Using Articles for SEO - Writing Your Article
Continuing our lesson about article marketing for SEO, let's talk about how to write your article.
In truth I can't tell you how to write your article, because your writing style is different from mine (just like your personality is different from mine).
But I can offer the following guidelines for crafting high-performance articles:
1. Make sure your article follows some sort of logical flow. Choose a path (step-by-step, top ten, a series of related items, chronological order) and stick to it throughout your article.
2. Optimize your article for online reading. Use short paragraphs, meaningful sub-headers, list, bullets, etc. Keep your language simple (Hemingway, not Faulkner).
3. Keep the article reasonably short so it can be comfortably read or perused online. Aim for 500 - 700 words, but don’t obsess over those numbers.
4. Write your first draft, then put it aside for a day or so. Come back and revise it for tightness and logical flow. Ask yourself the questions below:
Questions to ask about your article:
Next lesson: How to create your title.
Until then...
-Austin SEO Guy
In truth I can't tell you how to write your article, because your writing style is different from mine (just like your personality is different from mine).
But I can offer the following guidelines for crafting high-performance articles:
1. Make sure your article follows some sort of logical flow. Choose a path (step-by-step, top ten, a series of related items, chronological order) and stick to it throughout your article.
2. Optimize your article for online reading. Use short paragraphs, meaningful sub-headers, list, bullets, etc. Keep your language simple (Hemingway, not Faulkner).
3. Keep the article reasonably short so it can be comfortably read or perused online. Aim for 500 - 700 words, but don’t obsess over those numbers.
4. Write your first draft, then put it aside for a day or so. Come back and revise it for tightness and logical flow. Ask yourself the questions below:
Questions to ask about your article:
- Does my article suggest a benefit in the the title and first paragraph?
- Does it move the reader forward smoothly and logically?
- Is it Web-friendly (easy-to-read paragraphs, lists, sub-headers)?
- Does it stick to one topic, sharply focused?
- Does it deliver on the promise made in the title?
- Is the information genuinely helpful to my key prospects?
- Does the article position me as an expert?
- Is it free of typos and grammatical mistakes?
- Is it lively and interesting? Does it have personality?
- Does it speak directly to readers (using "you" and "your")?
Next lesson: How to create your title.
Until then...
-Austin SEO Guy
Labels: Article Marketing
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