write irresistible articles for your target market, so they see you as an expert, and ultimately buy more from you!

1. Establish the Objective of Your Article

Why are you writing it? Or think about what do you want the article to achieve for you? Here are some objectives to consider:

* Drive more people to your website

* Have people pick up the phone and call you

* Encourage people contact you by mail or email

* Have people visit your office or store

* Entice people to request more information from you

* Order a product or service

* Establish your credibility/knowledge about a subject/industry

2. Article Preparation

After you determine your objective about why you are writing an article, you now must come up with ideas about what to write about. Here are places you can look for article ideas:

* Subscribe to other eZines and read articles for inspiration

* Review trade publications

* Look at popular books in your area of expertise and choose a topic

* Ask your clients/subscribers/contacts what topic they want to know more about

* Visit online discussion boards to see what people are discussing

* Sit and think quietly about topics that interest you

3. Write Your Article

Writing an article for your target market is not difficult if you follow a systemized process to ‘get your thoughts down on paper’. Brainstorm and create an outline of the article topic you can write about. Also consider:

* Write articles that are between 500 and 800 words in length

* Have keyword(s) peppered throughout the article text

* Stay away from difficult words (write at a 6th grade level)

* Keep paragraphs short (2 to 4 sentences)

* Break up text with subheads

* Include clipart

* Include a photograph of yourself

* Include a copyright notice

* Spend time to edit your article (or have someone else edit for you)

* Include an author’s resource box to direct people to your website

4. Headline Tips

You’ve written your article. Now, choose a snazzy title for your article that piques the interest of others. Here are some things to think about when creating your article’s title:

* Look at ‘The 100 Greatest Headlines Ever Written’ list for ideas

* State 3 to 5 concepts, such as ‘3 steps’ or ‘3 ways’

* Keep titles short (5 to 7 words)

* Create a subtitle

* Ask a question, such as “Do You Despise Used Car Salesmen?”

* Address a problem, “Do You Need More Clients?”

* Evoke curiosity

* Use power words and phrases such as ‘The Truth About… Discover… Do You… How To… How Much… How Would… Secrets Of… Yes…At Last!…Imagine… Protect….New Facts…You… Free

* Capitalize the first letter of each word in your title

* Address a benefit or value in your title

* Address a pain your target market is dealing with

* Put desired keyword in the title (first and second words is best)

* Put desired keyword in subtitle

5. Promoting and Getting Publicity for Your Article Get your article public and start driving traffic to your website and business!

* Send it to your top 10 list of eZine publishers

* Send it to your target list of print magazine publishers

* Send it to specialty offline newsletter publishers

* Post it on article directory websites

* Send it to article distribution services

* Post on discussion boards your target market visits

* Convert your article into a press release and send to newspaper editors and online press services

* Post the article on your website

Remember, article writing is a great way to build your credibility, build a relationship with your clients and prospects, as well as drive traffic to your website and business so you can create more income in your business!

Copyright 2009 Bonita L. Richter

i am writing a book and i wanna try get it published cause writing is what i enjoy (i know i stand little chance of succeeding) but i was wondering… how many words do average 100 page books have thankx for your help xxx

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