Article Writing | If we were to try to list all the different article writing styles that exist or will exist, we'd probably end up with an encyclopedia, because writing styles are like fingerprints. No two are completely alike. But there are some basic development structures that are, more often than not, used by the vast majority of article composers.
After all, there are very few reasons why you'd want to write an article in the first place, and so every article written will most likely have a similar purpose based on these few motives. For example, you have the desire to either sell a product, build content for your website, establish yourself as an expert in your field, any combination of these, or all of the above.
That's about it unless it's merely your job.
So there's usually some fundamental similarities among articles that can be drawn upon when you're setting out to write one yourself.
Take a look . . .
1. Product Introduction and Advertisement
When writing an article, it's not customarily wise to blatantly advertise your product directly. Readers are looking for information that will help them understand how to do something, or for recommendations about what to use. If they wanted to be advertised to, they're simply going to the Classifieds and pick out the best product for the money.
So when you're setting out to write an article about a product, it's best to build your article loosely around the product without actually naming it or describing it.
That's what your sales page is for, right?
Thus when you want to write an article introducing a product, set out to create a scenario describing a situation where a product like you're marketing could be used. Start with the problem that needs solving and conclude with some possible solutions. What you're doing is building an argument and leading the reader to an obvious conclusion. Finish it off with your bio box that leads them to your sales page.
2. Building Content
The key to building good, solid content for your website is somewhat different than writing an article to introduce your product. With your product introduction, your article is, obviously, product driven. But when you want to build content, your motivation would be more niche driven, or keyword specific.
The objective is to fill your website with keyword rich article content to entice the Search Engines to spider your site with as much enthusiasm as possible. The more information you can supply on a specific topic, the more your site will be viewed as important and useful to the general web surfer.
The Search Engines want people to use them, so when they find such a website, they're more than happy to list it. So to accomplish this, your article would start out with a single keyword or key phrase that's specific to your website to establish the purpose behind it.
By sticking to this specific topic, you'll be assuring yourself of a well-written article that fits right in with your website's theme.
3. Establishing Yourself as an Expert
Of all the reasons for writing articles, this one should be viewed as a long-range approach. The concept behind it is to gradually produce articles based on one particular field in order for your readers to learn to associate your name with that one field. The intended outcome is to establish yourself as a teacher, and one who has good recommendations to give. This, in turn, will help you develop a following of people who would actually go out of their way to find articles you've written.
This is a great way to build a mailing list too.
Once you've written several articles about a topic, you can then add a link in your bio box to a free report or ebook. When the readers click on the link, they're taken to a page that requires them to sign up to get the free publication.
So the more expertise you show in your articles, the more sign ups you'll get.
4. Combinations
Of course, you can combine any of these methods and still come off with some great articles. However, you'd want to want to build on one method and incorporate the others in with less enthusiasm. For example, you'd be hard-pressed to prove yourself an expert and build a following if your articles were always obvious product endorsements. And your content building efforts would suffer if every article was more about your expertise than the niche topic its supposed to be about.
So though it's possible, your best bet would be to choose one method, or one purpose and stick with it for each article.
Whichever method you choose, it's vital that you provide good quality work. Articles are a lot like Classifieds in one important way. A good one can entice almost assured positive response and a bad one . . .
Well, you know the answer to that.
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