How to write an article and generate a revenue – A Primer

Posted by John

January 3, 2008

By Rich Hamilton, Jr.

Having
an article published is one of the fastest and easiest ways to build
your credibility as an industry expert. At the end of the each article
you are given the opportunity to gain free exposure for your online
business or affiliate program.

As more and
more people realize the true power of having your article published,
the Internet has become saturated with them. Everywhere you turn there
are plenty of articles to choose from, making it tougher to get yours
noticed, let alone read.

If you can't get
your article noticed, then it won't be read, therefore, no free
exposure or profits. But getting your article noticed is only the
beginning, you also need to hold your reader's attention with good
quality content.

In this article we are
going to go over the key elements of writing a successful article and
how to get them noticed. We will also go over how to turn an article
into an unstoppable profit generator, even if you don't have your own
product or service. That's right, you don't need your own product or
service to take advantage of this golden opportunity.

Research Before Choosing A Topic

When
most writers write their articles, they only write about what they want
to write about. This is not an effective way to write an article. The
most effective and recommended way to write an article, is to write one
on a topic that your targeted market is already interested in. To find
out what kind of article your targeted market is interested in, will
require some research.

You should always do
the research before you actually pick a topic to write about. When
researching for your article you should try going to forums that cover
your targeted market. Observe to see what they are talking about and
even looking for. The best approach to use, is to find a problem, then
write an article that resolves the problem.

By
using this approach you are showing your dedication as a problem
solver. When you help people resolve their problems and/or endeavors,
you will strengthen your credibility and then the profits will soon
follow.

Article Title

Choosing
the title of your article will be one of the most important decisions
you will make and will determine whether or not it will be read. You
need to take your time, when it comes time for you to select an article
title and it will require you to do some brainstorming.

Your
article title should reach out and grab the reader's attention and
compel them to want to read it immediately. The best thing to do when
trying to come up with an article title is to write the biggest benefit
that your reader will receive while they are reading it. The biggest
benefit may not be the exact article title, but it is a good place to
start.

When I choose a title for an
article I write down several before I initially select a one. So don't
choose just one title, write down several different ones, get the feel
of the word variations, and tweak the weak areas.

Content

Most
of the articles out there are nothing more than an abstracted sales
pitch or material that does not contain any valuable information,
therefore is useless to the reader. The best way to get your article
read, is to educate the reader. Any good article will be educational to
their readers and have some sort of value. If you can't sell your
article, than don't publish it.

If you
publish a poorly written article, then people will not read it. This
will have an impact on your credibility and on any future articles you
publish, so do it right the first time by educating them.

Promote

If
you want to make some cash with your article, then at the end of it,
will be the time to promote your product, service, or affiliate
program. Make sure that the product, service, or affiliate program is
relevant to the article, you'd be surprised at how many people get this
wrong.

Not sure, let me give you an
example, I previously wrote an article that was entitled “The Wrong
Email Format Can Destroy Your Offer“. In this particular article I
discussed the advantages and disadvantages of text and html email
formats. At the end of the article I presented an autoresponder that is
capable of performing both formats.

If you
promote a product, service, or affiliate program that corresponds with
the article, your chances of getting a click through is very high. If
you don't have a product or service that corresponds with the article,
then I recommend finding an affiliate program that does.

Copyright
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© Copyright 2009, John A. Simpson. All Rights Reserved.