Article Writing: Breaking Writers Block

It is amazing to see how much we all still dread writing; even a simple letter or memo! When we start talking about an Essay or an Article for publication, it gets much worse. As human beings, we are prone to self doubt, the good news however is; that there is a cure for that. The cure lies in the old adage: "Practice makes Perfect" Once, you can get past the writing of your first article, it gets easier onwards.

This article as the title suggest is about breaking writer's block. 'Writer's block' is used to describe the situation in which anyone can not seem to get themselves to write an essay of any nature. More importantly, it considers the average Internet marketer with limited funds for any kind of campaign. We all know that if you have the funds, you can hire someone to write your articles for publication by other ezines or article directories. However, if you do have the funds why bother to promote your website with article writing at all? Especially, when availability of funds allows you to run many other campaigns like Pay Per Clicks (PPCs) or Traffic Exchange (TE) campaigns to name a few. Note that the turn around time for the alternative campaigns are much less than that of an article publication particularly when there is a third party involved.

Going back to the average Joe Internet marketer with limited funds, there is a need to publish articles for syndication across other websites or on your own website to draw in traffic, increase search engine ranking, and subsequently increase sales. It is my hope that this article inspires you enough to break the barriers and get those creative juices and neurons flowing.

The truth of the matter is; it is hard for an Internet newbie (enewbie) to write Internet home business or marketing articles simply because he/she is new at it (Internet marketing). Even if the individual is a prolific writer it is hard to start churning out Internet marketing articles on the fly. That then, brings us to the ice-breaker which is: Find your comfort zone, start by writing an article on something that you are passionate about.

You can write about an hobby, family matters, health, sports, or vacation spots. If you try to do this and you still find yourself intimidated by the attempt. Then I suggest you consider writing it as a letter to a friend or family member. Go all the way at this letter-writing idea. In other words, use the form of a letter with Dear friend, I am writing to share my blah blah blah with you... And so on. This should produce a page or two on the subject that you chose to write on.

Once you are able to generate a page or two you are almost done with your first article and congratulations are in order. The next step is to now reformat your letter into an article format for eventual publication. For tips on effective Internet article writing you can view an article on that subject by Donald Nelson at http://www.a1-optimization.com/article-writing-tips.htm or visit http://www.ideamarketers.com where you can read and learn from a large resource of published articles.

The whole idea of writing within your comfort zone is to get you to start the process of article writing. You need to follow through and publish the articles you write on your interests and hobby. There are millions of sites that would publish your materials, all you need to do is a search online with your favorite search engine. Keyword search suggestions are article submission, article publications to start you off. You can always expand the list of keywords.

Once you get your first article published, you only need to repeat the process for you next article. As you do this, it becomes second nature and you would also have gathered some Internet home business marketing experience along the way. Enough experience that you can now position yourself to start churning out Internet marketing articles on the fly. I wish you the best in your journey.

Robert Kempster is a fairly recent entrant into the Internet Home Business Industry. Background spans Executive Management, Computer Operations, Programming, Real Estate (former COO), and an incomplete EMBA. An ordinary person doing extraordinary things. <a target="_new" href="http://www.profitcentral.biz">http://www.profitcentral.biz</a> <a target="_new" href="http://www.kemptechdomains.com">http://www.kemptechdomains.com</a> <a target="_new" href="http://www.kemptech.biz">http://www.kemptech.biz</a>

How to Write an Effective Article

Writing a great deal of articles myself, I see a lot of the other articles that are submitted. Although the majority are spot on, many are not nearly as effective as they could be. Hopefully I can impart some insight on the Do's and Don'ts of writing an effective article.

Choosing a Subject
This is where most people go wrong. When choosing an article they tend to go with a popular subject in order to get the largest audience. The most important thing you can do is to write on what you know and are passionate about. I have read countless articles that although they are technically good, they lack the punch that gets them a wide distribution. Passion is something you can't fake and there is nothing more enticing than an article brimming over with it. One of the ways you can judge the level of passion you have for a subject is the amount you can write. If you find you have to stop yourself or you could go on forever that may be a passion.

Use Proper Spelling and Grammar
This seems obvious but there are countless examples of articles being submitted where the author did not even run a simple spell-check. It is unfortunate when what would be an excellent article is ruined by countless spelling mistakes. Remember that the goal is to have webmasters pick up your content to use on your own site. They will shy away from poorly written articles as they know they will be judged on their content, whether they wrote it or not.

Don't Oversell
It may be your intention to sell your product but overdoing it may result in the opposite effect. Webmasters are wary to use your article if it reads as an advertisement, so leave out the blatant sales pitch. Instead give general advice and use the About the Author box to showcase your site or company. For example, a Web Hosting company will do better to write an article helping readers choose a Host rather than constantly talking about what they offer. Let the reader decide!

Get It Distributed
This may not have to do with the actual writing of the article but is a crucial piece. After all, your main goal is to get as many people to read it as possible. Your best option is to use free article distribution sites like:

<a target="_new" href="http://www.articledepot.co.uk">Article Depot</a> ? www.articledepot.co.uk
<a target="_new" href="http://www.goarticles.com">GoArticles</a> ? www.goarticles.com
<a target="_new" href="http://www.ezinearticles.com">Ezine Articles</a> ? www.ezinearticles.com

By submitted to the Top 3, you can save hours of work submitting to individual sites.

Jason Rickard is the owner of <a target="_new" href="http://www.yourfavouriteshop.com">http://www.yourfavouriteshop.com</a> - Europes largest reseller of White Noise CDs

10 Article Writing Quirks

Much has been touted about the effectiveness of article writing in the promotion of their business. While everyone raves about its benefits I'll look into a few quirks.

1) Too much junk- You can't even imagine the amount of rehash material that is being passed off as something in which the reader can find valuable. Some writers rush to put out their work putting quantity over quality. It pays to be original when you are into article writing. Well, I have slack up sometimes on this one.

2) Takes Time- Due to the multitude of writers entering this field, it will probably take six months to a year for others to become familiar with you and your writing style. Once this is accomplished you can expect some fans.

3) High Readership, Low Conversion- There has been times when I have published an article that got good readership but fail to convert into respectable sales or subscribers. The resource box is key I found out if you want to improve your conversions.

If you don't have a quality article the chances of someone reading your resource box is low and their cursor won't make it to your website link. When you do get them to view your resource box, your message has to highlight its benefits to get that valued click thru.

4) Loss of Valuable Links- While article writing has been important in boosting my page rank, this has not always been the case as I thought. Doing some research on some of my articles through the search engines, I realized that not every webmaster provides a live link in my resource box. Failing to do so is sure to cost some valuable back links.

5) You could be a victim- Of what? Copyism. I have seen articles where the writer &quot;lifted&quot; a few paragraphs here and there, did a little editing and presto a new article is born. I guess there is no escaping this as it also happens offline.

6) Lack of Editing- It might take you just a few minutes to whip up that latest article but those few minutes might affect the quality of your work. Proof reading and editing can sometimes be painstaking not to mention the submission process especially if done by hand.

7) Woeful Spelings- Got that one? Proper spelling is important as too many mistakes can affect your credibility. You might get away with one but definitely not four.

8) Grammar- This is in the same vein as spelling. If your grammar sounds like that of a toddler, then don't expect readers to be impressed. You don't need to have the writing skills of a poet, but with a little practice and research you can vastly improve.

9) Sales copy ? You know these well. Some authors write articles that belongs in the classifieds. In their articles they blatantly advertise their services with the hope of readers visiting their website. A benefit laden article will always produce the best results.

10) Too much links- Nothing peeves me than to get an article to run in my newsletter but when I read it through it is littered. These links can confuse the reader and also reduces the potential of your resource box.

These are a few quirks I found to be associated with the writing and promotion of articles. And I did say ten items but I will just throw in an extra. What is it? Go ahead and proceed with your article writing. While there are some negatives it does work. Why would I be writing this one if it didn't?

? Oceanroc Web Publishing

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Nicholas Dixon is a Jamaican webmaster, writer and affiliate marketer. Find out
how you too can create an online income with our list of highly recommended
programs by visiting <a target="_new" href="http://WWW.Oceanroc.com/affiliate-directory">http://WWW.Oceanroc.com/affiliate-directory</a>
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Website Promotion: Alternatives to Article Banks

Writing and submitting articles to article banks is a well-known method for promoting one's website. Usually there is an author's box at the bottom of the article and a link back to the website. This link is valuable in two ways. First, it provides direct traffic from those reading the article to the website. Second, the link counts as a vote to the website when a search engine robot crawls the article. This will help your website rank higher in the search engine results pages.

