Xeal Online Publicity

On the Internet, you are what you publish. Article marketing is a great way to get your company's name out there by offering tips, tutorials and commentary on the state of your industry. You might be considering putting the articles on a company blog, into databases, or using them to populate your newsletter.

However, none of that will make any difference if you don't know the first steps in actually writing an article. You may think there's nothing to it, but the Internet is flooded with meandering, pointless, poorly composed drivel.

The stakes are higher for business articles than for your average blog. People will make judgments about your company based on what they read. If your articles sound unprofessional and poorly written, you might be surprised at how fast it can drive people away.

If you want to get the most into your article content, here are a few tips to give you an edge over 90 percent of the articles out there.

Consider your audience

Who are you trying to reach with these articles? Your tone and topic depend on what your audience wants to know, and what voice will reach them. A piece comparing the pros and cons of leading prescription drugs for depression might capture the attention of patients, but the CEO of a pharmaceutical company will be more interested material related to strategic planning and industry trends.

Focus, focus, focus

It's surprisingly easy to get off-topic while writing articles. Don't make your article too broad. Find a specific focus and stick with it. This will keep your pieces short and sweet, and it'll keep you from rambling on about everything even remotely connected with your chosen topic. Plus, by splitting up ideas, you'll have more articles to write and won't be scrambling for content. An outline with subheads is also helpful to keep you on target, and it'll let readers know exactly what to expect from your article.

Do your research

Research can mean the difference between a decent article and a must-read. You don't have to spend four hours a day in a library, but fifteen minutes of searching online can give you a good idea of what other people are saying about your chosen topic. This can help you decide what to talk about, or put a new angle on the piece if too many people are handling the subject in the same way. Plus, you might be able to find studies and statistics that back up your assertions.

Watch your language

Repeat this mantra to yourself as you write: It's an article, not a sales pitch. Using sales language in an informative article is a quick way to make sure nobody publishes your pieces. Even if you're trying to get into article databases, this is a surefire way to get rejected. Yes, you know your product is the best thing on the market. But this is not the time or the place for product placement. Articles should build credibility and prestige. If you just want an advertisement, spend the money on a banner ad.

Keywords are still important

The major difference in writing for print and writing for the Internet is that you have to worry about keywords online. Make sure that keywords are in the text and title, but don't just shotgun them in there. That makes your writing choppy and unnatural. The copy should still flow naturally. Yes, it takes some time to do this correctly, but it's a lot better than the alternative.

The biggest mistake you can make with writing your articles is to assume that people will care just because they're your articles. By writing an informative, focused piece, you'll go a long way to getting published and establishing yourself as a good writer and an expert in your field. Let your writing speak for the quality of your organization, and people will be more inclined to turn to your company for a solution to their problems.