Answer the questions: who, why, where, when, what and how. If you answer these questions, you are half way to writing a good article. You’ve no doubt read newspaper articles. Journalists always use this type of format. Practice reading news articles and identifying these six things. You’ll see how journalists use them to create quality content for their newspaper. Then write your article in a similar fashion answering these questions.
Check grammar and spelling as you go and when you have finished the article. Nothing shows lack of professionalism more than an article full of misspelled words and poor grammar. Be sure to check for homonyms that spell check won’t correct like: they’re, their, there—to, two, too. You’ll want to make sure you use the right form of each when you write. Sure, some people won’t notice, but those who do won’t take your information seriously if it’s riddled with grammatical errors.
Give your article a good hook. This is the first impression the reader will have of your article. You could write the most fantastic, helpful article ever, have an average title, and it would never get read. This is one of the worst things that can happen to a great piece of writing. The trick is to have a good hook. Make it something that catches the reader’ attention. Readers want to know that if they’re going to spend time reading your work that it is going to be worth it. The best titles express exactly what the reader will take away from your article. A good hook in an article will reel your audience in again to see what you write next.
Prepare a good introduction. After your title, your introduction is your second impression you make on the reader and it is very important. If a reader sees a captivating title, clicks on it, and starts reading the first paragraph only to find it irrelevant or uninteresting, they’re not going to waste another two seconds to read the second paragraph, let alone the rest of the article. Give them a reason to continue reading.
Write something bold or controversial. Use a famous or entertaining relative quote. Tell them what they’re going to learn from you, and then jump right in.
Organize your article well. Reading an internet article is much different than reading one in print. Generally, online, people tend to skim rather than actually read, regardless of what the content is. This makes organization and readability two key factors to consider when writing any online content. You can use subheadings, numbers, and bullets. Create bold subject headings or bulleted points throughout your article to guide your reader’s eye and help speed-readers grasp the concepts quickly and more effectively.
Be yourself. This doesn’t mean you have to write like you talk, but write in language that expresses your personality. Try not to use too much “technical jargon,” and stay away from the Thesaurus. Big words do not equal a smarter, better article. Depending on your target audience, there may be times when it’s important to use technical terms or bigger words. In general, however, you shouldn’t have to use the dictionary to read an article online. If people have to do that, they not only will click off of your site, they won’t care about the information you have to share. Just be yourself, and express who you are. Sure, you want your work to impress your readers. They can’t be impressed, however, if they can’t understand it. Just talk to them in a style you feel comfortable with, and they’ll listen.
Use examples or tell a story. Articles with examples get the points across more effectively than those without them. Stories and examples help you engage the reader by putting the topic at hand in context and allowing them to see how the takeaways may be applied. Sometimes you read an article, and you think you understand the concepts, but you’re not sure how to use them. If the writer tells a story or gives examples, then the reader won’t have to wonder if they got it right. They’ll see how those concepts can be used.
Do not tell your readers you’re writing the article because you want their business. This is one of the worst things you can do. Simply share your information and show them how what you have to offer can apply directly to their business. If you do, they will begin to trust you and turn to you when they are ready, as you have already proved that you are a valuable resource.
Edit! Remember that “spell check” is important, but it doesn’t get everything. Read and reread your article to make sure everything is correct. Make sure the flow is good, and it will make sense to the reader.