Article banks (such as EzineArticles.com, ArticleCity.com or GoArticles.com) help Webmasters who need content for their websites as well. Webmasters will come to these resources and pick up articles for placement on their sites, providing valuable content for their own visitors. The only requirement is that the Webmasters keep the author's box, including the active link, intact when copying the articles.

From a Webmaster's point of view, they need search no further than the article banks for relative content for their websites. But, for the writers promoting their own websites, there is no need to stop submitting articles at the article banks as other resources are available. First, online magazines may be researched and articles submitted to them directly. Second, articles may be submitted to different online groups such as Yahoo! Groups where all you need to do is sign up as a member and then you can email the article to all members in the group.

The third and perhaps newest method for submitting articles and promoting one's website can be found at some of the newer sites that are part article bank and part online magazine. Like an article bank, these new sites let writers submit articles for placement on the site and even let the writer create an online portfolio showcasing their work. Like a magazine, some of these sites will pay for content and encourage readers to come to their site to read all the great articles that they offer.

As an example of one of these newer websites, <a target="_new" href="http://www.AssociatedContent.com/"target="_blank">AssociatedContent.com</a> encourages both readers and writers to come to its website. Revenue is generated by the ads that appear along side the articles. Unlike an article bank, the articles are not to be picked up by Webmasters for their own sites. The benefit to writers though is that this serves as another avenue to showcase their work. Writers get to create an online portfolio including an author's bio page, which will be indexed by the search engines along with their articles for added exposure. Writers at some of these newer classes of websites get to establish themselves as resident experts in their fields, very much like the guides in the About.com model.

So, for those who are looking to write articles and gain exposure for their own websites, the first stop is at the article banks. But, don't stop there. There are other avenues that can be explored for maximum exposure for your website.

Copyright ? 2005 SEO Expert
<a href="http://www.seoexpert.ws" target="_blank">SEO Expert</a> - Kevin Kantola head's up SEO Expert, a search engine optimization firm devoted to achieving high rankings.

Consultants - Writing Articles for the Internet Blankets the World with Your Expertise and Style

A Consultant could be an expert about absolutely anything.

Calling yourself a &quot;consultant&quot; demands further clarification. A consultant who? What specific problems do you handle? And who needs what you know? Everyone? (Never true) Businesses selling to seniors? (A precisely defined niche) Success depends on how clearly you can define yourself and what you offer. How easily can potential clients understand it?

You provide clients more than your expert knowledge and problem-solving skills. Your delivery style (tricks) are every bit as valuable as your knowledge base. We all relate to some businesses (personally and professionally) more effectively than to others. Great match-ups require something akin to a mating call to help a consultant find and connect with ideal clients.

Every consultant is unique in important ways. Your challenge is to express those significant intangibles - so they set you apart from others using the same job title. Do clients understand what you can do for them? How you're different from the competition? Why they'd prefer you?

Article Marketing is Your Ideal Stage

Whether you're selling a service, speaking or training, nothing persuades like offering a sample. Writing articles that highlight your style and expertise does that for you. A meaty, 600 to 800 word article is long enough to deliver a tangible taste.

Once it's widely posted, the message can be read by thousands. Some readers will search for what else you've said, or click over to your website. Writing repeated in-depth articles further establishes your niche, point of view, and expertise. They're building your name recognition and readership in short order.

Your stock-in-trade is information, so packaging it into articles makes you a content creator. The Internet voraciously demands a steady diet of new material. Websites, ezines (and now blogs) efficiently deliver ideas to targeted readers. But sad to say, too many articles consist of rehashed, low-grade material. Stand out with fresh, professional-quality information. Being a cut above builds respect and trust - a must for doing business down the road.

Local Search can Further Define Your Market

Unlike a plumber or day care center, most consultants needn't be confined to the local arena. Your Internet exposure connects you to a national or global audience, if that's your goal. But if your target market is closer to home, articles still help to position you.

Recent research by The Kelsey Group show that 70% use the Internet to make local buying decisions. And nowadays, 36% of search engine queries request local search results. That means the person includes a geographic term in their search engine query. For example, a query with: &quot;employee benefit consultant&quot; + Denver only lists the small pool of appropriate Denver providers.

Every consultant needs to make sure their information appears in local search queries, http://www.yellowpagesage.com/localsearch.html. The trend toward local search is growing quickly. Businesses can easily be left out-which makes them unfindable by online searchers. Who can afford to miss 70% of their client base? Having your own website isn't necessary - but still helpful for a variety of reasons.

Potential Clients will Check You Out Online

Surveys reveal that over half of respondents consider search engines a better source of buying information than Yellow Pages, newspapers or magazines. When someone enters your name or company into Google (in quotes), what comes up?

It helps if your name is unusual. If not, follow up with &quot;search within results&quot; for a qualifier term (like your specialty, &quot;employee benefits&quot;) to find your cites.

In just a few moments, searchers get a picture of your professional standing and scope of recognition. They're likely to be swayed by what they see. Who mentions you, and what are they saying? What kinds of links come to your website? If you've been publishing articles, they'll also show up - enhancing your credibility and incoming links.

In my own case, a Google search for my name showed about 100 cites before I started article promotions. Now that's well over 3,000. So many cites boosted my website traffic and Page Rank as well.

If you haven't gone &quot;ego surfing&quot; on Google for mentions of your name, you should. Because the public will. Make sure there's plenty of stuff for them to find that does you proud.

Copyright 2005 Off the Page

Dr. Lynella Grant Consultant and Author - Promote yourself, business, website, or book with online articles <a target="_new" href="http://www.promotewitharticles.com">http://www.promotewitharticles.com</a> Free how-to. Or let me write and submit your articles online for you. No learning curves (719) 395-9450

Why You Need an Article-Marketing Strategy before Posting a Single Article Online I

Part 1 of a 2-part series
To read Part 2
http://www.promotewitharticles.com/strategy102.html

First, Define your Bulls Eye

If you're going to write and post articles on the Internet, be unambiguous about what you expect them to accomplish. Don't start writing just yet. Think beyond the mechanics of writing an article or deciding where to post it.

It's one thing to spin out an article or two. It's quite another to incorporate them into a strategy that builds your website traffic, reputation, and business. All your marketing methods should work together - online and off.

Your Strategy Clarifies:

- Who you're trying to reach

- How to find them

- What you want them to do next (does your website support that aim?)

- Your primary goal and message

- How articles (with particular titles and keywords) mesh with your other marketing

Article marketing is nothing more than a way to get information (not advertising) broadly distributed on the Internet. It can't compensate for a muddled or dull message. And it won't build your site traffic unless it connects to readers in an interesting way.

Write Articles that Trumpet a Unique Business Message

A frequent business error is treating each customer- attracting activity as though it stands alone. Yet each method works better when echoing a common message that links to the others.

To quote Roy Williams, the Wizard of Ads, http://www.wizardofads.com "It's hard to tell a powerful story badly. But it's easy to tell a weak story well. I've never seen a business fail because they were "reaching the wrong people." But I've seen thousands fail because they were saying the wrong thing... It's amazing how many people become the "right people" when you're saying the right thing. Believe it or not, it's advertising third, customer delight second, strategy always first."

Maximize your Customer-Attracting Methods

Last year I wrote an ebook showing how to make the business website and Yellow Page ad work together to bring new customers. It made the point that each promotional method has its own strengths, and reaches different groups http://www.yellowpagesage.com/smarts.html By them working together, each approach does a more persuasive job.

As an example, the directory ad should display a website address. A recent study found that over 60% of people surveyed only call Yellow Page ads that show a website (even if they don't intend to visit it). Besides, the website lets the business provide information that won't fit within the dimensions of an ad.

A single approach can't cover all your bases. The same applies to article marketing.

Article Marketing Strengths

- Ability to deliver an interesting "sample" of your expertise

- Long enough to be informative (600-800 words)

- Reaches and speaks to tightly focused interest groups

- Quickly delivers the message throughout the Internet

- Long shelf life - some websites keep articles posted for years

- Builds on the keywords that your website uses

- Incoming-links from websites that post your articles

Plan More than One Article at a Time

You can't develop much momentum with one article. That's like shooting a gun with a single bullet, or a PPC (pay-per- click) campaign for just one term. The odds of hitting your mark aren't too good. Several articles written to reinforce each other generate more mileage. As you get more articles out there, people start paying attention, and you can target more keywords. Repeated publications develop a personality that readers recognize.

Plan a number of titles in advance, with a theme building from one to the next. Keep each one tightly focused, but related to the others. In that way, you develop the in-depth "voice" of an expert. And your information won't lapse into ho-hum generalities. Write first-rate articles when you rely on the extensive free resources http://www.promotewitharticles.com at Article Marketing Academy.

