There are two primary factors in creating a successful reference box, also called a bio box, that get the results you want from your Internet-posted articles. The first is adding the right keywords into the language. Second, is to write tiny ads that led to a call to action. Neither is going to be easy, but both are necessary and accomplishable.
Let's walk through the process together, and I will give you a few techniques that have brought me large responses and click through rates of upwards of 45%, sometimes even higher, when averages usually run under 8%.
Beginning with understanding what an Internet article is and its intention, creates a starting point for both of us. Let's begin there. Simply, distribution of these articles is solely for electronic publishing. Guidelines from publishers prefer 500 to 1400 word counts with an average of 700 to 800. Creative intentions range from building an expertise in a particular market, topic or industry, a taste of a topic for marketing of a product, or as a paid writing gig for others, so that they may complete one of the other previously mentioned intentions. Publishing can occur inside a newsletter, also called an ezine or electronic newsletter, or be published on a website. Each has its own pros and cons. Website posting does tip the scale higher on the pro side.
The next thought process moves us up the railing to knowing what action you want the reader to take. This ties in with your intention and also making it a reasonable request. Reasonable means not asking for the reader to leap and buy a product or service based on the small amount of information given in the reference box. For coaches or consultants, it's even a leap for readers to commit to a complimentary session based on that small amount of information. A reference box builds only one point, far from the seven to ten-points needed before people take an action that calls for a higher commitment. Selling too soon always turns off an action request.
Since publishers usually don't allow more than five 60- character lines or 450 or less characters, focus is best limited to one action request. The request usually requires a "click here to" request, for instance:
* visit website for more information about product, service, workshop, seminar, conference
* consider subscribing to
* find out more about the author
* call us for (something beneficial and free)
A reference box needs to have the following basics:
1. The author's name and background expertise on the topic.
2. The call to action request.
3. A benefit for readers to take the action.
4. Keywords for search engine optimization (SEO).
Developing the author's name and expertise sentence is easy and the call to action addressed, let's move to the remaining two items: benefit and keywords. Take the major benefit for one of your calls to action. Here is an example of a short-list of benefits to being a subscriber of my nonfiction for-profit monthly newsletter:
* Learn additional avenues to make money with your writing
* Explore and improve your nonfiction for-profit writing skills and techniques
* A metacenter site to find resources to ease your journey in this area
How-to details on finding your features and benefits are available at the Abundance Center's website.
Continue to create five or more benefit lines for each of your action requests, products and services. You will be able to use these in multiple places, not just your reference box. The benefit line or phrase in the reference box needs to build a curiosity or draws readers to want to click and find out more. If the reader sees the benefit as somewhat unbelievable, whether true or not, isn't always the best way to get the preferred action. Sometimes it's best to downplay the benefit, yet continue to make impact. For example, articles I've written were published thousands of times over the past year. Instead, it's best for me to adopt the term, prolific writer. Hype is a big turnoff for sophisticated readers.
We have walked through the who and expertise lines, created benefit lines, next you will want to create a list of keywords for the topic, service and product, then sprinkle them into the resource box information.
Keywords help Net visitors find your article (and you) and the website where the article is posted. Keywords are words people would search on to find information on that topic. Using the keyword finder on Google or the new Amazon search engine is one way to find what people search on most frequently. However, the finder is limited to last month's searches. The key finders will give you hints, however, I believe your common sense will do the same. Additional information on finding keywords are available in articles section of the Abundance Center or search on "keywords" "how to" "article" in Google.
Another tip, slightly outside the scope of this topic, which will help the attractiveness of your article, is not to use the same reference box, or bio box, repeatedly in all articles. Density is important to increase attraction from the search engines yet too much of a good thing shoots you in the foot too. Too much density means 25 or more exactly the same. Changing the benefit line, call to action, and keywords broadens your exposure as well as the opportunity for searchers to find the website that your article is posted -- one key purpose people publish and host your article.
Writing tight copy, including a reference box, always requires more time and focus even for the best writers. Be patient through the development. Review other reference boxes for likes and dislikes. More importantly, be creative and test the response rate occasionally if article writing is a major part of your marketing program.
In summary, the reference box provides author's name and tied-in expertise, the major benefit for clicking and an appropriate call to action that is reasonable for someone reading the article. The sprinkle in or substitute search engine optimizing keywords into the resource box to increase exposure and attractiveness for both yourself and whoever is publishing your articles.
Catherine Franz, a business coach specializing in marketing and writing, presents multiple learning opportunities for business owners at the Abundance Center or Catherine's blog. Visitors experience the opportunity to increase skills and knowledge through articles, newsletters, and programs. http://www.abundancecenter.com blog http://www.abundancecenter.com
whole house cleaning Highland Park ..Get the Facts you need to start promoting you free... Read More
Heard about article marketing but not sure why you'd need... Read More
Writing a great deal of articles myself, I see a... Read More
Earlier, I published part 1 of this series, which contained... Read More
If you've spent any time online trying to promote your... Read More
How are you marketing your articles? As a writer prospecting... Read More
Here's a really simple way... to promote your online business... Read More
Writing can be fraught at the best of times but... Read More
Submitting articles once or twice a week can yield 15... Read More
We've all been there. We hear about how articles will... Read More
1. Participate in chat rooms related to your targeted audience.... Read More
Making your articles available for reprints by other ezine publishers... Read More
Chances are good that the next article or book you... Read More
Ok, today we are going to talk about one of... Read More
We all know that article writing is a great way... Read More
When you frequently post articles on ezines, you might be... Read More
Your publicity dreams may include being featured in Forbes, Fortune,... Read More
By now you probably understand how important writing for trade... Read More
Still following along on the Copywriter's Crash Course in article... Read More
Do you know one of the most powerful marketing techniques... Read More
Many successful authors close their mind to learning HTML because... Read More
Good technical articles are challenging to write. They're time-consuming, demanding... Read More
As an article author, sometimes you can only pull so... Read More
If your business has a website, you're probably searching for... Read More
Writing and submitting articles to article banks is a well-known... Read More
pet-friendly home cleaners Glenview ..You have probably heard that writing articles is one of... Read More
Some six weeks ago, I began writing and submitting articles... Read More
In this article I will show you how to use... Read More
There is no doubt that Spam has affected online business... Read More
It's no secret that writing and publishing helpful articles is... Read More
Many writers do not understand that the online writing business... Read More
It is a well known fact that writing, distributing and... Read More
Writing articles for your site and for the use of... Read More
I've noticed a disturbing trend recently of articles suggesting that... Read More
Anyone who's been in the business for 2 or 3... Read More
If your business has a website, you're probably searching for... Read More
Want your articles to get picked up and reprinted by... Read More
Free publicity can help to spread the word about your... Read More
Publicity?you're business can survive without it, but it certainly won't... Read More
Much has been touted about the effectiveness of article writing... Read More
MS: John, you must be one of the most prolific... Read More
One question I get asked all the time is how... Read More
Ok, today we are going to talk about one of... Read More
Anxiety, apprehension, cold feet, consternation, dismay, distress, dread, fear, fright,... Read More
What should be in your article summary? It's otherwise known... Read More
Chances are good that the next article or book you... Read More
Writing for websites -- content, as it is called --... Read More
Every time I run a course on Freelance Writing, students... Read More
The Shortest Distance to Your Home Town Enterprise is Over... Read More
As of July 1st, the year was half over! July... Read More
Article Writing |