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The following tips on article writing include some important information on why writing online is different from writing for magazines or other printed media. Pay attention to these if you want to get the maximum value from your articles.
1. Lead Them To That Link
This may be the most important tip here. Article writing online is about getting the reader to visit your website by way of the link in the "author's resource box." This is an important distinction between an article in a print magazine and one distributed on the internet. In a magazine, an article is meant to satisfy the reader and keep him or her interested in that magazine. Keeping the magazines subscribers happy is what you are paid for.
Online, on the other hand, you rarely can get paid up front for an article (at least not any amount that makes it worth it). Generally you are writing for the purpose of promoting your website. Even if you are selling your work, your articles are supposed to promote the buyer's website. Either way, the article still has to be of value to the readers, but it is only of value to you or your buyer if the readers click that link at the end and visit the website.
How do you get them to do that? There is a lot to it, but for now keep in mind that from the title of the article to the description to the first paragraph to the body and finally to the resource box - it is a chain that leads readers to the website, and it can't be broken at any point. In other words, the headline should get their attention, the description should "sell" them on reading, the first lines need to draw them in, the body has to keep them interested, and the resource box has to give them a compelling reason to visit the website.
2. Keep It Short
Attention spans are shorter online. In addition to that, the website owners who will use your articles also have space constraints (we all dislike slow-loading pages). So your 3,000 word article is a no-go. Keep it to around 400 to 800 words, and never more than 1,200. If you have hard time saying what you need to say in ten short paragraphs, find a way to narrow the focus and make it into two or three different articles. You get more value from your content in this way anyhow.
3. Keep It Simple
Many people read online by necessity (at least until video takes over the internet), and are not normally readers offline. Also, many readers of your articles may not speak English as their first language. It really helps then, if you explain things simple, and use simple language to express yourself.
Remember that you are not writing to show of your verbal skills, but to convey valuable information to readers and convince them that they can find more on your website. You'll never scare off readers by using simple words and explanations, but you will lose them if they have a hard time understanding.
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