Try writing some in a series (like, Part 1 of 3 parts) to build anticipation for future segments. Also, your message won't be confined to the 600 to 800 word article limit. Since each article in the series resides on your website, readers needn't wait to read them all (giving them an incentive to visit your site). Later, the whole series can be offered as a special report or ebook (once related material is added).

Write with your keywords in mind. Maintain your primary message, with a different twist for parallel niches. Go to the extra effort to say something new. That's easy when you provide stories, examples, case studies from your own experience. As you dish out practical assistance in your articles, readers will be eagerly watching for your next ones.

? Lynella Grant, 2005

Part 2 includes posting articles, writing to please the search engines, and ways to re-use articles. Part 2 of 2, http://www.promotewitharticles.com/strategy102.html

--Dr. Lynella Grant <a target="_new" href="http://www.promotewitharticles.com">http://www.promotewitharticles.com</a> - Article Marketing Academy - Promote yourself, business, website, or book with articles posted online. Author, Yellow Page Smarts, <a target="_new" href="http://www.yellowpagesage.com/smarts.html">http://www.yellowpagesage.com/smarts.html</a> (719) 395-9450

9 Top Ways To Get Ideas For Your Next High Quality Article

Thanks to recent information that leaked by Google within their US Patent Application 20050071741, we now know that quality content and incoming links are essential to the survival of your website within the search engines.

Bottom line, you need to start to develop quality content. But, not to only display it on your website, rather than have other webmasters display it on their websites with your URL included in a resource box attached to the article. That will bring you the incoming links for free.

You can always display other people's articles (content) on your website. That will add to the quality content on your site. But, that will not bring you the incoming links needed for high search engine positioning ? and free traffic.

Therefore, you need to start creating and submitting quality articles that will be widely accepted by other webmasters around the globe.

In fact, Google is practically telling you to do so! That means there's no way out if you want to stay atop of the Internet marketing game.

Search Engines are constantly on the "look out" for freshly written content that has been submitted online.

So, how do you come up with ideas for your next highly read article that will get the attention of many, many webmasters who will want to publish it in their ezines, newsletters, blogs, websites, and so on?

Here are 9 ways to get ideas for your next high quality article.

1. Follow the trend. Subscribe to other newsletters that are related to your niche and see what they're writing about at this very moment. If several newsletters are writing on a same topic, it means that it's a topic in demand at this time. Your best bet would be to do your research on that same topic, and write an article about it.

2. Participate in online forums related to your niche. Take a look at what people are talking about. Look at the questions they are asking. Then look at the number of participants on a specific question or topic. The topics that are bringing the greatest number of visitors would make for an excellent article.

3. Visit blogs related to your niche. Read what the blog owners are posting. Are there several posts form several blog owners on a similar or even the same topic? Then look at what kind of comments the readers are leaving. Are there any questions? Blogs are the hot Internet marketing medium right now and you can literally find them everywhere on any topic. This is an excellent source for your next article idea.

4. Every now and then a webmaster would send an e-mail to his or her list (which I subscribe to), and announce that quite a few of his or her subscribers e-mailed them with the same or similar question. The webmaster will then answer that question to the entire list in case more subscribers were wondering about the same thing. There's your idea of what people are looking for at that very moment.

5. Keep your eyes and ears open at all times. Take a look at what information is being broadcasted on TV, radio, newspapers, and online. That information is usually a hot topic at that time.

6. Go to amazon.com or any other bookstore, whether online or offline and check what are the top sellers. Also, look at the magazines related to your niche. See what's being published. This can be a good way to come up with an article that catches the attention of what people are reading.

7. Be seasonal and be responsive to the most current hot events. Write about what is going on that time of the year. Holidays, festivals, sports, graduations, etc. Also, write about the most current hot event happening right now. All this makes for an article that people will want to read during that season and while the current hot event is taking place.

8. The absolute best idea. Survey your current customers, subscribers or even your website visitors. Ask them what kind of article they would like to see in your next newsletter or published on your website. Also keep track of what your customers and prospects are asking you. They're literally giving you the ideas for a good article.

9. Start a swipe file on what others are writing about. (Swipe file is a collection of other people's work). Collect other people's articles that catch your attention and refer to them when you're out of ideas. If the article is of interest to you it will probably be of interest to others. Never plagiarize the work of others though, but you can certainly get good ideas this way. The biggest benefit of a swipe file is having it handy to refer back to over and over whenever you are ready to write your article and you're not sure what you want to write about.

The internet marketer who can write high quality and interesting articles has a huge leg up on their competition. If you can master this strategy there is no limit to how much money you can make online.

Steve Dimeck. Author and Publisher. For more quality articles such as the one you've just read, visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.ogdteam.com">http://www.ogdteam.com</a> - <a target="_new" href="http://www.ogdteam.com">Internet Marketing</a> information and resources.

The Best Place To Submit Your Articles

If you've spent any time online trying to promote your website or business, you must have very likely realised that one of the most effective ways to generate tons of free targetted web traffic on a long term basis is to write your own informative articles and freely distribute them to other webmasters and ezine publishers for their use.

Some of the benefits of this amazing strategy include:

-it's totally FREE and gets links to your website distributed to a huge number of other related websites on a permanent basis...

...no need to pay for the links...

...no need to give a return link on your own website to other sites...

-The presence of your links in many other websites also directly increases your Google PageRank and increases the targetted free traffic you get from search engines!

-When people see your name and website/company in the bylines of the articles on different sites, you will naturally be thought of as an "expert" in that field...This increases your credibility and makes it more likely that your visitors will take your recommendations to them more seriously.

The purpose of this article is to seek to create a comprehensive list of places where writers can submit their articles for distribution...

If you find this page useful, please bookmark it...and use it whenever you have new articles to distribute...we will continue to update it with the latest links as we get "tip offs" from our visitors.

If you would like to reproduce this article and link resource in your website/ezine to increase your website's "stickability", please feel free to do so. (because of the convenience of finding all the possible submission sites on one page,many writers will bookmark your site if you have this resource on it...Go Ahead...Bookmark this page NOW!)

Here Are The Link:

<a target="_new" href=http://www.infoprisor.com>http://www.infoprisor.com</a>

Hope you found this article useful...

Remember...bookmark this page and if you discover any other good sites to distribute articles through, let me know.Thanks!

<a target="_new" href="http://www.infoprisor.com">http://www.infoprisor.com</a> Free articles for reprint

Writing Articles to Improve Link Popularity

There are many different ways to improve link popularity for your Website. One of the most effective ways to improve your site's link popularity is by writing articles for publication on other related Web sites and in other related newsletters or Ezines.

In this article, I will be sharing 10 techniques I use when I am writing articles to improve link popularity for one of my Websites.

Let's use this article as an example. I have two goals in mind as I start writing this article, a primary goal and a secondary goal.

My primary goal is to inform you, my reader, about how to improve link popularity for your Website.

My secondary goal is to improve link popularity for one of my own Websites.

If, after having read this article, you can say to yourself that this article was informative and it gave you one or more ideas about how to improve link popularity for your own Website, then I will have achieved my primary goal.

If, after having written this article, I can say to myself that this article was written well enough, and was informative enough, to persuade Webmasters and newsletter or Ezine publishers to reprint this article on their Website or in their newsletter or Ezine, then I will have achieved my secondary goal.

If I do achieve my primary goal, my secondary goal will be achieved as well - you will have been informed and the other publishers will realize that and will reprint this article in order to inform their readers as well.

Now, on to achieving my primary goal, informing you...

How to Improve Link Popularity by Writing Articles

1. Before writing your article, have definite goals in mind. Ask yourself what you want to accomplish by writing this article.

Since you are now reading an article about how to improve link popularity for your Website, that should be one of your goals. I'll leave you to decide what other goals you want to achieve by writing your article.

2. Have well thought out ideas for the beginning, middle and ending of your article.

For this article, the purpose of my beginning was to inform you about an effective way to improve link popularity for your Website.

The purpose of the middle of this article is to inform you about how you can use this effective way to improve link popularity for your own Website.

The purpose of the ending of this article will be to provide you with a way to learn more on this topic and, to achieve my secondary goal, to improve link popularity for my own Website.

3. Include your most important keyword in the title of your article. You will notice that I have used the keyword phrase "improve link popularity" in the title of this article. This will improve the odds that your article will become indexed and listed by search engines.

4. Use your important keyword throughout the content of your article. Again, you will notice that I have used the keyword phrase "improve link popularity" several times throughout the content of this article. Again, this is for the purpose of getting this article indexed and listed by search engines.

5. Write your article as if you were speaking directly to your best friend about a topic that both you and she are passionate about. Don't try to impress her with your knowledge of the topic. Simply provide her with your thoughts on the subject, using easy-to-understand words and phrases.

