Articles. We love them. Content-rich and drive visitors to our website. Inward links across the internet. Search engines count the keywords and count the links. We get a higher page rank. We come higher in search engines. Our Adsense goes up.
However, having read a few of them, I have to say I have not read so much crap in my life. Anyone who puts this on their website via an RSS feed or by copying the article wholesale is really being stupid. Very few of these "articles" are anything more than keyword-optimized web pages designed to pull in search engines, or outright adverts.
Excuse the length of the quote, but here, as an example, is a quote from a keyword-optimized article:
"The opinion on who’s the best free online dating service in America could vary, depending on the person being asked. But there was a popularity survey conducted among Americans and Canadians to find out the best online dating sites. The high rank though does not mean that it is the best free online dating in terms of quality but it does mean that it is by far the most popular.
“There are a number of free online dating web sites over the net to choose from. Free online dating web sites offer real time chat, emailing, profiling, and telephone access dependant on the clients’ choices. These type of sites can be accessed through Internet service providers. Participants are required to be over the age of 18 and have registered with their chosen dating service provider.
“A Free online dating web site enables...
Spot the keyword phrase being looked for? Yep it’s "Free online dating". I should expect the phrase could be generically replaced with "free African dating", "free Vietnamese dating", "free free dating" or more. Edit/Find/Replace anyone? This article is NOT written for a person to read. It’s written for a search engine to read. Hence the use of the word America/Americans. Dating websites are, by their virtue of being websites, international. This article writer, has, however, ritten the article so that it will hit the keyword "American". Why? Because there are 280 million Americans, they are patriotic, and they are to the internet what Germans are to the swimming pool.
Who doesn't know that "These types of site can be accessed through Internet Service Providers". How else are you supposed to access a "free online dating site"? Post? Telepathy? This is making a sentence purely for the hell of it.
Another article talks about the SMART way to attract women which is simply the application of a management principle Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed. This is yet another example of verbal BS designed to draw traffic to the writer’s website.
I wonder if either of these were written by humans. Certainly both of the above have been APPROVED by humans on article websites who claim an editor will look for more than just page formatting. However, what we’re seeing is people writing sentences hoping that Google will pick it up, follow the link and raise the page rank, and human editors simply acceding to that need.
But what is particularly irritating is articles which are wrong. Another article tells you how to say “I love you” in different languages. One translation they give is Swahili which they tell you is "naku panda". This is wrong on a number of counts.
Firstly Swahili verbs are entirely conjugated. The phrase “nakupenda” can be broken up into its constituent parts of subject, tense, object, and verb root. "Na" is both subject and tense. It means "I" without any indication of time. It is simply a state. "-ku-" is object, it means "you". "-penda" is the root and is the verb. It means "love". Hence the verb-phrase "nakupenda" means "I love you. You can change the tense. "Ninakupenda", for example means “Nina”, "I am now", “-ku-“, "you", "-penda" loving, e.g. I love you but with a present rather than a perfect tense. Change the "-na-" for a "-ta- " and you have the future tense, I will love you.
You can look this up elsewhere. However, our expert article writer had made a wrong translation in a number of senses. "Naku panda" should have been written as a single verb-phrase, "Nakupanda". However the verb root "-panda" means something quite different to "-penda", love. Like most verbs it has a contextual meaning. Here are the various contextual meanings it could have: "I climb you", "I ascend you", "I increase you", "I copulate with you", "I get on you", "I cross you". So DON'T try this phrase in Kenya, Tanzania or Uganda. Stick with "jambo", "sasa", or "vipi". They mean "Hi", and you can't get in to trouble with those. Easy response? "Poa" - cool.
So, for article writers, here's three things not to do:
1. Don't write a SEO optimized article. Write something for humans. One day Google will read like a human and be able to spot crap a mile away. At the end of the day you want HUMANS to read your work, only they can click on a link and pay a credit card bill.
2. Don't write absolute rubbish. Perhaps you attended a lecture or seminar or read something and you want to apply it to something else. Try it yourself first! Don't just join the head of a fish to the body of a cat because it makes an article! If you do such ridiculous things you end up with ridiculous articles. How about "Application of the Geneva Convention in Slug Control", "How to write a cheque in Binary" or "American Foreign Policy - An Ethical Approach"? It’s all pure nonsense.
3. Don't be WRONG! If you are going to write something make it something you know about, better still something you are passionate about! Writing things which are wrong is akin to writing lies! Next thing you know someone will be swearing blind it’s true because they read it on the internet. Even if your article is about your toenails it’s something you KNOW about rather than something you wrote because you wanted more links to your website.
Monday, 26 December 2011
Sunday, 25 December 2011
8 Mistakes You Should Avoid Before Sending Article To Ezine Publishers.
#Make your article published; avoid some mistakes that many article authors did.
Sending successful article to ezine publishers could exposed your website to thousands of subscribers even millions of readers online.
However, to do this successful, you must compete with others internet marketers. They also send articles to the same ezine publishers like yours.
The question is...How to make your article stand out of the crowd?
Alternatively...
Your article goes to the trash bin.
Here are common mistakes many article authors did.
Mistake #1- Wrong-targeted niche market
Many article authors sent their article to the wrong-targeted niche market. Send your article to the targeted audience. Do not try to blast your article to all ezine publishers. For instance, as an ezine editor I received many articles do not related to internet marketing. Therefore, I'm not published it.
Mistake #2- No Subject
You do not write your article headline on your subject email. Many article authors send their article without subject line. Instead of writing “New Article submission" "article for your publication,” consider “New article – 6 Mistakes You Should Avoid Before Sending Article To Ezine Publishers.”
Mistake #3- Not unique
Your article content is a blatant idea. Topic you write it like the others publishers and not much different. Make your article fresh and unique. Learn something new in your market. Convert what you learnt into a unique article. You could write article on topic “how to,” “Tips” or anything that come to your mind. Even on article, title “how to avoid SPAM,” “how to hack hackers back.”
