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Tag: blogging

5 Steps to a Top Notch Article

There are all kinds of articles on the web, but a good web article should be between 500 and 800 words, and it should share something ñ give useful tips, provide ëhow toí information, or answer a question. Five steps will ensure you create a top-notch article.

Step #1 Create a Powerful Headline
The first thing you need to create is a headline that stands out and draws potential viewers in. Use clever wordplay, catchy phrases, and make sure your search engine optimize it relating to the article content.

For example, letís say you are writing about diamonds. Which of these headings is most likely to draw in the reader? “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend- Make Sure You Buy Accordingly” or “How to Buy a Diamond Engagement Ring.”

Step #2 Create Your Introduction
The articleís introduction needs to be only a few sentences. It shouldnít be too wordy, but instead, it should clearly define what the article is going to be about.

For example, Buying diamonds can be confusing, even daunting. After all, how can you tell if you are buying a quality diamond?

Step #3 Cover the Key Points
Come up with four or five key points that you are going to cover in the article. These points should be clearly defined with a new paragraph. They can be introduced with a sentence or as a subheading.

For example, “Let’s look at the five C’s of the diamond.”
Clarity
Color
Carat
Cut
Certification

Step #4 Develop the Story
Now you need to write to cover each of your key points. This is where you develop your detail. You can include images if you like; use bulleted lists, paragraphs, etc. Make sure that you cover your point clearly and concisely so that the reader can easily understand.

For example, you are now going to define your five C’s of the diamond in detail. What clarity is, how you know what the clarity of the diamond is, how to read the appraisal, etc. This is where you will provide all of the information so that your reader knows how to buy that diamond.

Step #5 Call to Action
Finally, you need to conclude your article, followed by a call to action. The call to action is what you want your reader to do after they finish reading the article.

For example, a call to action might be “Click here to find out more.” or “Are you ready to save on that diamond ring?”

There you have it, every article should be made up of these five steps.

10 Types of Articles People Love to Share

Running a blog profitably can be a challenge if you do not know the kind of articles that your readers find interesting. The secret to keeping the traffic flowing to your website is in understanding the types of articles that people love to read and share.

Below are the ten types of articles people love to share:

Celebrity grapevine

People love to share articles about celebrities. For instance, an article about Kanye West buying an expensive car will be circulated more than an article about the same car being bought by an ordinary person who is barely known.

News update about a tragic event

People love to share updates on tragic circumstances such as terrorists’ attacks at a shopping mall or airport and the casualties involved.

Inspirational stories

Readers, especially ladies, tend to share stories that they find inspiring. This is because they hope their friends will get the same level of inspiration they got from the same article.

Articles about world leaders

An article about a renowned world leader will be shared more, especially if the article illustrates how the leader overcame tough life situations to get to where he/she is today. 

A call for help articles

An article about a person who is in need of help will be shared among many people. Such articles provide information about a person in dire need for help e.g. kidney donation or soliciting for financial support. 

Updates from a comedian

Comedians are known to present information on a lighter note-making people laugh at their jokes. Generally, people are known to share articles that are funny and bring laughter.  

Unique facts

People will share articles about unique facts. Such articles majorly focus on important dates in history. For example, an article about countries that have hosted the World Olympic games will be shared widely. 

Scientific findings

Articles on scientific discoveries frequently provide fascinating information. For instance, a scientific finding on how to reduce body fat and cut weight will be shared more.

Information about a new product in the market

People will share an article about a new product launched in the market, especially if the product is targeting a specific market segment.  

Professional analysis of a policy

An article that professionally analyzes certain policy positions around the world will be shared widely. A good example is an article about the impact of currency devaluation on China’s economy. Policy officers and Economics students will most likely share among themselves.

4 Easy Tips for writing more persuasively

Do you want to write a message that commands the readers to take instant action? Are you tired of writing dry, unengaging, and dull texts, blog posts, or letters? Great! You are in the right place. In this article, I am going to teach you the four easy tips that will guide you to write an engaging piece of text.

1. Avoid redundant information 

As you write your article, ensure that you edit your text carefully to avoid having repeated information within your writing. Every word that you include should count. Remember, when some words, clauses, or lines are repeated, chances are, the reader will be pissed off, and this will minimize the possibilities of taking action. 

Moreover, you should ensure that you include only relevant information with specific examples. Information that doesn’t help readers reduces their concentration, and they may not read your text to the end. Consequently, no action will be taken. 

2. Tell stories 

Stories and illustrations explain concepts better than long plain texts. It becomes easier for readers to receive new ideas when they are presented in story form. Do you ever ask yourself why children memorize the stories they were told when they were young but can’t recall what they were taught in school one week ago? It is because of the way the ideas are presented to them.