6. After you have written your article, leave it alone for a day or two before coming back to it. Using a fresh pair of eyes, read your article to see if the content flows in a logical, easy-to-understand manner. Then proofread your article for typos. Make any necessary corrections.

7. After you have written and proofread your article, publish it on your own Website. Include a resource box at the bottom of your Web page that informs Webmasters and newsletter or Ezine publishers that they are free to reprint your article. This is, after all, the focus of this article on how to improve link popularity for your Website.

8. If you publish a newsletter or Ezine, also publish your article in it as well. If it is a lengthy article, publish part of the article in your newsletter or Ezine and provide a link to the complete article that is published on your Website.

9. Include a resource box at the end of your article that provides a little information about you and an invitation for your readers to visit your Website. Some readers will go to your Website, read your other articles, and choose to reprint some of those as well. This is a definite bonus when you are writing an article to improve link popularity for your Website.

10. Submit your article to Websites that archive articles that are available for reprinting on other Websites and in other newsletters or Ezines. My favorite Website for archiving my articles and for obtaining articles written about how to improve link popularity is ArticleCity.com, located at http://www.articlecity.com/. Other archives can be located by searching on "free articles for reprint" or something similar.

Summary

It took me about two hours to write this article. When you are passionate about the topic you are writing about, the words just seem to flow from your brain to your article.

If you are passionate about the topic of your article, you will be able to write an informative article which will be reprinted by Webmasters and newsletter or Ezine publishers and that will help to improve link popularity for your Website.

Bob Hampton
<a href="http://LPIQ.com" target="_new">LPIQ.com</a>

About The Author

Bob designs and builds his own Websites. His most recent site is Link Popularity IQ (http://www.lpiq.com/lpiq). He invites you to test your knowledge of link popularity by taking his free Link Popularity IQ Test (<a href="http://www.lpiq.com/test" target="_new">http://www.lpiq.com/test</a>).

Direct Sales Reps CAN Write Articles - Heres How!

We all know that article writing is a great way to promote our businesses AND helps establish us as an expert in our fields. But, just because we know how important it is to our business doesn't necessarily make us able to do it. It's often said, &quot;I'm not a writer, I can't write articles.&quot; Or &quot;I can't write an article about my own products without it sounding like an ad.&quot; Do either of these sound familiar?

Here's a twist on article writing that can both help and provide a little extra fun. Find another consultant from another non-competing direct sales company. Exchange products with each other and both of you try them each out. Once you have tried the product yourself, write an article about it. In return the other consultant does the same thing. It's much more natural for us to be able to write about and recommend someone else's products. It's a win-win situation!

The following is perfect example of an article that was written about a gift from another direct sales company rep: <a target="_new" href=http://www.mommyshelperonline.com/rainy-day-cakes.html>http://www.mommyshelperonline.com/rainy-day-cakes.html</a>

Don't forget to add your resource box to the end of your article, and remind them to do the same. So really you are getting twice the advertising as you would just writing your own article! Not to mention you have a "testimony" that's not an ad and being used as content on other sites.

Pull up your address book and start figuring who you can exchange products with. Try to find others that have similar but not competitive products. Such as if you sell home decor with no candles, find someone that has candles.

About the Authors: Kara Kelso & Anita DeFrank are two busy wahms, and the owners of Direct Sales Helpers. Learn how you can be successful in your company by visiting: <a target="_new" href="http://www.DirectSalesHelpers.com">http://www.DirectSalesHelpers.com</a>

Writers Block - Find an Article Topic in Minutes Anytime Anywhere with These 7 Tips Guaranteed!

One question I get asked all the time is how to you get Ideas for your Articles? How can you churn out 5 Articles in a Day? Use these 7 Tips and You too will be able to Churn out Article Topics in Minutes Anytime Anywhere Guaranteed!

As you go through your daily routine Article Ideas present themselves all the time you just need to pay more attention to what you do and How You Do It.

As an Example Today I was looking over my Web Site Counter to see which keywords Web Surfers were using to Find my Web Page. Basically I look over the referred by logged and click on the link to see where the Surfers came from. If it happened to be a Search engine I look at the Search Term and My Position in the Search engine.

A light bulb went off in my head Wow I could write an Article about that. I jotted down in my blog to write an Article on How I find Article Topics. Like many of you I operate an Online Home based business. I use my DVD-RW to backup my critical Home Based Business Files. That's an Article just waiting to be written.

Here are 7 Ideas that will enable you to find a Limitless Number of Article Titles

1 - Procedures

Any of Your Daily, Weekly, Monthly Procedures are Ideas for Possible Articles. Like the Procedures I used to Back Up my Computer or Look over my Web Site Logs

2 - Write a Review

Did you read an Interesting Book, Use a Good Piece of software find a great Web Site then Write an Article.

3 - New Product

Write an Article about a new or Recent Product or Development in your Industry or company.

4 - Overlooked or Little Used Product

In your Profession are there any overlooked or little used products. Write an Article About it.

5 - Recent Accomplishment

Have you or someone you know received any awards. Have you or someone you know done anything Special Lately.

6- How To Guide

You can write a How To Article on Virtually Any topic. Need some ideas, go to a book store or online Bookstore and look at the Titles of all the Dummy Books.

7 - News Stories

Newspapers, TV News,Radio News, Magazines ,Technical and Trade Journals are all sources of articles

Over the Last Few Days some stories in the news have been about surging Gas Prices, A Computer Virus and Tropical Storms in Florida. Now that you have 3 Stories do a quick Brain Storm and Write Down possible Article Headlines for Each Story. Don't worry if you can write the Article Just Jot down the Headlines, Some will become Articles.

High Gas Prices<ul>

<li> 10 Ways to Save Money on Gas

<li> Every Thing You wanted to Know About Alternative Fuels

<li> Tips for Car Poolers - How to Save Money and Make New friends

<li> 5 Simple ways to Fix-Up Your Car and Save Gas Dollars

<li> Hybrid Vehicles are they Cost Effective

<li> Solar Power and Your Home Gas Bill

<li> 7 Energy Conservation Tips for the Home Owner

</ul> Computer Virus <ul>

<li> Will that Free Virus Software really Work

<li> 3 Free Spyware Programs Reviewed Which is Best for You

<li> 3 Virus Programs Reviewed Which is Best for You

<li> Can Spam Blockers Reduce Your Risk of an E_mail Virus

<li> Which Browser Offers the Best Virus Protection

<li> Choose Your Browser Carefully or Get a Virus

<li> Viral Marketing The Good Kind of Virus

<li> 7 Ways to Protect your Computer from Spyware and Ad Ware

<li> A USB Disk Drive Cheap Back Up Insurance

<li> Why I run 2 Virus Checkers and SpyWare

<li> Fix your Registry

</ul> Hurricanes and Tropical Storms <ul>

<li> Do you have enough Flood Insurance

<li> 10 Things you should do before that Hurricane Comes

<li> Road Tips if you are Caught in a Hurricane

<li> Damaged by a Hurricane, 10 Questions you should ask your Contractor

<li> Hurricane Damage Don't Fix that Roof Until You Read This

<li> Federal Disaster Relief

<li> Low Cost Loans to Fix Your Home

<li> Will Your Homeowners Policy Cover the Next Natural Disaster

</ul> Wow 26 Possible Articles from only 3 News Stories. How many Newspaper Stories are their in any Given Day.

Still having problems writing Articles One of the Easiest Types of Articles to write is 7 Tips or 10 Tips Type articles. You know something like 7 Tips to find an Article Topic

About The Author:
Mike Makler has been Marketing Online Since 2001 When he Built an Organization of over 100,000 Members

Get Mike's Newsletter:
<a target="_blank" href="http://ewguru.com/newsletter">http://ewguru.com/newsletter</a>

More Articles by Mike:
<a target="_blank" href="http://ewguru.com/tips">http://ewguru.com/tips</a>

Permission Based E_Mail Marketing Methods
<a target="_blank" href="http://ewguru.com/hbiz/amazingoffer.html">http://ewguru.com/hbiz/amazingoffer.html</a>

Copyright ? 2005-2006 Mike Makler the Coolest Guy in the Universe

Drive More Traffic to Your Web Site by Submitting Articles Online

If your business has a website, you're probably searching for ways to get people to visit. Search engine optimization is important, but there are many other simple things you can do yourself to help drive more traffic to your site.

I publish several online newsletters; my own as well as several for my clients. My clients write wonderful articles for their newsletters and most also have me archive the newsletters or articles on their website. There is also another way to get more mileage from the articles they've written, and that's to submit them to article directories, other web sites, and other online newsletters. The author's bio is listed after the article with a link back to their website.

Articles that provide the reader with great information and leave them wanting more will click on that link to find out more about the author and to see if he/she has even more great information on their web site.