Mistake #4- Advertising article
Your article more on promoting your product or affiliate program you join. Writing advertising article only will kill your business online. Give your website info only on your resource box. Give something free like free e-books, free report, or free download. Make your readers visit your website to receive their free bonus.
Mistake #5- Lack of valuable information
Your article does not educate your targeted audience. People subscribe to ezine to receive valuable information. If they receive information on topic they do not want, not educate them at all, they will unsubscribe. Therefore, ezine publishers will not publish your article. Many ezine publishers provide information as best as they can to their subscribers.
Mistake #6- Spelling problem
There are too many spelling errors on your article. Sending article with too many spelling errors only waste your time. Check, your article twice before publishes it. You could use spell-checking software.
Go to the major search engine and type “free spell-checking.”Most word processor today built in with spelling check. For instance, MS Office can check the misspell words for you with underline red color.
Mistake #7- Without format
Make sure your article format 65 characters per line. Length of your article must between 500-750 words. Formatting your article will make for ezine publisher easy to copy and paste it. You could send your article through MS Outlook Express.
Go to “tools” menu and click “Options.” Click “Send” tab and choose mail-sending format to “plain text.” Then click “plain text setting” tab, select 65 characters for automatically wrap text when sending email.
Mistakes #8- No Personalize message
Personalize your email message with a short cover letter. Personalization your emails are very important because many ezine publishers receive hundreds of article submission every day. Also, include your article information in your personalize message.
Avoiding those mistakes above will make your article successful published by many ezine publishers on the net. Good luck.
Sending successful article to ezine publishers could exposed your website to thousands of subscribers even millions of readers online.
However, to do this successful, you must compete with others internet marketers. They also send articles to the same ezine publishers like yours.
The question is...How to make your article stand out of the crowd?
Alternatively...
Your article goes to the trash bin.
Here are common mistakes many article authors did.
Mistake #1- Wrong-targeted niche market
Many article authors sent their article to the wrong-targeted niche market. Send your article to the targeted audience. Do not try to blast your article to all ezine publishers. For instance, as an ezine editor I received many articles do not related to internet marketing. Therefore, I'm not published it.
Mistake #2- No Subject
You do not write your article headline on your subject email. Many article authors send their article without subject line. Instead of writing “New Article submission" "article for your publication,” consider “New article – 6 Mistakes You Should Avoid Before Sending Article To Ezine Publishers.”
Mistake #3- Not unique
Your article content is a blatant idea. Topic you write it like the others publishers and not much different. Make your article fresh and unique. Learn something new in your market. Convert what you learnt into a unique article. You could write article on topic “how to,” “Tips” or anything that come to your mind. Even on article, title “how to avoid SPAM,” “how to hack hackers back.”
Mistake #4- Advertising article
Your article more on promoting your product or affiliate program you join. Writing advertising article only will kill your business online. Give your website info only on your resource box. Give something free like free e-books, free report, or free download. Make your readers visit your website to receive their free bonus.
Mistake #5- Lack of valuable information
Your article does not educate your targeted audience. People subscribe to ezine to receive valuable information. If they receive information on topic they do not want, not educate them at all, they will unsubscribe. Therefore, ezine publishers will not publish your article. Many ezine publishers provide information as best as they can to their subscribers.
Mistake #6- Spelling problem
There are too many spelling errors on your article. Sending article with too many spelling errors only waste your time. Check, your article twice before publishes it. You could use spell-checking software.
Go to the major search engine and type “free spell-checking.”Most word processor today built in with spelling check. For instance, MS Office can check the misspell words for you with underline red color.
Mistake #7- Without format
Make sure your article format 65 characters per line. Length of your article must between 500-750 words. Formatting your article will make for ezine publisher easy to copy and paste it. You could send your article through MS Outlook Express.
Go to “tools” menu and click “Options.” Click “Send” tab and choose mail-sending format to “plain text.” Then click “plain text setting” tab, select 65 characters for automatically wrap text when sending email.
Mistakes #8- No Personalize message
Personalize your email message with a short cover letter. Personalization your emails are very important because many ezine publishers receive hundreds of article submission every day. Also, include your article information in your personalize message.
Avoiding those mistakes above will make your article successful published by many ezine publishers on the net. Good luck.
Saturday, 24 December 2011
7 Marketing Lessons We Can Learn From TV Infomercials
I hate to share this, but I love watching infomercials. And I've ordered more than once from them! Everything from cosmetics to a cell phone accessory.
When pressed, my friends admit the same. If you sniff around most people's homes, you'll find SOMETHING ordered from an infomercial, whether it's the Ronco Rotisserie or Victoria Principal's skincare.
You may think of these often annoying programs as "trash TV", but think again. Did you realize that they use many of the exact same strategies that we should?
Now, I don't mean you need to scream at your customers or flash "$19.95" in blinking digits on your website! Those are gimmicks. But what most people don't realize is that many of the STRATEGIES that sell the kitchen doohickey gadget are the same ones that can also sell your products and programs.)
Here are 7 of my favorites:
1. They grab your attention.
Infomercials air on the most challenging medium there is out there: television. You're just a second away from your prospect clicking their remote to the next channel. So they do their best to get your attention right away and KEEP it for as long as possible.
That's why infomercials give bold statements and emphasize how this doohickey will change your life. You should do this too -- stop beating around the bush and make it clear to your prospects how your products and services will change *their* lives!
2. They give tons of real-life testimonials.
You'll see that TV infomercials have evolved greatly since years ago. It used to be one or two people talking to a camera for the entire time. These days most typical 30 minute spots are over 80% customer testimonials! And that's for good reason... they are the hands-down BEST way to gain instant credibility.
A great example is for one of those home exercise machines. I noticed years ago they just showed the super-ripped guy using it on the infomercial. Now they show that guy, PLUS dozens of before and after testimonials from real-life guys with beer bellies and real jobs who used the product with success. That was a great move on their part, because c'mon, I just can't believe that super-ripped guy got that hot looking using it just 30 minutes, 3 times a week!
