Your articles won't amount to a hill of beans if the audience doesn't want to read them. Even if the content is for SEO purposes only, a person will quickly press the back button if they discover they're looking at useless information?or even that the writing is difficult to follow.
This means that your content should have ALL of the components of a great article. One that's easy to read, even easier to scan, and has information worth reading. How do you do this? Let's start with the basics of writing.
KISS
Perhaps the ?keep is simple stupid? rule has become clich?, but it will always apply, and is often ignored. If you can say it in one sentence, do it. Don't try to turn it into a paragraph just to push in more keywords. If you need to fill more space, then find more information. Don't repeat what you've already said.
Easy Scanning ? Easy Reading
Use subheadings and bulleted points to make it easy for the reader to find the information they want. Don't try to force them to read the entire article. When using bulleted points, bold or highlight the first words so they can easily see what that bullet is about.
Make your article easy to read?if you can't write it without a dictionary, people can't read it without one. Avoid technical jargon unless the article is industry specific. Even if you explain what the jargon means, use a substitute whenever possible if the article is for the general public.
Flowing Text
If you can't write, don't try to. It takes experience to understand how to pull your audience in?not to mention some underlying talent. Even if the reader is scanning the article for information, the right wording will suck them into reading the entire article. They?ll suddenly look up and realize they've read the whole thing.
To do this, your article should read like a conversation?but that doesn't mean it should sound the way you talk. Some people talk like a technical manual, and no one wants to read (or hear) a technical manual. Use an active voice, and don't be afraid to break some of the grammar rules you learned in English composition.
Make it Relevant
Know your audience before you write for them. If you want to attract roofers, then write about some of the new roofing tools and other things they want to hear about?even if it's not directly related to roofing. But don't publish articles telling them how to fix a leak in a rubber roof. They already know how and won't bother to read any more on the subject.
Follow these rules, and your articles will attract a larger audience?and eventually lead to conversions. Just remember: the fact that the content is there, doesn't make it worth reading?and your audience knows this.
Written by Eric Engel. You can buy Eric's articles from his online content store at http://copyforsale.com/store