Here is an example of an article that I submitted for my client, Mary Allen (www.LifeCoachMary.com). Self-Growth is a personal development website with lots of information and lots of web site traffic. The articles Mary writes for her eNewsletter, SoulFULLY Living is a perfect fit for this website. I submitted this article using their online submission form. I started submitting Mary's articles in December of 2003 and her articles are still there, driving traffic to her website. That's because at the end of the article is a bio with information about Mary and a link back to her web site.

Here is a list of a few sites that will accept article submissions. Please keep in mind that some websites have very specific themes and guidelines for submitting your articles so please make sure your article is appropriate for the site:

http://ezinearticles.com/

http://goarticles.com/index.html

http://www.articlecity.com/

http://www.authorconnection.com/

http://www.bpubs.com/cgi/add.cgi

http://www.ebooksnbytes.com/articles/submit.shtml

http://www.ideamarketers.com/

http://www.freesticky.com/stickyweb/submitarticle.asp

These are just a few sites out of dozens that I've gathered over the years. If you'd like to find more places to submit your articles to, simply do a search on the Internet for "article directories". Good luck with your article submissions!

Copyright ? 2002 - 2004, Jean Hanson, VA Office Solution(TM). Jean Hanson is a CPVA (Certified Professional Virtual Assistant). If you or someone you know is overwhelmed with the stresses that come from managing your business, it's time to bring joy and balance back into your life. Discover how partnering with a virtual assistant will give you more time to do the things you love to do! For more information about virtual assistance, visit Jean's website at <a target="_new" href="http://www.VaOfficeSolution.com.">http://www.VaOfficeSolution.com.</a> Jean is also the author of the eBook, Virtualize Your Business - Secrets to Simplifying, Automating, Organizing, and Virtualizing Your Business. Over 1,200 links to resources that you can use right now! <a target="_new" href="http://www.VirtualizeYourBiz.com.">http://www.VirtualizeYourBiz.com.</a>

The Benefits Of Article Writing For Your Home Business

Once you learn the benefits of article writing, you may want to open a home business based on your writing skills. The road to riches may be yours when you identify the basic elements required for writing top-notch articles, reports and other written material. When you have all the elements in place, you can produce page after page of written articles that will stand out and help you and your clients achieve their goals. If you are writing for someone else your goal is to produce clear, concise saleable material that will please your clients and of course, make money for you.

Anyone can learn to write saleable material on just about any subject, providing the person has personal knowledge of the subject matter or knows how to thoroughly research the subject, or both. The list of topics you may be required to write about is endless. Producing your articles is very easy and simple, but it may take longer and require more research for some individuals to produce a completed, saleable product than it will take others. A good command of the proper use of words and a basic knowledge of punctuation and grammar is a must.

Your written material should sound as if you are talking to someone in person. Keep in mind that you must convey your message, instructions or meanings through your writing, because the reader cannot see your facial expressions, your body language or hear the tone of your voice. This is why it is so important to use proper grammar and punctuation. Write your articles in a clear, factual, concise style. Keep in mind the type of audience you are writing for and confine your writing to words the reader will relate to and understand.

Bear in mind that your written material serves as a person-to-person communication between you and the reader. One of the benefits of writing articles is the rapport established between the writer, the client and the reader. Outlining your thoughts before you write will help you produce better articles. On the other hand, many writers simply start writing and record their thoughts as they are typing. The written word goes by many names, such as books, reports, booklet, folio, guide, pamphlet, magazine, etc. But keep in mind that no matter what name is used, the ultimate goal is to give the reader information and/or entertainment.

There are many reasons to choose writing articles as your home business. Your written product may show others how to start up or expand a new home business, give instructions on how to produce arts and crafts, how to choose and prepare for a new career, how to improve your financial situation, enjoy life more, how to save money, how to solve personal crises, or how to attain success in relationships with others.

The best written material is thoroughly researched, factual, to the point, authoritative and interesting to the reader. Whether you are writing articles for someone else or for yourself, choose your subject matter wisely. A benefit of writing for yourself is that you can choose a subject that you already know something about. A benefit of producing written material for someone else is that you may learn something new. The key is to write in a manner that will catch and keep the reader's interest.

Writing articles for your home business is an excellent way to established credibility and gain free exposure for your home business. By writing articles and freely distributing them, you can generate excellent free traffic to your website at no cost to you. Start writing today for your home business and experience the power of article writing.

Copyright ? Ian Canaway

(Feel free to use this article online and in your email newsletters as long as you leave it intact and do not alter it in anyway. The by-line and resource box must remain in the article.)

Ian Canaway is a home business entrepreneur and the owner of <a target="_new" href="http://www.asuccesfullhomebusiness4u.com">http://www.asuccesfullhomebusiness4u.com</a> and also a home business based blog at <a target="_new" href="http://www.ahomebusinessblog4u.blogspot.com">http://www.ahomebusinessblog4u.blogspot.com</a>; providing high quality information and resources. Check us out Now!

Four Tips For Getting More Mileage From Your Articles

It has become common knowledge that the smartest and most effective free method of advertising your business and services is to write and submit articles to the over 400,000 e-zines currently on the 'net. There are even several e-books written on the topic, including mine, that will help you take advantage of this effective technique. What do you do next after you've invested the hours necessary to research, write, proofread, edit and submit your article to thousands of e-zine publishers?

I recommend several methods of recycling articles to clients who utilize my article submission services that I'm going to share with you today:

1. Publish each of your articles on a separate page on your web site. Then take the keywords from that article that you used in the title and text and create a set of meta tags for that page. Use a free meta tag generator like <a href="http://www.anybrowser.com/MetaTagGenerator.html" target="_new">http://www.anybrowser.com/MetaTagGenerator.html</a> to make sure your meta tags are properly formatted and all inclusive. Next, submit the article page to all of the free search engines. Once that page is indexed those keywords will attract searchers to visit your site where you can convert them to loyal customers.

2. Take the article you've written and customize it for an industry you want to target. For example, I have a client who writes internet promotion articles. After submission she customizes her articles for real estate agents, accountants, ophthalmologists, home health care companies, etc. I then offer the customized articles to the industry associations representing those groups. This tactic has resulted in hundreds of thousands of fresh, new visitors to her web site when an association prints her customized article in their newsletter or magazine.

3. Choose an article you've written that outlines several key points on a particular topic. Write an in depth, expanded article on each key point. Contact all the publishers on your list and offer them the expanded key point articles and ask them to run them as a series. A series of articles is much more effective than a single article because each potential customer needs to be exposed to you and your business several times before becoming a customer.

4. Take the original article and the expanded key point articles and offer them as an e-course to people who visit your site and sign up for your e-zine. Use a free autoresponder like <a href="http://www.sendfree.com" target="_new">http://www.sendfree.com</a> to deliver the articles in sequence. This gives you the opportunity to capture e-mail addresses for your e-zine and allows you to use a different by-line highlighting your services and products with each article delivery.

Use these four tips every time you've finished submitting an article and you will get thousands of additional targeted visitors to your web site with just a little extra effort!

(c) 2003. Davis Virtual Assistance. All rights reserved.

Permission to publish on-line or in print is granted so long as the article and by-line are printed intact.

About The Author

Bonnie Jo Davis is a Virtual Assistant who specializes in inexpensive marketing promotions for herself and her clients. For more information about Bonnie's article submission package visit <a href="http://www.DavisVirtualAssistance.com" target="_new">http://www.DavisVirtualAssistance.com</a> and lick on the "packages" button.

The Benefits Of Article Writing For Your Home Business

Once you learn the benefits of article writing, you may want to open a home business based on your writing skills. The road to riches may be yours when you identify the basic elements required for writing top-notch articles, reports and other written material. When you have all the elements in place, you can produce page after page of written articles that will stand out and help you and your clients achieve their goals. If you are writing for someone else your goal is to produce clear, concise saleable material that will please your clients and of course, make money for you.

Anyone can learn to write saleable material on just about any subject, providing the person has personal knowledge of the subject matter or knows how to thoroughly research the subject, or both. The list of topics you may be required to write about is endless. Producing your articles is very easy and simple, but it may take longer and require more research for some individuals to produce a completed, saleable product than it will take others. A good command of the proper use of words and a basic knowledge of punctuation and grammar is a must.

Your written material should sound as if you are talking to someone in person. Keep in mind that you must convey your message, instructions or meanings through your writing, because the reader cannot see your facial expressions, your body language or hear the tone of your voice. This is why it is so important to use proper grammar and punctuation. Write your articles in a clear, factual, concise style. Keep in mind the type of audience you are writing for and confine your writing to words the reader will relate to and understand.