3. They use personalities.
The most successful infomercials now use celebrity guest hosts. They know this gets people's attention more than practically anything out there. Pro Activ uses Jessica Simpson. Youthful Essence (a skincare product I love) uses Susan Lucci. Even NutriSystem is now using Dan Marino in their commercials to target men.
You can do the same in your marketing. You can either hire a star, or even better, make YOURSELF the celebrity... by sharing stories, being personal, and having fun with your market.
4. They give an irresistible offer.
It's rare these days to see an infomercial asking for you to pay for something in full. You'll mostly see things like "3 payments of $19.95" or "4 payments of $39.95". Why? Cash-crunched Americans are always more concerned about cash flow than the total price. They'll even happily pay much MORE in the end in order to gain a lower monthly payment!
You can do the same. Offer a payment plan for your products, courses, workshops, and coaching. You'll be AMAZED at the increased response, and it's easy to do with marketing-savvy shopping cart systems.
5. They give a strong call-to-action NOW.
These folks know that as soon as you change the channel, you're going to forget about their product. So they make it very urgent that you pick up the phone and call them now or visit their website and order. They usually say something like "If you call in the next 10 minutes you also get..." and they list a few great bonuses.
This isn't just specific to TV. Everyone would rather put off ANY decision these days, we're all so busy and overwhelmed! So you need to give people a good REASON to act now, whether it's a discount that expires, a payment plan that expires, a limited number of products or seats, a special bonus... you get the idea.
6. They sell on continuity.
What's "continuity"? <a href="http://www.ezinequeen.com/">online newsletter</a> it's when you make ONE sale that results in multiple charges over and over. For example, because my friends have been raving about I.D. Bare Minerals natural makeup, I recently ordered a kit from their infomercial. Now, every 2 months, I receive a fresh supply in the mail, and my card is charged again. I love it because I don't have to remember to reorder. They love it because they only had to make ONE sale, and how they've got me as a customer forever until I cancel!
Hear me now... continuity will change your life! Consider how you can use this principle in your business. Could you convert some of your current offerings into a monthly membership? Or instead of doing one-shot teleseminars, create an ongoing monthly program? (I did this with my Marketing & Motivation Mastermind.)
7. They repeat themselves. And repeat themselves.
And repeat themselves again! Smart marketers know it takes an average of 9 TIMES for someone to see/hear your message BEFORE they will even consider purchasing! That goes for you too. So many of my clients complain that advertising doesn't work when they only ran one ad ONCE. Or published ONE newsletter and it didn't get them results.
Remember it's the ongoing exposure and repetition that breeds familiarity and trust with your prospects! And that leads to more sales than you've ever imagined.
When pressed, my friends admit the same. If you sniff around most people's homes, you'll find SOMETHING ordered from an infomercial, whether it's the Ronco Rotisserie or Victoria Principal's skincare.
You may think of these often annoying programs as "trash TV", but think again. Did you realize that they use many of the exact same strategies that we should?
Now, I don't mean you need to scream at your customers or flash "$19.95" in blinking digits on your website! Those are gimmicks. But what most people don't realize is that many of the STRATEGIES that sell the kitchen doohickey gadget are the same ones that can also sell your products and programs.)
Here are 7 of my favorites:
1. They grab your attention.
Infomercials air on the most challenging medium there is out there: television. You're just a second away from your prospect clicking their remote to the next channel. So they do their best to get your attention right away and KEEP it for as long as possible.
That's why infomercials give bold statements and emphasize how this doohickey will change your life. You should do this too -- stop beating around the bush and make it clear to your prospects how your products and services will change *their* lives!
2. They give tons of real-life testimonials.
You'll see that TV infomercials have evolved greatly since years ago. It used to be one or two people talking to a camera for the entire time. These days most typical 30 minute spots are over 80% customer testimonials! And that's for good reason... they are the hands-down BEST way to gain instant credibility.
A great example is for one of those home exercise machines. I noticed years ago they just showed the super-ripped guy using it on the infomercial. Now they show that guy, PLUS dozens of before and after testimonials from real-life guys with beer bellies and real jobs who used the product with success. That was a great move on their part, because c'mon, I just can't believe that super-ripped guy got that hot looking using it just 30 minutes, 3 times a week!
3. They use personalities.
The most successful infomercials now use celebrity guest hosts. They know this gets people's attention more than practically anything out there. Pro Activ uses Jessica Simpson. Youthful Essence (a skincare product I love) uses Susan Lucci. Even NutriSystem is now using Dan Marino in their commercials to target men.
You can do the same in your marketing. You can either hire a star, or even better, make YOURSELF the celebrity... by sharing stories, being personal, and having fun with your market.
4. They give an irresistible offer.
It's rare these days to see an infomercial asking for you to pay for something in full. You'll mostly see things like "3 payments of $19.95" or "4 payments of $39.95". Why? Cash-crunched Americans are always more concerned about cash flow than the total price. They'll even happily pay much MORE in the end in order to gain a lower monthly payment!
You can do the same. Offer a payment plan for your products, courses, workshops, and coaching. You'll be AMAZED at the increased response, and it's easy to do with marketing-savvy shopping cart systems.
5. They give a strong call-to-action NOW.
These folks know that as soon as you change the channel, you're going to forget about their product. So they make it very urgent that you pick up the phone and call them now or visit their website and order. They usually say something like "If you call in the next 10 minutes you also get..." and they list a few great bonuses.
This isn't just specific to TV. Everyone would rather put off ANY decision these days, we're all so busy and overwhelmed! So you need to give people a good REASON to act now, whether it's a discount that expires, a payment plan that expires, a limited number of products or seats, a special bonus... you get the idea.
6. They sell on continuity.
What's "continuity"? <a href="http://www.ezinequeen.com/">online newsletter</a> it's when you make ONE sale that results in multiple charges over and over. For example, because my friends have been raving about I.D. Bare Minerals natural makeup, I recently ordered a kit from their infomercial. Now, every 2 months, I receive a fresh supply in the mail, and my card is charged again. I love it because I don't have to remember to reorder. They love it because they only had to make ONE sale, and how they've got me as a customer forever until I cancel!
