Are you stumped on how to write a good article?
You’ve read good articles before haven’t you? What were the things about those good articles that you liked? What kept you reading? What made you want to link to it, re-tweet it or mention it on Facebook?
If you read at all you’re more of an expert than you think.
The next time you read an article that you consider’ good‘, ponder those questions. Then take a look at the tips below to help you formulate your own good articles; articles that will bring more traffic, social interaction and connections your way.
Knowing How to Write A Good Article Starts With a Good Title
Your article’s title is your lure. A good article title will do more than be descriptive, it will grab your reader’s attention.
“How to lose weight” is a descriptive title but “How to lose 10 pounds in 3 days” is an attention grabber. Do you see the difference?
Using numbers in your title is also a good strategy. For example “How to Plant a Rose Garden” isn’t going to draw as much attention as writing “The 5 Steps to the Perfect Rose Garden”?
Numbers let the reader know exactly what they are getting and in how many parts. Readers like that.
A Good Article is Easy to Read and Has a Logical Flow
The paragraphs in your articles should be no more than 2 or 3 sentences, 4 at the very most. This makes the information easier for the reader to understand and digest. A paragraph with too many sentences is a lot to read on one idea and you’re likely to lose your readers attention.
The first paragraph should give a good summary of what the article is about. It should be written to entice your reader to keep on reading.
Your ideas should flow logically. Skipping around from idea to idea can confuse readers and muddies the waters. Keep your thoughts logically controlled. If it’s not your reader will lose interest and stop reading.
The last paragraph should conclude or sum up the main points of your article. This is where you can highlight the ideas that you want your readers to remember.
Use Bullet Points in Your Article
Readers are scanners, they pick out the ideas that catch their eye, so make it easy for them to get those ideas quickly by using bullet points.
Bullet points will break up the look of the article and help readers digest information faster by helping them pull out only the points they are most interested in. Good bullet points describe ideas that are concise and to the point.
A Good Article Writer Knows Their Audience
Have a clear picture in mind of your reader. What emotions, concerns and struggles will someone reading your article have? Who are the people you want to attract to read your article?
If you’re writing an article about homeschooling for example, your reader will probably be a stay at home mom. So what are the wants, desires and concerns be of a mom that home schools her kids be? They’ll probably be somewhat different than for a stay at home mom who sends her kids off to school every day.
Know what those concerns and cares are and address them when writing your article.
Craft a Yummy Article Resource Box
A good article doesn’t stop with writing great content, you need a resource box that compels your reader to find out more about you or your business.
If your reader found your article useful, they’re be curious about you, so encourage them to find out.
Before composing your resource box think about what you your goal is for your article. For example, are you looking for more home page links and traffic or are you trying to increase newsletter subscriptions? The goal you have in writing your article will guide you in how you craft your resource box.
Use these article resource box examples to help you get started.