You Can Write An Article

Anyone can write an article and use it to promote their website. The distribution of articles through free article directories is one of the best ways to promote your website. Even if you have never written one, there is at least one type of article that almost anyone can write.

A Top-Ten Or List-Article

Choose with a topic that is relevant to your website and find a good keyword for it. This is the phrase that people will use when they use a search engine to find your article. If you aren't sure how to do keyword research, just ask yourself what words you would use to search for an article on this topic.

Think of an aspect of your topic that can be made into a list. You're going to write an article that has the "Top Ten Ways" to do something, or "Six Simple Techniques For" something, or "Five Questions To Ask" Whoever. Other possibilities include "Six Great Ideas For...," "Top Ten Tips for...," "Ten Secrets About...," "Three Steps To...," and so on.

Now just follow the simple outline below. Suppose the article is on ways that you can get free traffic for a website, and the key word is "free website traffic."

1. Write a title for the article, using the keyword it, so searchers can find your article more easily: "Six Ways To Get Free Website Traffic."

2. Write a description of one or two sentences, telling the reader what they will get from reading your article: "How many ways do you use to get free traffic for your website? You'll learn six of the best here."

3. "Sell" the article in the first paragraph, using the keyword again: "Free website traffic is a few clicks away if you know where to look..."

4. Create a numbered list, and explain each entry with a couple sentences: "1. Write articles. This is perhaps the best way to get free website traffic. Submit your articles to article directories, and readers find there way to your site by way of the link at the end of your article. 2. Exchange links with high traffic websites..."

5. End the article with a short paragraph, using the keywords one more time: "You can see that some of these ways to get free website traffic are easier than others, but why not try all of them. The real question is which will work best for your website..." This summary paragraph isn't always necessary.

6. Create a short "About The Author" or author's resource box. Have just one link to your website in it. Talk less about yourself than about why the reader should visit your site. Entice and tease: "For more ways to get free website traffic, visit..." This is possibly the most important part of how to write an article for website promotion. For an example of a resource box that has worked, see below.

A Publisher’s Rant – A Checklist of Items

Assuming you’ve read my rants on articles, you may want a checklist of items to consider for future articles. I am at your service.

Checklist

This checklist is going to be short and to the point. Remember, I’m lazy. Go back and read the original article if you need more information.

1. Headlines – Keyword phrases should ALWAYS be the first words. No exceptions.

2. First Paragraph – No more than 38 words. Two to three short sentences with the keywords from your headline included near the beginning.

3. No one sentence paragraphs.

4. Cut up long sentences into shorter ones. If a sentence is over two lines, it can be cut down.

5. Linking In Article – Don’t. Just do it in the byline.

6. Body Headlines – Break up the article with headlines in the body. Just keep them short and capitalize the first letter of each word.

7. Last Paragraph – Sum up the point of your article. Don’t include links or a plea to go to your site. Use the byline for your begging. I do.

8. Bylines – Keep them under four lines. Try to include the keyword phrases you are using on your site. If you are linking to an internal page of the site, use the keywords on that page, not your home page.

Eight stinking guidelines. Is that too much to ask? I think not! Besides, I’ve already had laser surgery and can’t afford a second session of smelling my eyeballs smoke. Please follow them. If you do, I will publish your articles and so will others.

Despite the tone of these articles, I am trying to help you get more bang for your buck with your articles. Okay, I am also trying to make my life easier, but there isn’t any reason why we can’t both benefit. If you want to get published more often, follow these guidelines. Publishers, webmasters and editors will love you.

The again, I could be wrong.

Okay. Occasionally you can use one-sentence paragraphs.

Just not very often.