Bear in mind that your written material serves as a person-to-person communication between you and the reader. One of the benefits of writing articles is the rapport established between the writer, the client and the reader. Outlining your thoughts before you write will help you produce better articles. On the other hand, many writers simply start writing and record their thoughts as they are typing. The written word goes by many names, such as books, reports, booklet, folio, guide, pamphlet, magazine, etc. But keep in mind that no matter what name is used, the ultimate goal is to give the reader information and/or entertainment.

There are many reasons to choose writing articles as your home business. Your written product may show others how to start up or expand a new home business, give instructions on how to produce arts and crafts, how to choose and prepare for a new career, how to improve your financial situation, enjoy life more, how to save money, how to solve personal crises, or how to attain success in relationships with others.

The best written material is thoroughly researched, factual, to the point, authoritative and interesting to the reader. Whether you are writing articles for someone else or for yourself, choose your subject matter wisely. A benefit of writing for yourself is that you can choose a subject that you already know something about. A benefit of producing written material for someone else is that you may learn something new. The key is to write in a manner that will catch and keep the reader's interest.

Writing articles for your home business is an excellent way to established credibility and gain free exposure for your home business. By writing articles and freely distributing them, you can generate excellent free traffic to your website at no cost to you. Start writing today for your home business and experience the power of article writing.

Copyright ? Ian Canaway

(Feel free to use this article online and in your email newsletters as long as you leave it intact and do not alter it in anyway. The by-line and resource box must remain in the article.)

Ian Canaway is a home business entrepreneur and the owner of <a target="_new" href="http://www.asuccesfullhomebusiness4u.com">http://www.asuccesfullhomebusiness4u.com</a> and also a home business based blog at <a target="_new" href="http://www.ahomebusinessblog4u.blogspot.com">http://www.ahomebusinessblog4u.blogspot.com</a>; providing high quality information and resources. Check us out Now!

Stop Struggling and Write Your Article

Don't let overwhelm hold you back- follow this expert advice and start writing your promotional article today.

As a writing coach, I frequently work with independent professionals who have great ideas for promotional articles, but no idea how to start writing them. Here are the first three of six essential steps to help you get clear about your subject, kick-start your process, and ensure your article is ready to go.

1. Have something you really, really want to say. It seems obvious, but before you write, make sure there's a point you want to make, a story you want to tell, advice you just have to give. You've got to be a little bit burning to write, or your message will ramble, you'll be bored, and there'll be no connection with your reader.

Before you write, see if you can state the kernel of what you want to say in one sentence. If you can make it intriguing, all the better:

"Here are six guaranteed ways to kick-start your writing."

"Here's why my divorce was hell and how you can avoid that experience."

"The best way to have a tidy office is to get rid of your office."

If you can't state your premise in one sentence, either you're not clear on your message or you have more than one topic. Take some time and get clear on that single thing you want to say. We want one topic in depth, not skimming the surface of several.

If you're stuck on your article, or getting bogged down or confused as you write, you can be sure you need more focus. So take a deep breath and put your article away until you can state your one-sentence premise.

2. Create an outline. I used to be one of those "jump in, bang ahead and follow your nose" type of writers. And guess what? Every time I tried to write, I'd run out of steam. I'd lose focus, so I wouldn't finish; or, if I did finish, I'd have to edit a huge, rambling mess. Ugh. The whole process took weeks and was extremely discouraging.

You see, I was writing fiction, and I had this idea that it was more "creative" and "artistic" to just jump in. Making an outline seemed so predictable and dull.

My awakening came when I began writing non-fiction articles. Here's why: I had to communicate a message, and communicate it clearly. I had to write coherent, logical paragraphs, in strong, simple language. And I couldn't take weeks to write every article, or I'd be, well, pretty darn old before anything was ready.

So, give me predictable and dull (for process, that is-not results!). Starting with an outline frees up my energy and attention for the actual writing and saves me one to two complete days of editing per article.

A great way to create an outline is to read other people's articles, analyse their structure, and use that structure for your own. Be sure to choose well-written articles by established professionals in your field.

Here's an example of an outline I created by deconstructing an article I'd read:

<ul>

<li>intriguing introduction

<li>statement of the problem

<li>case history to demonstrate your solution

<li>list of practical tips

<li>upbeat conclusion

</ul>

Fill this out in point form, making sure that there's a logical progression of thoughts. Then flesh out your points. You can write a first draft of a 1,500-word article in a day or two, put it away for a day, go back and tighten it up. You're done.

Please note-using an article's structure is fine, using someone else's words is plagiarism (theft of their intellectual property).

Here's the great part: You can simply use the same structure over and over. No one will notice, or care, because the content will be different each time.

3. Consider using lists. People love to know the 10 best ways, the five secrets, the 12 essentials. Be honest-don't you always take a peek at an article whose title promises "Five ways to enhance your love life" or "10 secrets to financial independence"? There's something almost addictive about reading these lists, like nibbling popcorn or potato chips.

Here's my take on what makes lists enticing:

Readers love the tidbit form. The items in the list break up your article into manageable chunks of information, and also provide visual clues for skimming the page. Face it, you've done some of the reader's work for her (and who isn't grateful for a bit less work?).

Lists create an air of authority and credibility. After all, it takes confidence to promise "the 10 best ways" to do something.

This format creates a ready-made action plan for the reader.

For you, the writer, a list makes the process much less daunting. It's less stressful to tackle writing your article if you know that you can divide it into five or 12 info-bytes comprising a paragraph or two each. And lists force you to be concise and direct.

You can use a list as the structure for your entire article, or you can include a list within a longer, more narrative-style piece of writing. One way to do this is to offer your reader a concluding list of practical tips coming out of your article's premise.

This is a great strategy for staying connected with your readers. If you're discussing "big" concepts that threaten to become too vague, give your reader an agenda:

"Now that we've discussed the importance of being organized at work, here are five actions you can take.

About The Author

David Roddis, The Writers' Coach, helps independent professionals write killer marketing copy, promotional articles and information products that attract more clients. Go to <a href="http://www.coachdavid.ca/fasttrack1" target="_new">http://www.coachdavid.ca/fasttrack1</a> to join his mailing list and receive a free copy of "12 questions to fast-track your article". For more information, visit <a href="http://www.coachdavid.ca" target="_new">http://www.coachdavid.ca</a>.

Write Articles Geared to Your Local Market to Bolster Your Local Search Visibility

The Shortest Distance to Your Home Town Enterprise is Over the Internet

Combine two dynamite online methods for bringing your business to the attention of buyers - Local Search and widely posted articles you write. Doing both gives you a jump on your local competition, plus additional credibility and exposure to your market.

Local Search occurs by adding a geographic term is added to a search engine query. Instead of results comprising millions of pages, only businesses within your specific area are included. For example, entering Florists + Boston only returns Boston florists - a small pool of available choices.

Geographic terms can be town, state, region, zip code, etc. Results appear on both a list and map, so the most convenient stand out. Today, nearly 40% of search engine queries ask for Local Search information - with that number increasing rapidly. 70% of buyers go online to conduct research before they buy, even from local merchants. So the impact is considerable.

Articles Deliver Credibility and Links

When you write articles and post them widely to Internet directories and ezines, your knowledge is spread to thousands of readers. Sites displaying your articles link back to your website. That encourages readers to seek you out. Links also increase search engine rankings, which push you higher on the results lists. Capture all the benefits http://www.promotewitharticles.com/benefits.html that come with writing articles.

You're Not Competing Against the Whole World

The widespread assumption dictates shooting to be on first page results if you can (most searchers don't look past the first page). That all depends. If you're competing against every other business and website out there, that's true. And your odds are slim. But you don't need to - only the ones competing for the same customers you are.

Besides, sophisticated search-engine optimization strategies or tracking methods are beyond the needs or skills of most small businesses. There's a danger that SEO demands can easily pull an owner away from their brick-and-mortar priorities.

There's a well-known joke about two men being lost in the wilderness, who come to the attention of a bear. One man stops long enough to put on his running shoes. His friend scoffs, "You really think you can outrun a bear?" He replied, "I only have to outrun you."

When it comes to Local Search, you don't have to outrun all the other enterprises that do what you do. You only have to outrun the ones in your local market. Those likely to show up in the same Local Search results you do.

Consider all the plumbers who could show up in a Local Search for: Plumber + "your town". Visualize three groups:

1. Those who won't appear in the search because they're not listed in the search engine data bases. See if your business is included in those databases at http://www.localsearchresources.com/listed.html

2. Those who appear in the results, but who have done nothing further. They won't show up in all the search results they could have.

3. Those adding specific information for search engines, website visitors, and their local customers: a) enhance their website, b) provide search-engine-relevant information on their pages, c) provide easy-to-find information that Internet users are looking for.

