But how do you write an article that will get noticed by search engines and your fellow webmasters? And how do you ensure that it will interest the right sort of people: the people who will be interested in what your website has to offer?



The first thing to do is decide on a topic. Hopefully, it's obvious to you that this should be relevant to your website! If, for example, you run a website selling cookies, you might want to write an article explaining what makes a cookie taste so great!

Not only should the topic be relevant, but it should put the reader in the right frame of mind to visit your website. Take the cookie example. Imagine reading an article all about how great cookies taste. It makes your mouth water. When you get to the end, you see a link to a site that sells cookies like the one the author was describing. You aren't going to waste much time before clicking on it! And when you get to the site, you are going to want to buy some cookies as fast as possible.

Of course, you should write articles that are informative and interesting. That is the only way they will be republished elsewhere. But you do also need to make sure they act as a kind of pre-sell for your website and its products. You need to make sure that when someone has finished reading your article, they are in the right frame of mind to buy your products.

A way to do this is by subtly persuading them that your product is important or will benefit them in some way. If you are writing an answer describing how to do something, try to hint that your product will help them do that. The key is not to be too obvious. If you seem to be selling something too obviously, webmasters will not republish it and readers will not be convinced.

Second, you need to start thinking about keywords. Your article, especially your first paragraph, need to be keyword rich. This ensures that search engines will pick them up. It also makes sure that webmasters looking for keyword rich articles find yours.

The trick is to do this in a subtle way. Your writing needs to seem natural. At the same time, you want to include possible search phrases. You may need to do several revisions before it sounds right.

A third thing to do is decide on a title. People reading articles are generally looking for information. This means that ?How To' and ?Ten Steps To' articles are popular, as they tell the reader that you provide practical information set out in a clear and logical manner. Another attention grabbing title is a question. When you read a question, you naturally want to find the answer. People will read your article to do that.

You also need to make sure that your title is keyword rich. Some people suggest starting your title with a keyword. However, don't just make your title a string of keywords. Remember that it is what attracts people to read your article in the first place.

Finally, there are a few key things to remember. Completely correct grammar is not essential; what is important is that your article is understandable. Remember that not everyone reading will have English as their first language, so avoid using too much slang. You therefore need to make your meaning clear.

Construct your article logically. Have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Move smoothly from one point to the next. Between six and eight hundred words is the ideal length.

And, perhaps most importantly of all, use a spell-checker! There is no excuse for bad spelling. The odd typo might be unavoidable, but do your best to eliminate them by re-reading your article several times.

If you do all this, you'll have a good chance of getting your article picked up and spread around. You then just need to keep writing, keep your standard high, and soon you'll be considered an expert in your field.

And, even better, the money will be pouring in!