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 website or to distribute in article directories, to other webmasters, 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 website. 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 website or to submit to an article directory, include in your newsletter, or post to blogs.
When writing your articles, including the most relevant information on your topic with links to further information included in your resource box or on your website. 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 website 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 website 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 website, 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 website 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.