Article Marketing – 6 Easy Steps to Writing Powerful Articles

Do your articles steer traffic to your website like a cattle drive? If they don’t then let me show you how to write articles that cause a stampede.

Writing articles for publication in article directories remains one of the most effective ways to lead traffic to your website. If you want to bring in highly qualified and highly targeted visitors there is really no better medium. If used properly an article marketing campaign can turn your lack of traffic into a stampede.

While you do not have to be an English professor or have a doctorate in journalism there are a few keys that need to be observed when writing effective, traffic generating articles.

1.) You Must Write…Every Day!

I do not care if you possess the gift of gab or if you are so fluent with words that you can that you can sell ice to an Eskimo. If you do not write and submit articles then your article marketing strategy will fail. You must be prolific. Once article per day will simply not do it and as a result you will see very little traffic to your website. My suggestion would be an absolute minimum of 5 articles per day, with 10 being even better.

2.) Your Headline Must Grab the Attention of the Reader

Most people tend to simply glance through titles and maybe the first line or to of an article. Your headline stand out and say “LOOK AT ME.” One of the best tried and true ways to generate interest in a title or headline is to ask a question. For example, “Do You Know How to Make Money Writing Easy Articles?” will grab a reader’s attention much quicker than “Make Money Writing Articles.” Another way to grab attention with your headline is to use a “How To” statement. Using the above example, if you use something like “How to Make Money Writing Easy Articles” versus “Make Money Writing Articles” which of those headlines would you rather read? Yet another way to get the attention of someone scanning headlines is to offer “Tips” “5 Easy Steps to Making Money Writing Easy Articles”, “10 Steps to A Profitable Article Writing Business”, and “The 3 Most Important Secrets in Article Writing for Profit” are just a few examples.

Never mislead a reader however. If your article is about bass fishing then do not title it “How to Set the Hook in Online Marketing”, dishonesty will do nothing but cause you grief.

3.) Hook Your Reader With Your First Sentence

Think of it kind of like fishing. Your headline is the lure and should get you the nibble you are looking for. Your first sentence is setting the hook and reeling them in. Once again asking a question is a good way to tickle the curiosity of the reader. Once curiosity has been stimulated it is human nature to want to know the outcome.

4.) The Article Body

This is the “meat’ of your article. Always address the subject of your headline or title, do not mislead your readers. Within the body of the article you should answer or provide a solution to the question that you asked in the Headline and/or your first sentence. The purpose of writing an article is to inform and educate your reader. If you pose more problems be sure that you follow them up with solutions. You must be sure that the body of your article addresses the subject of your headline. If it does not you will find that your readers become frustrated and your credibility will suffer.

5.) Conclusion

In your conclusion you should recap the question or points discussed in the article and summarize how the solutions or answer will benefit the reader.

6.) Use the Power of the Resource Box

Since most article directories frown upon actual selling within an article the resource box is the place to promote your affiliate program, e-book, or even a free report or other give away. Use it to provide an avenue for your readers to get more information. Steer them to a squeeze page to build your list. Try to keep your resource box tight and to the point. 3 to 6 lines is idea and in fact more that and you may jeopardize getting the article published.