Articles are the best viral marketing tools there are. Put a well written article onto a good quality ezine directory such as ezinearticles.com or articleshut.com and you have a piece of marketing just waiting to spread around the internet ? sometimes at lightening speed. If you don't believe me then take the article heading from one of the top article writers on this site and put it into a major search engine and see how many times it is mentioned. Or take the name of one of your favorite authors and search on it. I know it works because I have thousands of entries!
So what makes a good article and more importantly how do you get it read and passed around?
Heading
The absolute most important part of your article. It gets your article opened and read. If your heading has good keywords in it ? then it will be easily found on the article directory ? and more importantly in the search engines. Many ezines, magazines and web site owners are looking for subject matter ? if your heading describes the subjects that they are seeking then you have a good chance of getting your article published.
Snippet
The snippet should support your heading and describe your article in more detail. Try and pose a question or suggest that you will give an answer to a common question in the snippet. Three to four lines is ideal.
Resource Box
The second most important part of your article and your reward for all your hard work. Put a quick overview of your credentials, your web site address and a quick overview of any product that you have that reflects what has been discussed in your article. This is not a sales pitch ? remember it will hopefully be seen in other people's blogs, ezines and web sites. They won't publish a heavy sales pitch.
The Article
Now you get to the meat of your article. Make it positive ? show people how they can reach a goal, answer a question or solve a problem. Many articles are currently used on AdSense web sites so try and ensure that you article keeps to its theme and contains a few keywords. Don't stuff the article with inappropriate key words because that will make it unusable. If you are aiming for the web site, blog or ezine marketing then about 350 ? 650 words is a perfect length.
The Subject of Your Article
Keep reading about your subject matter in forums, ezines and article directories. Find out what kind of questions are being asked and base your article on answering these questions. Top 7's and top 10's are always popular and much easier to write. Have a look in Yahoo groups for some good ideas.
Making It Viral
Your article becomes viral because:
1. It is funny.
2. It contains interesting or useful information.
3. It has a catchy headline.
4. It contains unique information.
5. It has a different slant on a popular subject.
6. It discusses a subject that is very topical.
7. It is mentioned in lots of different places.
8. It has a humorous or tragic slant to an unusual situation.
Copyright 2006 Biz Guru Services Ltd
Lee Lister writes as The Biz Guru, for a number of web sites including her http://www.clikks.com where she sells her informational products. With over 20 year's management and business consultancy experience with businesses large and small as well as being a serial entrepreneur, she now helps others set up, develop and market their businesses. If you would like more help and assistance in setting up your Article Writing Viral Marketing then visit http://www.clickingbusiness.com for advice, assistance and some great products such as our Article Writing PowerPack.
