Today, most businesses, whether they operate online or conduct business from a store location, understand the need for a website. If you don’t have one, you are sure you live in the Middle Ages.
However, simply designing and uploading a website is not enough. It has to be indexed in the search engines so that people know you exist and promoting the website is the only way to achieve this. You have to drive traffic to your website. Along with this, you need to make sure that website visitors are targeting potential customers.
One way to spread the word about your business is by talking to other people about it. The other way is to write informative articles in your niche with embedded links to your website. This business promotion technique is called article marketing. There are dozens of free websites and article directories where you can write and publish your articles.
If you really don’t have a talent for writing, you’ll need to polish your writing skills first. And collecting some tips does not hurt. An alternative, if you don’t have the time, but are on a flexible budget, is to hire a professional writer as part of your company’s marketing team. They can write and publish articles on your behalf.
Here’s how to get started with article marketing:
· Choose the niche –
Be clear about the product or service you want to provide information about. The ideal article length is between 500 and 1200 words. The choice of language should be simple, understandable to the layman. Avoid technical jargon.
Brevity and consistency are the hallmarks of good writing. Keep sentences short. Focus on a single idea instead of generalizing it and talking about too many related things in the same article.
· Keyword Strategy –
One way to make sure your articles appear in search engines is to sprinkle your text with the right keywords. Keywords are phrases that Internet users use to search for information, a product or service. When using keywords, be sure not to fill them unnecessarily.
· Update content –
If your website visitors find your content, they will keep coming back for more. However, if they find the same old content, they will soon be moving. Update your website with original content on a regular basis. It doesn’t have to be every day; it could be twice a week or every weekend. New content is a sign of an active website. Provide your customers with free, quality information that they won’t be able to find anywhere else.
· Practical articles –
When writing your article, think about what you would expect from it assuming it was the website visitor. The practical articles get a good following, as they really help people to solve the problems of everyday life. By providing genuine how-to guides, you can earn customer trust and build a loyal following.
· Bring references –
Articles that you post to your site or republish on other sites should not just be articles written by you. You can also share articles, tips, reviews, and testimonials written by others. The only condition is that you must obtain the permission of the content owner. However, don’t always post content that belongs to others. Also, only share content that is relevant to your website, product, or service.
· Offer incentives –
Finally, to increase exposure to your website, offer a monthly incentive or special. You can offer a discount, free shipping, giveaways, or even a free gift.