#3 lets you outrun the other guy. Your articles help you to do that, too. Of those who show up in your search results list, how many are likely to have such additional information (and keywords) for the search engines to draw upon? Your information seems more complete and relevant-leap-frogging you to the front.

Adapt Your Articles for Your Neck of the Woods

The usual method for getting better search engine rankings is to post articles widely to article directory sites and ezines interested in your topic. That's how the game's played for e-commerce topics, or products and services with a national reach.

But that's not primarily what you're after as a small business operator. Certainly, you'll benefit from links from other posting sites and links to your website. But you're interested in reaching the people who live in your area. They're the ones you want to read your articles and be moved to come to your place of business. Your priority is to build relationships on the local level.

So also post your articles to websites or portals in your community. They may not have high page rank, but they have access to your local customers. And links among local enterprises help to support each other and the local economy. Aso, print off a stack of your articles for handouts in your storefront.

Write your articles differently. Mention your town in your title or keywords. Make sure your signature file (sig) says your town and state. Use examples that are specific to your town or region. "Choosing roses that can thrive above the tree line." Refer to landmarks or make geographic references that the locals will recognize. The search engines will pick up some of those references, and they'll boost your Local Search prominence.

Learn to Make the Most of Local Search Exposure

The easier you can be found online, the more ways you appear in Local Search results. It's here for the long term, bringing customers to your door who don't respond to your other marketing methods. Articles and Local Search awareness will build on each other, and you'll gain a tangible edge in your local market.

Copyright 2005 Off the Page

--Dr. Lynella Grant An expert in Yellow Page ads and Local Search. Stand out online and offline, so you capture more Internet-savvy buyers for your brick and mortar business. Free resources <a target="_new" href="http://www.localsearchresources.com">http://www.localsearchresources.com</a> 719-395-9450

Advertisements and the Freelance Writer

Advertisements are one of the biggest indicators of a magazine's readership. They are also excellent for generating ideas.

First, let's look at the readership.

Ads tell you: <ul><li>The age of the reader</li><li>Family circumstances</li><li>Disposable income </li></ul>When was the last time you dissected an advertisement?

The age of the people in the ads is usually about the same as the readers. You wouldn't have a 20-year old female advertising a new make-up style in a publication targeted towards 45-year old males. Similarly, an advertisement for retirement villages wouldn't appear in a magazine for 18-year olds.

If the magazine is aimed at families, family groups will be in the ads.

Disposable income is easy. If the ads are for luxury items, leather travel goods, holidaying in the Bahamas, diamonds and jewellery, you won't be querying an article on how to save $20 when you shop at the supermarket.

Ads and Ideas If you're short of ideas, take a closer look at the ads. For example: An ad for exercise equipment. You could write articles about the individual pieces of equipment, exercise programs and other things to do with exercise. But if you think more laterally, other ideas with generate. The right diet for the exercise program, clothing, choosing the right footwear, making time, exercise increases endorphins.

Well, the list goes on.

Advertisements are a very important part of a Freelance Writer's arsenal and should never be overlooked.

<a target="_new" href="http://www.bcacommunications.com.au">Barb Clews</a> is an award winning journalist with nearly 1,000 published articles to her credit. She has been a writer and editor for 15 years and is the author of "Article Writing for Freelancers" and "20 Tips to Increase Writing Skills" Visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.bcabooks.com/">http://www.bcabooks.com/</a> to subscribe to "Words that Work", Barb's monthly ezine packed with tips for writers.

The Online Writing Business Requires Constant and Regular Writing

Many writers do not understand that the online writing business is very different from the offline writing world. The economics are totally different and no amount of lobbying and noise will change that.

Sadly, because of this reason, many good writers have stayed away from the online writing business while others have priced themselves out of lucrative assignments from websites, simply because they want the offline world to be automatically transferred online.

In the bricks and mortar world of writing, top freelance writers are accustomed to single writing assignments paying them $300 at the very minimum. Rates for leading magazines can go up to $3,000 or even much higher.

Thinking that you can push a webmaster to pay you $3000 for your writing is just plain day dreaming. The realities online are very different. For starters, in the offline writing market there are a few thousand publications paying good rates to freelancer writers. In the online world there are millions of potential writing markets (and constantly growing even as you read this). The challenge in the old world is finding a way to beat other writers to assignments. In the new online writing business, the challenge is being able to handle enough clients and to do enough writing daily to make a good income.

Online writing business will tend to come in volumes and for you to make money you will need to be a fast writer. There are some techniques to speed up the writing process (which I deal with in my free short online writing business course available by sending an email to writertips at freeautobot.com) but these technique will only help to speed up a writer who already has a good speed.

Indications are that as the number of websites and blogs continue to grow at the current rate, the economics will swing in favor of the online writing business entrepreneur and rates should go up as the demand for good writers continues to far outstrip the supply. Still it is unlikely that a rate of $3000 per article will be common in the foreseeable future.

So the best thing to do is to find a way to make a good steady income from your online writing business with the current rates and the current state of affairs. Actually this is not too difficult. I know online writers who comfortably make $4,000 on a monthly basis, without too much effort and that is by getting paid less than $11 on average for their articles.

The online writing business will favor the kind of writer who leans more towards novel writing rather than the short story or article writer. This is because a novel writer thrives on writing every day and trying to increase their daily output. This is in contrast to the short story writer who waits for inspiration to write his brief piece at virtually one sitting. Or the professional freelance article writer who will tend to spend more time doing research and sending queries to publications rather than the actual writing work.

The huge advantage that the online writing business entrepreneur has is that they can use the power of the internet to guarantee a steady and constant flow of writing jobs which will leave them with lots of time to do what every writer should enjoy doing the most - writing.

Christopher Kyalo earns a living writing for various online clients. Visit his blog <a target="_new" href="http://100grandonlinewriters.blogspot.com">http://100grandonlinewriters.blogspot.com</a> to read the following article; How to get lots of business writing online articles. He can be reached at strongwallafrica at yahoo.com

Stimulate Your Writing With Some Creative Exercises

Abandon your frustrations and get a fresh start by trying some writing activities to spark your creativity.

Exercises in creativity can improve your aptitude as a writer and inspire ideas for new writing projects.

The benefit of attempting any of the following activities is that you can complete the exercises from the comfort of your home, at your own pace, in solitude (hopefully) without outside distractions or the pressures of working with a group.

I've compiled the list of exercises suggested below over the years - from college professors, editors and fellow writers. Some of them have helped me to grow as a writer. Hopefully they will help you in some way too!

1 - Write your own obituary.
(I know it sounds somewhat morbid - but it will require you to think about what you've accomplished thus far - and what you wish to achieve in the future.)

2 - Write a 400 word description of your favorite place.

3 - Write a brief biography of someone you know and love. Or write about someone famous you admire.

4 - Write a list of questions you would like to know the answers to. Then try to list the people or resources you could contact to get your answers.

5 - Read a newspaper or magazine article about something you're interested in. Re-write the article in your own words to make it better.

6 - Listen to the conversations of others in a crowded mall or restaurant. Write 200 words about your reaction to their conversation.

7 - Write 500 words describing a special time in your life. Write it so that other people could understand and appreciate it.

8 - Take a 15 minute walk around your neighborhood. As soon as you get home, write 300 words about what you saw on your walk.

9 - Think about your closest friends, your relatives, your boss, or your co-workers. Choose the person you like the most and the least; the person who has had the most positive and most negative influence on you; the person who has changed the most and the least since you've known them; and then write a write a brief paragraph on each explaining why you feel this way.

10 - Write the first ten words that come to mind. Then write brief definitions and/or explanations of why you thought of these words.

Resource Box - ? Danielle Hollister (2004) is the Publisher of BellaOnline Quotations Zine - A free newsletter for quote lovers featuring more than 10,000 quotations in dozens of categories like - love, friendship, children, inspiration, success, wisdom, family, life, and many more. Read it online at - <a target="_new" href="http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art8364.asp">http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art8364.asp</a>

10 Tips For Getting More Traffic From Your Articles

Here's a depressing fact if you sell anything on the web: the #1 reason people go online is not to buy things but to find free information.

But that's great news - if you write free articles. It means you have a technique you can plug in and use whenever you need more traffic.

Writing articles is still one of the quickest and easiest ways of bringing targeted traffic to your website. Articles will bring you traffic from three sources:

=> Newsletters - very few ezine publishers write their own content. They need free articles from people like you.

=> Websites - webmasters want content-rich websites. They also need your articles.

=> Search Engines - the URL in your resource box increases your link popularity, resulting in higher search engine rankings for your website

Here are some tips for getting more traffic from your articles:

1. Start your article with a sentence that grabs your reader's attention. People are bombarded with information on the Internet - they'll decide whether to read your article in the first sentence. If it intrigues them, if it startles them, if it excites them, if it engages them, if it challenges them, they'll keep reading.