Hear me now... continuity will change your life! Consider how you can use this principle in your business. Could you convert some of your current offerings into a monthly membership? Or instead of doing one-shot teleseminars, create an ongoing monthly program? (I did this with my Marketing & Motivation Mastermind.)
7. They repeat themselves. And repeat themselves.
And repeat themselves again! Smart marketers know it takes an average of 9 TIMES for someone to see/hear your message BEFORE they will even consider purchasing! That goes for you too. So many of my clients complain that advertising doesn't work when they only ran one ad ONCE. Or published ONE newsletter and it didn't get them results.
Remember it's the ongoing exposure and repetition that breeds familiarity and trust with your prospects! And that leads to more sales than you've ever imagined.
Friday, 23 December 2011
6 Steps to Catch More Opt-ins Than Ever Before
Remember that when you have new visitors at your website, your #1 goal is to get them on your ezine list! That way you have permission to contact them again and again, educating them about your helpful services and products that they came to learn more about.
But you can’t just put up a link that says “free newsletter”. No one cares! You need to carefully craft an opt-in box that works like a big net, catching the exact type of “fish” you want as your ideal clients and customers.
Also remember, don’t hide your box at the bottom of your web pages. Right now, most testing shows that the best place for your opt-in box is the upper right corner… loud and proud!
Here are six simple things you should have in your opt-in box that will help you get more signups than ever before.
1) An Attention-Getting HEADLINE
Remember that online readers SKIM copy - they don’t read it word for word. So the headline in your opt-in box may be the ONLY thing they read, which determines whether they sign up or not. So don’t waste this space saying something like “Free Newsletter” or even worse… “Sign up for our mailing list.” Ugh! Instead, tell me the MOST exciting thing your ezine will give me!
Examples:
“Are You Ready to Blast Off Your SALES This Year?”
“FINALLY: Learn How to Keep That Weight Off For Good”
“Insider Secrets to Writing Novels for Big Bucks”
2) A Raving Description of Your Ezine
Work hard at putting together a description of your ezine that gets prospects excited to sign up! Remember they’re tuned into station WIIFM (”What’s In It For ME?”). Tell them what your information is going to DO for them as well as everything they GET. Examples: How-to articles, quick and easy tips, free resources, insider secrets. Aim for your description to be between 15 and 30 words.
3) A Field to Enter Their FIRST NAME.
Getting people’s names along with their e-mails allows you to personalize your ezine for them. For example, if I was on your list, your e-mail would come to me saying, “Dear Ali…” The subject line could even say, “Ali, here’s your free tip”. Why do you want to do this? Studies prove that having the recipient’s name in the subject line of your e-mails can increase your open rates by 60%!
The problem is, many people value their privacy and are hesitant to give you their full name. For this reason, just ask for their FIRST name. It’s been proven that you’ll get MORE names from people if you only ask for the first name. (And their first name is generally all you’ll need anyway.)
4) A Field to Enter Their Primary EMAIL ADDRESS.
Many people have a backup or personal e-mail address that they use just for receiving <a href="http://www.ezinequeen.com">online newsletters</a> and promotions. The problem is they are often from free e-mail services like Yahoo or Hotmail. These services filter e-mail like crazy, and their mailboxes fill up quickly, so there’s a good chance your e-mails won’t even reach these recipients.
The solution is, simply ask for their primary e-mail. It’s amazing, but simply ASKING them to enter their primary e-mail will get you more quality e-mails on your list! (You’ll also get less bounce-backs from undeliverable e-mails. If you get too many of those, it raises a red flag to some spam filter programs.)
5) A BUTTON That Says “Subscribe” or “Sign Me Up Now”
Make it very clear what they should click on to activate their subscription once they type in their name and email. Don’t use something confusing like a link that says “submit form”.
6) Your PRIVACY POLICY, right then and there.
Everyone’s scared to receive more spam these days, so put your prospects at ease. Don’t make them wonder what you’re going to do with their e-mail addresses. State right next to or below your opt-in form what your policy is. Mine is, “We will never sell, rent, trade, or share your e-mail with any other organization.” (Feel free to use that yourself.) DON’T make people click on a link to read your privacy policy - it looks like you have something to hide. In fact, in some U.S. states, it’s now required that you state your privacy policy right at the point of opt-in, so it’s a good idea no matter where you do business.
Want to See a Sample of This in Action?
If you’d like to see many of these components in action, see my pop-under box at www.ezinequeen.com/popup.htm.
And if you’d like MORE step-by-step instructions on how to get more signups at your website (and beyond) and build your list bigger than ever before, see my SPECIAL REPORT: “101 Simple, FREE and Low-Cost Ways to Quickly Build a Massive EMAIL LIST”, which you can learn more about here.
But you can’t just put up a link that says “free newsletter”. No one cares! You need to carefully craft an opt-in box that works like a big net, catching the exact type of “fish” you want as your ideal clients and customers.
Also remember, don’t hide your box at the bottom of your web pages. Right now, most testing shows that the best place for your opt-in box is the upper right corner… loud and proud!
Here are six simple things you should have in your opt-in box that will help you get more signups than ever before.
1) An Attention-Getting HEADLINE
Remember that online readers SKIM copy - they don’t read it word for word. So the headline in your opt-in box may be the ONLY thing they read, which determines whether they sign up or not. So don’t waste this space saying something like “Free Newsletter” or even worse… “Sign up for our mailing list.” Ugh! Instead, tell me the MOST exciting thing your ezine will give me!
Examples:
“Are You Ready to Blast Off Your SALES This Year?”
“FINALLY: Learn How to Keep That Weight Off For Good”
“Insider Secrets to Writing Novels for Big Bucks”
2) A Raving Description of Your Ezine
Work hard at putting together a description of your ezine that gets prospects excited to sign up! Remember they’re tuned into station WIIFM (”What’s In It For ME?”). Tell them what your information is going to DO for them as well as everything they GET. Examples: How-to articles, quick and easy tips, free resources, insider secrets. Aim for your description to be between 15 and 30 words.
3) A Field to Enter Their FIRST NAME.
