One Well Placed Article Nets 616 Mentions in Google

Evaluation of a Home-Run Article

I've been writing articles and posting them online for several years. But it took a while before I learned writing well and developing a long list of places to post them weren't enough. Articles that deliver fresh, specific, how-to are a solid plus for readers. But writing each around carefully-defined keywords is a must for the search engines.

Other factors influence how successful your article marketing efforts will be - like the Page Rank of the posting site, whether they provide a LIVE LINK back, and how specific their niche or readership is. Some of that is beyond my control. But as a writer, it's up to me to craft each article to cover as many of those bases as possible.

Take the time to think through your article marketing strategy, rather than sending them out willy nilly http://www.promotewitharticles.com/strategy100.html There's more pay-off to write a number of articles, each adding greater depth, around a recurring theme.

My articles raised my name from 100 Google mentions to over 3,000 in a relatively short time. They established my expertise in several niches - article marketing and Yellow Page ads. These abilities come together in this example.

You don't Know the Winner until After the Horse Race

One never knows when sending out an article, which ones will get the most play. So write each one like your reputation depends on it (because it does). The article described below got widespread attention because it's timely. And there's considerable interest (and pain) on the topic.

It addresses a serious problem that no one is talking about - the declining response rates to Yellow Page ads. Advertisers feel they're paying too much for the amount of business their ads bring, but didn't know about their choices. Since this article went out, there have been so many additional changes working against Yellow Page advertisers that an updated article needs to be written. This level of online visibility indicates there's considerable interest.

Keep track of how widely each article you write is received. That's one of the ways to stay on the pulse of your readership - so you deliver more of what they want.

Your Title is the Hook for the Article

Most readers (skimmers, actually) won't get past the title. So make it a grabber. Give them the reason to keep reading. In this case, it's long (which I'm convinced works best). This title has three sections - which track with the body of the article.

Yellow Page Advertisers: Your Calls are Going to Decrease - Here's the Remedy

A. Tells who the information is for - Yellow Page Advertisers People can tell whether or not it applies to them. I increasingly write audience-specific articles and address them (consultants, speakers) in the title, rather than writing for the less-focused "everyone in business."

B. States the problem - Your Calls are Going to Decrease It backs up the claim with a bulleted list stating why

C. Tells there's a remedy for the problem - if they just keep reading The article provides a 4-step list stating how to get ready and protected

That's a lot to accomplish in 750 words - read it yourself at: http://www.yellowpagesage.com/article253.html Since the website itself provides visitors helpful free resources, it needn't all be included in the article itself. Interested readers can explore further at http://www.yellowpagesage.com Besides, I've sent a barrage of related articles, which further build on each other.

Build Your Professional Reputation

616 mentions in Google is an impressive yield for a single article. Admittedly, not all cites provide live links or appear on high Page Rank sites - but some do. (And there are duplicates in that number.) But given the amount of my effort involved, I'm well repaid.

Now, think past any single article, to the impact that niche-specific articles can have on your professional standing. Let me prove it. Search Google for "Yellow Page ads" (in quotes). When the query results show 38 million pages, enter "Lynella Grant" in the Search within Results box. The outcome: 5,000 pages related to Yellow Page ads refer to me. That's a ripple in the Internet universe, but certainly positions me for other activities in that arena.

Don't you think you or your website can profit from similar online visibility? Writing articles is the way to go.

Copyright 2005