2. Submit your articles to the article announcement lists. Here are the lists I submit to: http://www.ezine-writer.com/article-lists.html

3. Submit your articles to the online article banks. Here are the top 10 article banks: http://www.ezine-writer.com/top10.html

4. Create a 'New Articles' list for people who want to receive your latest articles. Put a sign-up form on your website and invite your visitors to join. When you submit articles to the article announcement lists, include the email address for joining your 'New Articles' list.

5. Don't put a date in your article copyright - articles you wrote 2 years ago may still be relevant but if the copyright says 2001, publishers will assume the information is out-of-date.

6. Create a zip file containing all your previous articles as text files - include the download link on your website, in your sig file, in your autoresponders, and in your Ezine 'Welcome Message'.

7. Check your articles with SpamAssassin by sending your article to this address with 'TEST' in the subject field: mailto:spamcheck-flash1@sitesell.net Then include a note that says "this article was checked by SpamAssassin and is spam-safe".

8. Write your Resource Box in the third person and not in the form an ad - Ezine Publishers may like your article but object to your Resource Box.

9. When you submit your articles to the article lists, include URLs for your article and your photo: http://www.ezine-writer.com/article62.html http://www.ezine-writer.com/photo-ms.jpg

10. Likewise, include your article's autoresponder address: article62@ezine-writer.com

Well, that's it - all the information you need to get more traffic from your articles!

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Michael Southon has been writing for the Internet for over 3
years. He has shown hundreds of webmasters how to use this
simple technique to build a successful online business. Click
here to find out more: <a target="_new" href="http://ezine-writer.com/">http://ezine-writer.com/</a>
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Free Articles = Free Publicity (Or, How To Get Free Publicity For Your Business)

Publicity?you're business can survive without it, but it certainly won't thrive without it. Maybe you've seen your competition at it - their website was featured on a major newspaper or television show. Or perhaps you heard them mentioned on your favorite morning radio show on the way to the office. The point is, when it comes to publicity, some businesses are getting it. And here comes the real shocker - some of them are getting it for free! Yep, there really is such a thing as free publicity, and we're going to show you a very simple way that you can start getting it.

But first, let's take a moment to discuss what publicity is. According to www.dictionary.com, publicity is &quot;Information that concerns a person, group, event, or product and that is disseminated through various media to attract public notice.&quot; Did you see what I just did? Through this article, www.dictionary.com just got free publicity (they'll need it, so you can look up &quot;disseminated&quot;&#61514;). Articles are just one of many ways that you can spread the word about your business, but it's the one of the easiest to use.

Free Online Articles

The number one way to get free publicity (and to establish yourself as an expert in your field) is through writing and submitting free online articles that relate in some way to your business. Now before you throw your hands up in disgust, saying something like &quot;I'm not a writer, I'm a business owner!&quot; just wait a minute. The chances are, your business's new or existing product, service or upcoming event is something that the rest of the world cares about (otherwise, you wouldn't BE in business). As obscure as it may be, you'd be amazed at the number of people out there who are yearning to learn more about something that your business makes you an expert about.

If you don't believe me, narrow your business down to a list of ten keywords that come to mind when you describe your profession. Now, do a Google search on each of those ten keywords (see, I slipped in yet another instance of free publicity, and through your articles, you can do the same!) The top ten or twenty results are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to sites that could be featuring your articles.

You may be asking yourself &quot;Sure, the readers get something out of these free articles, but what about me?&quot; Well, despite the fact that no one is paying you to publish your articles, free articles come with an incredibly valuable thing?it's known as the resource box.

The resource box is where you get to promote yourself and your business! You can include a brief biography about yourself or business along with a link to your website or affiliate program, your address, phone number, email address,? whatever! The point is, when your readers get done with your article and they want to know more, the first place they'll go to is your resource box! The next place they go is?well, where ever you want them to!

What Do You Write About?

Well, just about anything. The first place you should go for inspiration is your Frequently Asked Questions. If you don't have a FAQ section of your website, check out your competitor's sites (really, it's okay, as long as you don't copy it down word for word?) If your FAQ's are truly that, and not just a list of questions that you hope and pray that people would ask but they never do, then you'll have plenty of possibilities.

Whatever you write about, make sure it's something that people are genuinely interested in. Because if it's something people are interested in, then it's something that the websites that cater to those people will be interested in. And don't worry, there's no need to write a novel, nearly all web content articles are within a 300-1000 word range.

Also, make sure to follow the basic rules of grammar and spelling. Even if your article is worthy of a Pulitzer, it'll never earn one if it's full of careless mistakes and spelling errors.

Once you've checked your spelling and grammar make sure to read the article aloud. This will give you a chance to make sure that the article flows smoothly and logically.

Getting Your Article Published

Once you've written and edited your article, the next step is to get the word out. And unlike articles that are written for pay, it's really not that hard to find webmasters and ezine editors willing to publish your piece. Since they don't have to pay you for the content, they're more than happy to provide you with free publicity.

If you have a lot of professional and Internet connections in your industry, don't be afraid to take advantage of them at this point. Not only will it give you more exposure, you'll be doing your friends a favor! Once you've contacted them, you're next stop will be to submit your article to free online article databases. Here are a few to help you get started:

? www.articlecity.com

? www.ezinearticles.com (requires free membership)

? www.thewhir.com/find/articlecentral/

? www.businessknowhow.com/newsletter/articleguidelines.htm

? www.expertarticles.com (requires free membership)

? Or, just go here www.bellaonline.com/articles/art12838.asp for an extensive list of places willing to publish your work on their site or publication!

Now, you're armed with all you need to know to start getting the free publicity that you've been dreaming of. Better yet, no one will be able to pinch and wake you up!

About the Author:
If your website could use some fresh, custom content but you don't have the extra money in your budget, there's no need to worry. Jennifer Gibbs (<a target="_new" href="http://www.JenniferGibbs.com">http://www.JenniferGibbs.com</a>), a 5 star freelance professional from South Georgia is more than happy to provide your site with original, tailored and EXCLUSIVE content in exchange for free products, services and/or membership access. For more information, send your request (along with your website URL) to: <a href="mailto:info@jennifergibbs.com">info@jennifergibbs.com</a>.

You Should Seriously Consider Making Money With Your Words

Sometimes when I am communicating with other webmasters and I bring up the subject of writing articles, I often get a response like "I'd rather have a root canal, I just can't write", or "my spelling is horrible and my grammar is not much better". In my view, the first excuse is just a matter of attitude. The latter excuse falls on deaf ears because the major word processing programs have good spelling and grammar checking capabilities.

We're not talking about something that would qualify for the Pulitzer prize in literature, just articles dealing with a topic that may be of interest to a group of people that also may happen to have an interest in your particular business proposition or activity.

While not as dramatic as the college professor's dilemma of "publish or perish", many Internet marketers have found that the publicity and traffic that articles can bring to their websites is second only in importance to actually making sales.

When writing articles, start out by clearly defining what you want to write about. Focus on the topic and the general message that you want to communicate. Sometimes you will start with a title and expand from there and other times the title will be the last thing you develop.

Organize your material (be it knowledge, thoughts, or opinions) into a logical sequence or order. Don't try for the finished product in the first draft. Just let your mind, and words, flow and get some stuff down on paper. This may occur in a single session or, for longer articles, it may be done in several rough draft sessions perhaps broken into logical sections of what will eventually become your finished article.

Once you've completed the rough stuff, it's time to make your corrections, smooth out the rough edges, and perhaps do a little juggling in terms of organization. Run your text through the spelling/grammar checking tool of your word processor and make the appropriate adjustments/corrections.

Now that the body of text that you have created is "technically clean" from a spelling/grammar standpoint and you have satisfied yourself with the organization, its time to do the final styling or polishing to ensure readability (that may or may not be a word, but I'll claim poetic license and go ahead and use it). Read your article aloud to yourself and get a feel for the cadence or rhythm. The readability of the entire article can be influenced by changing the order of words and/or exchanging one like-meaning word for another. The final goal is to invite readership.

Many entrepreneurs and professionals use their articles as a key component in launching successful careers earning very substantial incomes. Remember, with regard to writing articles, you're better than you think you are...it's all about attitude.

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This article is freely available for reprint provided that the resource box at the end of the article is left intact and the article is published complete and unaltered. If you are using this article on a website or e-book, please make sure that the link in the resource box is live or clickable.
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Kirk Bannerman operates a successful home based business and coaches others seeking to start their own home based business.

Visit his website at <a target="_new" href="http://www.business-at-home.us">Legitimate Home Based Business</a> for more details.