Getting people’s names along with their e-mails allows you to personalize your ezine for them. For example, if I was on your list, your e-mail would come to me saying, “Dear Ali…” The subject line could even say, “Ali, here’s your free tip”. Why do you want to do this? Studies prove that having the recipient’s name in the subject line of your e-mails can increase your open rates by 60%!
The problem is, many people value their privacy and are hesitant to give you their full name. For this reason, just ask for their FIRST name. It’s been proven that you’ll get MORE names from people if you only ask for the first name. (And their first name is generally all you’ll need anyway.)
4) A Field to Enter Their Primary EMAIL ADDRESS.
Many people have a backup or personal e-mail address that they use just for receiving <a href="http://www.ezinequeen.com">online newsletters</a> and promotions. The problem is they are often from free e-mail services like Yahoo or Hotmail. These services filter e-mail like crazy, and their mailboxes fill up quickly, so there’s a good chance your e-mails won’t even reach these recipients.
The solution is, simply ask for their primary e-mail. It’s amazing, but simply ASKING them to enter their primary e-mail will get you more quality e-mails on your list! (You’ll also get less bounce-backs from undeliverable e-mails. If you get too many of those, it raises a red flag to some spam filter programs.)
5) A BUTTON That Says “Subscribe” or “Sign Me Up Now”
Make it very clear what they should click on to activate their subscription once they type in their name and email. Don’t use something confusing like a link that says “submit form”.
6) Your PRIVACY POLICY, right then and there.
Everyone’s scared to receive more spam these days, so put your prospects at ease. Don’t make them wonder what you’re going to do with their e-mail addresses. State right next to or below your opt-in form what your policy is. Mine is, “We will never sell, rent, trade, or share your e-mail with any other organization.” (Feel free to use that yourself.) DON’T make people click on a link to read your privacy policy - it looks like you have something to hide. In fact, in some U.S. states, it’s now required that you state your privacy policy right at the point of opt-in, so it’s a good idea no matter where you do business.
Want to See a Sample of This in Action?
If you’d like to see many of these components in action, see my pop-under box at www.ezinequeen.com/popup.htm.
And if you’d like MORE step-by-step instructions on how to get more signups at your website (and beyond) and build your list bigger than ever before, see my SPECIAL REPORT: “101 Simple, FREE and Low-Cost Ways to Quickly Build a Massive EMAIL LIST”, which you can learn more about here.
Thursday, 22 December 2011
6 Red Hot Tips To Get Your Articles Read
There are many people who dread having to write papers or articles. Many just feel like it seems to be too much work and it all just goes to waste when no one reads the. To some people, reading articles seems like work to, especially if the article is boring and very bland. Well, articles are supposed to be read, that’s their purpose to impart your message and information. If it is not read then it is a waste of time and effort.
But all the same, articles have to be written to be read. It’s just a matter of making them good. Making a good article doesn’t have to be strenuous and straining. There are just some points needed to be reminded of, and some guides to follow. Once you get the hang of it, writing articles could be fun, as well as profitable for you and your site.
Of course, writing articles must be about something you know about, that’s why if you own a site, you probably is knowledgeable about that certain topic and theme. When you write about it, you won’t have a hard time because you already know what it is and what it’s about. It’s just a matter of making your articles creative and interesting.
To make sure that your articles get read and enjoyed, here are six red hot tips to get your articles read. These tips will make your articles readable and interesting.
1) Use short paragraphs. When the paragraph are very long, the words get jumbled in the mind of the reader just looking at it It can get quite confusing and too much of a hard work to read. The reader will just quickly disregard the paragraph and move on to much easier reading articles that are good to look at as well as read. Paragraphs can be a single sentence, sometimes even a single word!
2) Make use of numbers or bullets. As each point is stressed out, numbers and bullets can quickly make the point easy to remember and digest. As each point, tip, guide or method is started with a bullet or point, readers will know that this is where the tips start and getting stressed. Format you bullets and numbers with indentations so that your4 article won’t look like a single block of square paragraphs. Add a little bit of flair and pizzazz to your articles shape.
3) Use Sub-headings to sub-divide your paragraphs in the page. Doing this will break each point into sections but still would be incorporated into one whole article. It would also be easy for the reader to move on from one point to another; the transition would be smooth and easy. You will never lose your readers attention as well as the point and direction to where the article is pointing.
4) Provide a good attention-grabbing title or header. If your title can entice a person’s curiosity you’re already halfway in getting a person to read your article. Use statements and questions that utilize keywords that people are looking for. Provide titles or headers that describe your articles content but should also be short and concise.
Use titles like, “Tips on making her want you more”, or “How to make her swoon and blush” .You could also use titles that can command people, for example, “Make her yours in six easy Ways”. These types of titles reach out to a persons’ emotions and makes them interested.
5) Keep them interested from the start to the finish. From your opening paragraph, use real life situations that can be adopted by the reader. Use good descriptions and metaphors to drive in your point, just don’t over do it. Driving your examples with graphic metaphors and similes would make it easy for them to imagine what you are talking about. Making the experience pleasurable and enjoyable for them.
6) Utilize figures when necessary and not just ordinary and insipid statements. Using specific facts and figures can heighten your article because it makes it authoritative. But do not make it too formal, it should be light and easy in them and flow. Like a friendly teac her having a little chat with an eager student.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
The author has a FREE CONTENT ARTICLE DIRECTORY located at http://authorarticles.com where you can get free content for your web site, newsletter or ezine. Additionally, If you have your own original articles you can submit them at this site. You are allowed to place an authors resource box at the end of your article containing a link pointing back to your web site. This is a proven way to add more in-bound links to your web site and improve your site's popularity.
But all the same, articles have to be written to be read. It’s just a matter of making them good. Making a good article doesn’t have to be strenuous and straining. There are just some points needed to be reminded of, and some guides to follow. Once you get the hang of it, writing articles could be fun, as well as profitable for you and your site.
Of course, writing articles must be about something you know about, that’s why if you own a site, you probably is knowledgeable about that certain topic and theme. When you write about it, you won’t have a hard time because you already know what it is and what it’s about. It’s just a matter of making your articles creative and interesting.