However, it is not just any story that will trigger your readers to take action. You should try as much as possible to use a compelling story. Indeed, your writing will be very persuasive if you include such a story.

3. Appeal to logic 

Logic is what makes the ideas and facts presented in your writing appeal to your reader’s sense of reason. Using logic in persuasive writing ensures that the reader is not worked up as such. Moreover, it keeps out anger and emotions as you appeal to the readers. You (the writer) will have the grounds to back up your ideas using hard facts. Consequently, your readers will develop a positive attitude toward your writing, and they will be triggered to take action.

Sometimes, you may find yourself writing about controversial issues. The use of critical thinking and logic skills will be the handiest tool to make your writing as persuasive as possible. 

4. use small sentences and paragraphs 

Typically, long sentences and paragraphs make the text boring. Therefore, if you want your writing to be as persuasive as possible, you should ensure that these two aspects are addressed. Be brief and straight to the point. Try to highlight the key issues. As a result, the readers will be motivated to read from the start to the end and take action afterward.

Final verdict 

The primary objective for writing a persuasive text is to convince the reader that what you are writing about is perfect for them, and they should take action. The four tips discussed in this article will help you in your writing. Try them!

Tips on Writing Effective Web Copy

Is your web copy working for you, or could it do a better job? Be honest. Are you getting the traffic conversion rate you were looking for, or is it lacking? These tips on writing compelling web copy could turn things around for you, so make sure you read them all.

One of the most common things youíll find if you start looking at websites, is that they come in all different sizes, designs, shapes, colors, and fonts. So what does that say? Well, it says that there isnít one way that works. However, if you look a little closer, you will see that there are some common elements on those that are successful. So let’s have a look.

  1. A welcoming approach you want your visitors to feel welcome when they land on your home page. Be upfront; say, “Welcome to….”
  2. Establish credibility your page(s) need to establish that you are an excellent resource for the products/services that you offer. Tell them what it is you do and what you offer. “Your source for….”
  3. Help your visitor get orientated, tell your visitor about your site, what they can find where, and always remember to answer the #1 question going through their head, “What’s in it for me?”
  4. Easy navigation nothing will have a visitor hitting the back button faster than a navigation system that is hard to follow or understand. So make sure when you are creating your website to keep it easy.
  5. Your contact information needs to be readily available. If you don’t share your contact information, there may be legal ramifications, but it is also difficult for visitors to build any trust if they donít know who you are or how to contact you.
  6. The easy process for contact makes it easy for the visitor to email you or access live help. Yes, they can phone, but many people prefer email.
  7. Privacy statement makes sure that your visitors know what your privacy statement is. You can use a standardized one if there is nothing complicated about what you do. There are also programs available online that for a fee will help you create your privacy statement. People want to know that you are not selling their information and so you need to tell them what your policies are.
  8. Copyright too often, this is completely forgotten. But to protect yourself, it should be on your home page. “Copyright (c) [insert year] [Insert Name of Your Business]. All Rights Reserved.”

There you have it. If you are creating web copy for a client, make sure that you utilize these simple tips to develop copy thatís more appealing and engaging.

6 Tips for Writing Better Headlines

Are your headlines performing better as you’d like? Do you want to write more effective headlines? If you are a content manager, the best way of promoting your content is by writing titles that drive traffic. Create headlines that capture attention and convince people to click through to your content. A short, catchy headline or Meta description promises the reader they will find useful information. In this guide, you will discover six tips for writing better headlines.

1. Start with Numbers

Headlines that contain numbers often perform better than those without. Numbers represent facts, and that’s what users are mostly looking for. Including numbers in a marketing copy will often stop wandering eyes, even when those numerals are inserted within a mass of words. Numbers also tend to stand out in a reader’s peripheral vision. 

2. Simplicity Is Best

Long and complicated headlines are usually hard to promote through social media. This is because you only have a couple of seconds to attract a user, so it’s better to use a short, promising headline instead. For instance, a list-type article promises to be quick and easy to read, and that’s important in today’s busy world. If you are using numbers, make sure you use a numeral rather than spell out the number. This is because numerals stand out better in headlines and take up less space.

3. Highlight Value

Why should people read your post? The benefit should be simple, direct and clearly defined in the headline. For example, “how-to” titles always work well because the user can see the benefit instantly to be gained by reading the article. So, your headline should promise something and, if possible incorporate drama, excitement, or humor. But don’t lose credibility because readers distrust outrageous claims.

4. Use Trigger words

Headlines that start with questions usually arouse curiosity, which is a powerful emotion. Using words like HOW, WHY, WHERE, and WHAT in your headlines will always attract the attention of your readers. These elements will give you a sharp and striking headline. Instead of sticking to the same boring title, mix it up a little. This lets a reader know that they can find useful information in your post. Trigger words tell a user that your post is not just a regular post, but a treasure trove of information. So when you use them in your headlines, readers will know they will be able to find exactly what they’re looking for. 

