There is a growing trend catching on across the Internet like wildfire; turning older content into brand-new videos. Videos are one of the hottest things going online these days and if you aren’t taking advantage of it, you’re leaving money on the table. Check out this article below and see for yourself.

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Four Little Words That Can Increase the Fee of Your Next Copywriting Project

By Sid Smith, Online Copywriter

The first time I used these four words with a client, I was shocked by how easy it was to almost double the size of my project.

Since, then it’s worked without fail. They always respond with something along the lines of, “Yes, of course. We need that, too.”

Before I give you the four magic words, let me give you a little background and explain why these four words evoke such an automatic response.

It has to do with the fastest growing niche market online …

Video marketing.

eMarketer reports that U.S. Internet users viewed 12.7 billion online videos during November 2008, up 33% from the previous year.

They also put online video viewers at more than three-quarters of U.S. Internet users, and estimate that percentage will rise to 88% by 2012.

That’s 75% of all Internet users viewing videos.

Who’s creating all these videos? It’s mostly individuals, although a growing number of businesses are also moving to video marketing.

Unfortunately, the majority of the videos are home-grown, poorly produced, and sloppily written. And yet, they are viewed — sometimes by thousands of people.

This presents a tremendous opportunity for copywriters to step in and use our skills to produce quality marketing videos.

In fact, I’ve discovered that video marketing is an easy add-on to my existing web projects. All I really need are my four magic words:

“What about using video?”

Talk about getting a quick head-nodding response! There’s no hard-sell, and not a shred of doubt in their minds that video marketing is a requirement.

Here’s What You Need to Know About Video Marketing to Get Started …

There are three primary components of creating an online video. I typically do the first and third steps and subcontract out the middle step. With a little training, the right tools, and some practice, you can actually do all three.

The Three Components of Creating Online Videos

• Writing the video script

• Producing the video

• Promoting the video

This article focuses on the place where you as a copywriter can have the greatest impact — writing the video script.

How to Write a Video Script

You know as a copywriter that the headline and lead constitute about 80% of the sales process. It’s no different with videos. If they’re not hooked in the first 10-15 seconds of the video, you’ve lost them.

Just as with any promotion, you’ll want to start your video with a powerful benefit-driven headline and lead. The speaker’s credentials will come later.

There are three main types of marketing videos you’ll be asked to write.

• A short “talking head” video (usually less than 5 minutes) in which the speaker entices the viewer to take a specific action at the end of the video, such as opt-in to a list.

• A short (3-5 minute) text or animation video with the same intentions as the talking head video.

• A longer “value add” video intended to offer the viewer something of real, tangible value in the moment. These training-type videos are anywhere from 10 to 60 minutes in length. These videos are almost always a combination of text and animation and rarely the talking head type.

Tips For ALL Video Types

Whether you’re writing the talking head script or the text/animation script, do just as you would do with any promotion you’re writing:

• Start with a “big idea” …

• Write a solid headline and lead that gets them hooked …

• Maintain the “golden thread” throughout the script …

• And close with a solid offer or, more typically, a call-to-action.

All the elements of good copy are still there, but they are very much compressed. The key is to offer a compelling promise and “unwrap” the promise through the video. If they don’t get to your offer, there’s no reason to shoot the video.

Remember that unlike with a written promotion, the viewer can’t skim or skip ahead. You’ve got them from beginning to end, so your copy has to really flow and provide good reasons for them to stay with you.

Talking Head Videos

In the talking head video, the spokesperson is shot against a “green screen.” The green screen (literally a light green colored screen) allows the video production crew to digitally place ANY backdrop behind the speaker. With the right software, you can even produce a video in which the speaker “walks” onto the computer screen from the edge (called “Transparent Video Effects”)!

With the talking head video script, you also need to consider these factors:

• Create frequent transitions between ideas or thoughts. This helps in the video production in several ways. It makes it easier for the person being filmed to stop, take a sip of water, or pause to memorize the next piece of the script. Talking head videos always work better if the script is memorized, not read.