To make sure that your articles get read and enjoyed, here are six red hot tips to get your articles read. These tips will make your articles readable and interesting.
1) Use short paragraphs. When the paragraph are very long, the words get jumbled in the mind of the reader just looking at it It can get quite confusing and too much of a hard work to read. The reader will just quickly disregard the paragraph and move on to much easier reading articles that are good to look at as well as read. Paragraphs can be a single sentence, sometimes even a single word!
2) Make use of numbers or bullets. As each point is stressed out, numbers and bullets can quickly make the point easy to remember and digest. As each point, tip, guide or method is started with a bullet or point, readers will know that this is where the tips start and getting stressed. Format you bullets and numbers with indentations so that your4 article won’t look like a single block of square paragraphs. Add a little bit of flair and pizzazz to your articles shape.
3) Use Sub-headings to sub-divide your paragraphs in the page. Doing this will break each point into sections but still would be incorporated into one whole article. It would also be easy for the reader to move on from one point to another; the transition would be smooth and easy. You will never lose your readers attention as well as the point and direction to where the article is pointing.
4) Provide a good attention-grabbing title or header. If your title can entice a person’s curiosity you’re already halfway in getting a person to read your article. Use statements and questions that utilize keywords that people are looking for. Provide titles or headers that describe your articles content but should also be short and concise.
Use titles like, “Tips on making her want you more”, or “How to make her swoon and blush” .You could also use titles that can command people, for example, “Make her yours in six easy Ways”. These types of titles reach out to a persons’ emotions and makes them interested.
5) Keep them interested from the start to the finish. From your opening paragraph, use real life situations that can be adopted by the reader. Use good descriptions and metaphors to drive in your point, just don’t over do it. Driving your examples with graphic metaphors and similes would make it easy for them to imagine what you are talking about. Making the experience pleasurable and enjoyable for them.
6) Utilize figures when necessary and not just ordinary and insipid statements. Using specific facts and figures can heighten your article because it makes it authoritative. But do not make it too formal, it should be light and easy in them and flow. Like a friendly teac her having a little chat with an eager student.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
The author has a FREE CONTENT ARTICLE DIRECTORY located at http://authorarticles.com where you can get free content for your web site, newsletter or ezine. Additionally, If you have your own original articles you can submit them at this site. You are allowed to place an authors resource box at the end of your article containing a link pointing back to your web site. This is a proven way to add more in-bound links to your web site and improve your site's popularity.
Wednesday, 21 December 2011
3 Things You Really Must Do Before You Submit To Article Directories
To all writers and non-writers out there, now is the time to start digging up those creative writing skills back.
With modern communication technology comes the popularity of information-based marketing, which is one of the oldest and most effective techniques in getting targeted prospects to sites and converting them into buyers.
This is why article writing, submissions and publications are also getting popular.
There are already many tools that people can use to make the process of distributing their articles more easily. Though this is invaluable in getting the contents more exposure, which is only half of the story.
Let us take a look first at the common mistakes that some people make before submitting their contents to article directories:
1. Confusing the reason to promote the articles with the reason to write them.
In article writing, there are three key benefits why you are promoting them; branding, lead generation and promotion, which are all part of your optimization efforts.
But there is only one reason why you write an article, and that is to inform your audience. If the article is not focused on this primary and most important purpose, it will fail to achieve the three promotion benefits because no one will be interested in reading them.
You need to figure out first how to get people to read what is in your article, then make them click on your resource box. You can achieve this by producing better contents.
2. Failing to maximize the promotional opportunities of article marketing.
You may know already that your articles can help you generate additional links back to your site. But do you know that you can get more visitors and better search engine results from that same articles?
Mention keywords at strategic places. Just be sure not to overdo them. Some are even using anchor texts which is also an effective method. But it is important to know that majority of the directories are not able to support this.
Remember that is not only about the links back to your site. Part of doing well in your article marketing is getting picked up by publishers with a large number of audiences and gaining the ability of leveraging other brands because of the quality of your work. Better search engine results also are great benefits.
But these things do not put much money in your pocket. There are other factors that can turn your article marketing efforts into an opportunity that can boost your earnings. Not just increase the number of visitors to your site.
Start out with a plan and see to it that your article will serve the function that you intended it to have.
3. Publishing content that does not help your readers.
Maybe in the process of writing articles, you are thinking that all that is you wanted is links back to your site. And any visitors it can generate are fine.
Guess what? Not all article banks and directories are going to accept your content automatically. Oftentimes, they have some guidelines and specifications on the articles that they are accepting.
You can double the number of sites you can submit to by writing articles that the directories want to share with other people. All it takes is one publisher with a hundred thousand readers to increase your potential audience overnight.
Write the articles that publishers want in their publications if you want your article marketing to work the most effective way for you. This also means you have to obey the standard guidelines, spell checks, researching on a good topic and even hiring a writer to produce a good content on your behalf.
In the end, it is all really a matter of choice on your part. You can start getting a little exposure from increased links back but on a very basic level. Or enjoy massive exposure from a little extra time making quality contents.
It will be your choice. You may not be aware of the fact that an article submitted on directories is not meant to have the same level of exposure as highly-targeted content ones geared on a narrow group of people.
Learn the difference between these two and it will surely help you know what kinds of articles to write and to submit.
With modern communication technology comes the popularity of information-based marketing, which is one of the oldest and most effective techniques in getting targeted prospects to sites and converting them into buyers.
This is why article writing, submissions and publications are also getting popular.
There are already many tools that people can use to make the process of distributing their articles more easily. Though this is invaluable in getting the contents more exposure, which is only half of the story.
Let us take a look first at the common mistakes that some people make before submitting their contents to article directories:
1. Confusing the reason to promote the articles with the reason to write them.
In article writing, there are three key benefits why you are promoting them; branding, lead generation and promotion, which are all part of your optimization efforts.
But there is only one reason why you write an article, and that is to inform your audience. If the article is not focused on this primary and most important purpose, it will fail to achieve the three promotion benefits because no one will be interested in reading them.