5. Avoid Positive Superlatives

We are conditioned to always be positive in our communications. This tactic is however not effective in headlines. Besides, the average click-through rate on headlines that contain positive superlatives usually performs worse even when compared with titles that include negative superlatives. This is because the excessive use of superlatives such as the cheapest, best or fastest in marketing has led to them being ignored. Negative terms are more likely to be viewed as authentic and genuine.

6. Add Adjectives and Power Words

Unlike superlatives, adjectives (if used correctly) can grab the attention of your readers. Adjectives such as essential, useful, strange, valuable, effortless, and fun will make your headlines interesting. Titles that contain such words will intrigue your readers urging them to read on. Power words such as new, free, instantly and you will also boost your click-through rates.

Only 20% of people who see your post will read beyond the headline. A great title, therefore, makes the difference between your post being read and shared or ignored. With these 6 tips for writing better headlines, you’ll never go wrong.

5 Tips for Writing Great Content

Whether you are a blogger or only a freelance writer, there is a need to create high-quality content if you want anyone to read them. Poorly written content is one of the areas where many bloggers go wrong and is probably why they can’t seem to get any visitors to their blogs. 

You see, apart from making sure that you continuously create new posts, you not only need to make them enticing but sensible enough so readers can understand the point you are driving at. The following tips will help you come up with outstanding content for your readers:-

1. Research.

If you want to write content that makes sense, you need to first familiarize yourself with the topic by conducting thorough research. This should be done even when you aren’t writing an article as it helps come up with new ideas.

2. Come up with the topic.

The first thing that attracts readers is the topic. If your headline is whack, you may not get any readers to your post at all. When deciding what topic suits your post, make sure that it interests you first. Don’t just come up with a topic for the sake of it.

3. Create an outline for the article.

Once you spot an idea, it is now time to sit down and come up with a formula on how you are going to write it. Again, don’t wait until it’s time for writing, as you may forget some ideas. To do this, you’ll need to point out the main ideas on that topic, followed by the sources where you got the ideas from. Start with the introduction followed by the body and finally, the conclusion. If you do this, you can be sure that you won’t write anything outside the topic.

4. Get your facts right.

There is nothing as unfortunate as an article that is based on the wrong facts. This point relates to my first point. Writers need to research their articles thoroughly to avoid misleading their readers. Yes, people make mistakes, but some show that the writer did not put much effort in producing the article. Before including any facts in the article, confirm that it’s the truth.

5. Revise your work.

Human is to error, but this shouldn’t be your excuse for posting an article with grammar and spelling errors. Such articles are a turn-off and leave one confused as to what the reader is trying to say. There are so many tools online that writers can use to proofread their work so that it is error-free.

So there you have it, simple yet useful tips for writing great content. 

 

Great Copywriters Write Great Headlines

 

You might be a terrific copywriter, but if you canít write great headlines, no one is ever going to know. Why? Because it is a headline that stands out that leads to the content being read. Boring headlines that blend is almost always skimmed over, whereas great headlines get the reader’s attention, and they stop to find out more by reading the content.

Think about this for a minute. Which of these are you more likely to read? “Man jumps from 20 story building.” Or “Man launches himself from a 20 story building and survives through ingenuity.” The second one, right? Thatís because the first headline is boring and mundane. Thereís nothing that makes you want to read further, whereas the second heading, grabs your attention “he launches himself” what does that mean? And ingenuity “what does he do to survive” you want to know.

This isn’t news; those who have been writing sales copy have long known the power of a heading and that doing their heading work for them was tied directly to the success of the sales copy. This applies to all writing, actually. Give it a proper heading, and the reader will appear.

One technique to making a good headline is to use keywords in the heading that are relevant to what the content will be about. That will help your writing place better in the search engines, and that means readers interested in your specific topic will have a much easier time finding what you have written.

You can be a fantastic copywriter, but if your writing is not placing well in the search engines, no one is going to be able to find you, and so your writing will not get read. That’s not what you want to happen. So not only should you tweak that headline with your keyword, make sure you have about a 2% keyword density throughout your content to help you place well in the search engines.

While our example used an overly long headline, it is best if you can keep your headline on the shorter side. Thatís because more concise headlines are easier to read and more comfortable to grasp, especially online where readers are spending most of their time skimming and spot reading.

A career as a copywriter can be gratifying and pay well, but the competition is high, so you are going to need to be the best of the best. Remember, it all begins with a good headline, well at least that’s an excellent place to start.