Article Marketing: How To Craft A Compelling Resource Box

Article Marketing can be a magnificent technique for website promotion but only if it's done right. I mean, why are we writing articles anyway?

Are we writing them just because we love to write? Are we writing them because we want to brag to our friends and family about the fact that we've been "published?"

I don't know about you, but most article marketers, like me, write articles for two reasons: To offer valuable and interesting content to our "target market" and then entice them to click the link provided in the Resource Box.

Really, at the end of the day, we want targeted website traffic and as much of it as humanly possible. It's for this reason that you must put as much thought into crafting your Resource Box as you do your article copy.

Here are 5 tips to make your Resource Box a winner:

1. Write your Resource Box in the "third-person."

While it may seem silly, readers find them to be much more credible than those written in the "first-person." You will gain more trust and get more clicks, if your Resource Box says, "Author Name is..." rather than "I am a..."

It's cultural conditioning, really. How many books have you read where the "Author Bio" said something like, "Hi, my name is John Smith and I'm the author of this fine book you've just purchased?"

The answer: Probably never!

Almost every book sites an author's credentials in the "third-person" and so should you.

2. Your Resource Box should include information which speaks to your expertise.

If you're writing an article about "Gardening," you might include a statement like: "Author Name has been gardening for over 22 years." Any honest statement of credibility will be well-received.

3. Include a clear "Call-To-Action."

It can be subtle, like "please visit: YourDomain.com" or more direct, like "Click Here for more information." Just make sure to include a "Call-To-Action" or you'll miss out on a whole lot of clicks!

Believe it or not, people really do want to know what you'd like them to do. Make it easy on them; don't leave them in "limbo."

4. Use "Anchor Text" links whenever the article directory allows.

"Anchor Text" is any piece of text that is hyperlinked to a website. "Anchor Text" will boost your site's Search Engine Optimization by improving the value of the link in the search engine's eyes.

5. Make an offer for some "free information" in your Resource Box.

This won't always be applicable but whenever possible, making an offer for free information will generally bring more website traffic.

Just make sure to use an autoresponder to capture your visitor's contact information so you can follow up with them in the future. This will allow you to improve your credibility and improve your relationship with those who join your list.

Hopefully, this article will have been a great benefit to you! I can't emphasize enough how important it is to craft a compelling Resource Box.

It's quite a shame; many article marketers spend lots of time writing their "body content" and then put little thought into their Resource Box copy.

Remember, we're involved in Article Marketing because we want targeted traffic to our websites. If we're not generating traffic, we might just as well buy PPC advertising.