You need to figure out first how to get people to read what is in your article, then make them click on your resource box. You can achieve this by producing better contents.
2. Failing to maximize the promotional opportunities of article marketing.
You may know already that your articles can help you generate additional links back to your site. But do you know that you can get more visitors and better search engine results from that same articles?
Mention keywords at strategic places. Just be sure not to overdo them. Some are even using anchor texts which is also an effective method. But it is important to know that majority of the directories are not able to support this.
Remember that is not only about the links back to your site. Part of doing well in your article marketing is getting picked up by publishers with a large number of audiences and gaining the ability of leveraging other brands because of the quality of your work. Better search engine results also are great benefits.
But these things do not put much money in your pocket. There are other factors that can turn your article marketing efforts into an opportunity that can boost your earnings. Not just increase the number of visitors to your site.
Start out with a plan and see to it that your article will serve the function that you intended it to have.
3. Publishing content that does not help your readers.
Maybe in the process of writing articles, you are thinking that all that is you wanted is links back to your site. And any visitors it can generate are fine.
Guess what? Not all article banks and directories are going to accept your content automatically. Oftentimes, they have some guidelines and specifications on the articles that they are accepting.
You can double the number of sites you can submit to by writing articles that the directories want to share with other people. All it takes is one publisher with a hundred thousand readers to increase your potential audience overnight.
Write the articles that publishers want in their publications if you want your article marketing to work the most effective way for you. This also means you have to obey the standard guidelines, spell checks, researching on a good topic and even hiring a writer to produce a good content on your behalf.
In the end, it is all really a matter of choice on your part. You can start getting a little exposure from increased links back but on a very basic level. Or enjoy massive exposure from a little extra time making quality contents.
It will be your choice. You may not be aware of the fact that an article submitted on directories is not meant to have the same level of exposure as highly-targeted content ones geared on a narrow group of people.
Learn the difference between these two and it will surely help you know what kinds of articles to write and to submit.
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
3 Steps To Quickly Writing Ezine Articles
Come on, admit it: Whether you're a professional writer or not we all draw a blank when we want to write an ezine article.
I've found an answer to that dilemma that will get you writing in no time so that you can publish your ezine article and begin to receive that new wave of subscribers you've been hoping for. Here's how to get the lead out if you draw a blank:
1. Write your action steps first.
Forget about the catchy headline and attractive lead paragraph for now. There's no use in cleverly leading a reader into an article that has no real value to them. So start where you build your credibility, right in the action steps. Of course you want to identify your subject and then tell them how to make their lives easier. For instance, plumbers are always going to have to fix pipes, it's the nature of their business. If you have an ezine to others in the plumbing industry, write about a new technique in the industry on sealing pipes or preparing them for the winter, etc.
2. Save the best for last.
There's something called takeaway or take-home that should be in every one of your articles. It's your last chance to tell your audience, "I know my stuff." Try to put that key piece of information in the last paragraph of your article and you'll want it to be something your reader can do as soon as he or she finishes reading your article. If you're writing to accounts payable clerks, you'd tell them ways to get each department to get approvals on all purchase orders before submitting them. A/P clerks would just eat that up. It's their number one gripe. Bottom line: Give your audience something they can do immediately at the very end of your article. They'll remember your name and become devotees for life- hanging from your every word.
3. Get excited about the benefits.
After you've taken care of the credibility building portion of your article, you have to draw the reader in and whet their appetite for all this great information. By the way, if you write the action steps and take-home first, this part will be easier because you'll be so excited about the information you'll see the benefits of it. And that's what writing lead paragraphs and headlines is all about: benefits to your readers.
Your final take-home advice
No matter what you do, when you're writing to an ezine audience, always include an "About the Author" blurb (some call this a sig file, short for signature file) and a plug for anything new you're into. To do this, determine what you want the reader to do after he or she is finished reading. Do you want the to subscribe to your ezine? Buy your new ebook? Or just visit or site? Whatever the benefit to you is, identify it before you write your "About the Author" section. And you can write this at any time because it's separate from the article and you can use the same "About the Author" blurb for multiple articles. As a matter of fact, you could write one right now. Check out the one I'm using at the bottom of this article.
I've found an answer to that dilemma that will get you writing in no time so that you can publish your ezine article and begin to receive that new wave of subscribers you've been hoping for. Here's how to get the lead out if you draw a blank:
1. Write your action steps first.
Forget about the catchy headline and attractive lead paragraph for now. There's no use in cleverly leading a reader into an article that has no real value to them. So start where you build your credibility, right in the action steps. Of course you want to identify your subject and then tell them how to make their lives easier. For instance, plumbers are always going to have to fix pipes, it's the nature of their business. If you have an ezine to others in the plumbing industry, write about a new technique in the industry on sealing pipes or preparing them for the winter, etc.
2. Save the best for last.
There's something called takeaway or take-home that should be in every one of your articles. It's your last chance to tell your audience, "I know my stuff." Try to put that key piece of information in the last paragraph of your article and you'll want it to be something your reader can do as soon as he or she finishes reading your article. If you're writing to accounts payable clerks, you'd tell them ways to get each department to get approvals on all purchase orders before submitting them. A/P clerks would just eat that up. It's their number one gripe. Bottom line: Give your audience something they can do immediately at the very end of your article. They'll remember your name and become devotees for life- hanging from your every word.
3. Get excited about the benefits.
After you've taken care of the credibility building portion of your article, you have to draw the reader in and whet their appetite for all this great information. By the way, if you write the action steps and take-home first, this part will be easier because you'll be so excited about the information you'll see the benefits of it. And that's what writing lead paragraphs and headlines is all about: benefits to your readers.
Your final take-home advice
No matter what you do, when you're writing to an ezine audience, always include an "About the Author" blurb (some call this a sig file, short for signature file) and a plug for anything new you're into. To do this, determine what you want the reader to do after he or she is finished reading. Do you want the to subscribe to your ezine? Buy your new ebook? Or just visit or site? Whatever the benefit to you is, identify it before you write your "About the Author" section. And you can write this at any time because it's separate from the article and you can use the same "About the Author" blurb for multiple articles. As a matter of fact, you could write one right now. Check out the one I'm using at the bottom of this article.
