How to Effectively Write an Article
One of the most frustrating things for web site owners or online entrepreneurs is learning how to write an effective article, especially when they do not have a great deal of experience with writing technical content in a timely and efficient manner.
Far too often, businesses attempt to save money by handling the content themselves and they end up with content that does not do what it is supposed to do – attract visitors and convince potential customers to utilize offered services. The following are a few simple tips to help you learn how to write an article.
Know Your Format
The average web visitor reads only about 20% of the content that they see on a web page. With this in mind, the temptation might be to use repetitive material to make absolutely sure that the reader learns what they need to about your product or service. However, this can make for very dreary and poorly written content. When learning how to write an article, remember to keep paragraphs short, write actionable and keep the format clean. Try the following:
- Include at least one list in your article to give variety.
- Begin sentences with verbs (especially instructions) to give the reader direction.
- Write short paragraphs and use lean prose (use as little words as possible to make your point).
- Include subheads to separate sections.
Professional Writing
When learning how to write an article, it is important to keep the role of error free writing in mind. Nothing ruins the credibility of your product, service or opinion faster than poor writing. If a reader visits your web site only to find that you did not invest enough time in your content, they may not trust you to provide fair and reliable services. Use the following techniques to check your writing for mistakes:
- Use a spell checker to catch simple spelling errors.
- Check your article for duplicates using a web site such as Copyscape.
- Read through your article on multiple occasions to check for double words and other typical errors.
- Have a trusted friend or editor read through your work for mistakes.
How to Write an Article – Determining Subject and Material
Most people can handle proper content creation from a grammatical point of view, especially with the assistance of an editor. However, the real problem arises when determining exactly which information should be in the article. The content can be determined by the old rules of writing a newspaper article. Make sure that you include information about the following:
- Who: Who is providing the service? Who will benefit from your offering?
- What: What is being provided on your web site?
- When: When can your products be shipped? When should a potential customer use your service?
- Why: Why should your readers use your service? Why are you the best service provider?
- How: How can your readers get the most from your content?
Be creative when choosing topics to cover. You may not feel like it is appropriate to cover all of the above talking points. However, it can be valuable for you to choose a few, especially when writing a web site from scratch. A good home page or landing page should include all 5 of the above aspects.
