Part 1 of a 2-part series
To read Part 2
http://www.promotewitharticles.com/strategy102.html
First, Define your Bulls Eye
If you're going to write and post
articles on the Internet, be unambiguous about what you expect them to
accomplish.
Don't start writing just yet. Think
beyond the mechanics of writing an article or deciding where to post it.
It's one thing to spin out an
article or two. It's quite another to incorporate them into a strategy that
builds your website traffic, reputation, and business. All your marketing
methods should work together - online and off.
Your Strategy Clarifies:
- Who you're trying to reach
- How to find them
- What you want them to do next
(does your website support that aim?)
- Your primary goal and
message
- How articles (with
particular titles and keywords) mesh with your other marketing
Article marketing is nothing more
than a way to get information (not advertising) broadly distributed on the
Internet. It can't compensate for a muddled or dull message.
And it won't build your site traffic
unless it connects to readers in an interesting way.
Write Articles that Trumpet a Unique
Business Message
A frequent business error is treating
each customer- attracting activity as though it stands alone. Yet each method
works better when echoing a common message that links to the others.
To quote Roy Williams, the Wizard of
Ads, http://www.wizardofads.com
"It's hard to tell a powerful story badly. But it's easy to tell a weak
story well. I've never seen a business fail because they were "reaching
the wrong people." But I've seen thousands fail because they were saying
the wrong thing... It's amazing how many people become the "right
people" when you're saying the right thing. Believe it or not, it's
advertising third, customer delight second, strategy always first."
Maximize your Customer-Attracting
Methods
Last year I wrote an ebook showing
how to make the business website and Yellow Page ad work together to bring new
customers. It made the point that each promotional method has its own
strengths, and reaches different groups
http://www.yellowpagesage.com/smarts.html
By them working
together, each approach does a more
persuasive job.
As an example, the directory ad
should display a website address. A recent study found that over 60% of people
surveyed only call Yellow Page ads that show a website (even if they don't
intend to visit it). Besides, the website lets the business provide information
that won't fit within the dimensions of an ad.
A single approach can't cover all
your bases. The same applies to article marketing.
Article Marketing Strengths
- Ability to deliver an
interesting "sample" of your expertise
- Long enough to be
informative (600-800 words)
- Reaches and speaks to
tightly focused interest groups
- Quickly delivers the message
throughout the Internet
- Long shelf life - some
websites keep articles posted for years
- Builds on the keywords that
your website uses
- Incoming-links from websites
that post your articles
Plan More than One Article at a Time
You can't develop much momentum with
one article. That's like shooting a gun with a single bullet, or a PPC
(pay-per-
click) campaign for just one term.
The odds of hitting your mark aren't too good. Several articles written to
reinforce each other generate more mileage. As you get more articles out there,
people start paying attention, and you can target more keywords. Repeated
publications develop a personality that readers recognize.
Plan a number of titles in advance,
with a theme building from one to the next. Keep each one tightly focused, but
related to the others. In that way, you develop the in-depth "voice"
of an expert. And your information won't lapse into ho-hum generalities. Write
first-rate articles when you rely on the extensive free resources http://www.promotewitharticles.com
at Article Marketing Academy.
Try writing some in a series (like,
Part 1 of 3 parts) to build anticipation for future segments. Also, your
message won't be confined to the 600 to 800 word article limit.
Since each article in the series
resides on your website, readers needn't wait to read them all (giving them an
incentive to visit your site). Later, the whole series can be offered as a
special report or ebook (once related material is added).
Write with your keywords in mind.
Maintain your primary message, with a different twist for parallel niches. Go
to the extra effort to say something new. That's easy when you provide stories,
examples, case studies from your own experience. As you dish out practical
assistance in your articles, readers will be eagerly watching for your next
ones.
©
Lynella Grant, 2005
Part 2 includes posting articles,
writing to please the search engines, and ways to re-use articles. Part 2 of 2,
http://www.promotewitharticles.com/strategy102.html
****************************************************
Your Bio: --Dr. Lynella Grant http://www.promotewitharticles.com
- Article Marketing Academy - Promote yourself, business, website, or book with
articles posted online.
Author, Yellow Page Smarts, http://www.yellowpagesage.com/smarts.html
(719) 395-9450
copyright: YES