Monday, 19 December 2011
3 Simple Steps to Dramatically Improved Writing
Amateur writers write for the sake of writing. While this may create copious amounts of inconsequential content or provide them personal pleasure, it does nothing to increase business prospects, improve the world, or move their audience to take action.
So what is the goal of great writing, and how can it change your presentations? Professional writers always have one main goal in mind with everything they write: to transform their audience. Great writers strive to help their audience see through different eyes, act differently, change the way they interact with the world.
Anyone can throw words together and make complete sentences (case in point: most of the blogosphere), but if you want to actually have impact through your writing, you must learn to write for transformation. It's the difference between being merely informative and being compelling and persuasive. There are three simple steps to transformational writing: 1) writing for a specific audience, 2) using the right venue, and 3) choosing and executing the right type of transformation (there are three).
1. Specific Audience
If you want to reach your audience, it’s absolutely crucial that you understand them, get out of your own perspective, and write to their perspective. One of the first things I do with every piece I write is identify my target audience, things such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, location, income level, purchasing habits, hobbies, talents, interests, etc.
When I know who I’m talking to, I’m prepared to custom tailor the message to resonate with them specifically. For example, words such as “revolutionary,” “cutting-edge,” “fresh,” or “in vogue” will more likely resonate with an 18-25 age group, whereas a 60-70 age group will probably have negative reactions to them, who prefer things that are “proven,” “safe,” and “sensible.”
2. The Right Venue
By venue I mean the medium used to convey your message, including such things as magazines, newspapers, journals, books, radio and TV ads, blogs, websites, etc. The venue you choose is, in large part, determined by your audience.
For example, if I’m writing a lengthy article on monetary policy intended for scholars and economists, the best venue is probably a scholarly journal. Few people can stand to read long blocks of meaningful text on a computer screen, I probably won’t have enough space to make my case in most magazines, etc. On the other hand, if my content is concise, simple, and intended for a broad audience, perhaps a newspaper article makes sense.
All of us are exposed to written communications that we skim or ignore, yet if that same message is presented in a venue more palatable to us, we’re much more likely to spend time reading it. Writing for transformation requires utilizing the best venue for our subject matter and audience.
3. The Right Transformation
There are three types of transformations: know, feel, and do. A know transformation seeks to give the readers new information, or old information arranged in a different way, to help them to learn and know things they didn’t know before, in such a way that changes their life and perspective. A feel transformation obviously seeks to evoke strong emotion in the audience, while a do is designed to get an audience to take very specific, immediate, and tangible action.
Amateurs look at this list and try to do all three; professionals focus on one and nail it, because doing so affects the others. How do you want people’s lives to change because they read your message? What do you want to see occur in them? Do you primarily want them to know, feel, or do something? Pick one–yes, just one–and execute it well, and the others will take care of themselves.
If you want your message to actually have impact, you must learn to write for transformation. Know who you’re writing to, use the right venue to reach them, and choose the right transformation and execute it well. After all, transformational writing is the only writing worth reading.
Have a professional writer custom craft your message for transformation by visiting http://www.youwritingcure.com now.
So what is the goal of great writing, and how can it change your presentations? Professional writers always have one main goal in mind with everything they write: to transform their audience. Great writers strive to help their audience see through different eyes, act differently, change the way they interact with the world.
Anyone can throw words together and make complete sentences (case in point: most of the blogosphere), but if you want to actually have impact through your writing, you must learn to write for transformation. It's the difference between being merely informative and being compelling and persuasive. There are three simple steps to transformational writing: 1) writing for a specific audience, 2) using the right venue, and 3) choosing and executing the right type of transformation (there are three).
1. Specific Audience
If you want to reach your audience, it’s absolutely crucial that you understand them, get out of your own perspective, and write to their perspective. One of the first things I do with every piece I write is identify my target audience, things such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, location, income level, purchasing habits, hobbies, talents, interests, etc.
When I know who I’m talking to, I’m prepared to custom tailor the message to resonate with them specifically. For example, words such as “revolutionary,” “cutting-edge,” “fresh,” or “in vogue” will more likely resonate with an 18-25 age group, whereas a 60-70 age group will probably have negative reactions to them, who prefer things that are “proven,” “safe,” and “sensible.”
2. The Right Venue
By venue I mean the medium used to convey your message, including such things as magazines, newspapers, journals, books, radio and TV ads, blogs, websites, etc. The venue you choose is, in large part, determined by your audience.
For example, if I’m writing a lengthy article on monetary policy intended for scholars and economists, the best venue is probably a scholarly journal. Few people can stand to read long blocks of meaningful text on a computer screen, I probably won’t have enough space to make my case in most magazines, etc. On the other hand, if my content is concise, simple, and intended for a broad audience, perhaps a newspaper article makes sense.
All of us are exposed to written communications that we skim or ignore, yet if that same message is presented in a venue more palatable to us, we’re much more likely to spend time reading it. Writing for transformation requires utilizing the best venue for our subject matter and audience.
3. The Right Transformation
There are three types of transformations: know, feel, and do. A know transformation seeks to give the readers new information, or old information arranged in a different way, to help them to learn and know things they didn’t know before, in such a way that changes their life and perspective. A feel transformation obviously seeks to evoke strong emotion in the audience, while a do is designed to get an audience to take very specific, immediate, and tangible action.
Amateurs look at this list and try to do all three; professionals focus on one and nail it, because doing so affects the others. How do you want people’s lives to change because they read your message? What do you want to see occur in them? Do you primarily want them to know, feel, or do something? Pick one–yes, just one–and execute it well, and the others will take care of themselves.
If you want your message to actually have impact, you must learn to write for transformation. Know who you’re writing to, use the right venue to reach them, and choose the right transformation and execute it well. After all, transformational writing is the only writing worth reading.
Have a professional writer custom craft your message for transformation by visiting http://www.youwritingcure.com now.
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