• Use short, snappy sentences. Online video viewers have incredibly short attention spans. The bullet above, for example, is WAY too long for video.

• Write a draft, then cut out about 50% of what you wrote. It takes about two times longer to read a script out loud than it does to read it silently. After you write the script, time yourself reading it out loud (with pauses). You’ll be surprised that your 30-second script takes 50 seconds to read out loud!

Here’s a special tip: Those frequent transitions you write are perfect for the person being filmed. He or she stops at each pause for a few seconds, memorizes the next piece, and goes back to the filming.

The production crew simply zooms in or zooms out at each transition so that it appears to the viewer as a seamless production. They won’t see that the speaker is perhaps standing in a slightly different place.

Text and Animation Videos

The second form of video uses only text and animation. At its simplest, the video is little more than a set of PowerPoint slides. More complicated videos use “transition effects” (scrolling, fly-ins, etc.) to flip from scene to scene or slide to slide.

With the right software, it’s not hard to create fun animations which can be added to a video. Plus, you can purchase ready-to-go animations and short video clips online at www.istockphoto.com.

Short text/animation marketing videos are generally 5 minutes or less. Any longer, and your viewer may never get to the close.

When writing a script for a text/animation script, pay attention to these factors:

• What’s on the screen is the essence of what’s being spoken. The actual script enhances the words on the screen. Think of the words or images as the “picture” you are cleverly placing in your viewer’s mind. The spoken words are the backdrop that reinforce and enhance the feelings you want to evoke.

• Think of everything (words or images) you put on the screen as subheads. They continue the flow of the conversation and keep the viewer engaged.

• Vary the on-screen message. Make bold points. Ask questions. Say things that get the viewer nodding his head. All the while, the voice script is reinforcing the message (the big idea) and continuing the golden thread until the close.

Writing Longer Videos

The longer videos are frequently used to “extend the free line” or offer “results in advance.” These are Internet marketing terms which are sometimes used interchangeably.

The “extend the free line” concept is simply where you provide something of real, tangible value to the viewer to gain his or her trust.

The “results in advance” concept is similar — you give the viewer something he or she can do within the next few days that provides tangible results. Again, this builds trust.

I’ve found that the actual video format for these longer videos is far less important than the value of the content being provided.

I’ve seen amazing videos that were little more than pictures of a “mind map” on the screen, with no special effects to enhance the viewing experience. They are PURE verbal content, and I’ve watched them with rapt attention from beginning to end.

This is good news for copywriters. I’ve created complete scripts for some clients for 30-40 minute training videos. As a copywriter, I find that I know far more about how to convey a message to my audience than most of my clients.

If you can write a long promotion, then you can easily create a solid training video that your clients will love.

The Bottom Line

Web TV Enterprise reports that spending for online video marketing will increase by 50% in the next year. And comScore Video Metrix service says that the total number of videos viewed online grew 47% in the past year.

It’s not hard to sell your clients on the idea of creating video. In fact, in the online world, videos are rapidly replacing “White Papers” as the preferred method of promoting a product or service.

And, video is important for your own business. You can create your own marketing videos, as well as your own video-based products.

The bottom line is that video is an EASY add-on to your business. It’s also a great niche in which you can start your copywriting career.

How to Learn the Tricks of the Trade

I’ve spent hundreds of dollars on online video training programs, and there’s only ONE program I know that is specifically written for copywriters: Video Marketing for Profit.

To be perfectly honest, I’d prefer to keep Video Marketing for Profit a secret. I feel like the miner who inadvertently discovered a massively huge swath of gold in a hidden valley.

Nobody knows the size of this market, but when I look at the dollars being spent on poorly written videos, my heart starts to flutter.

If I were you, I’d get my hands on Video Marketing for Profit as soon as possible. I’d go through the program a couple of times, then try the four magic words the next time you’re talking with one of your clients … “What about using video?”

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I have Camtasia and use it for many things, but to make simple video articles, I use GFX Video Writer. It’s quick to use , inexpensive and intuitively easy to learn.

(This article above appears courtesy of American Writers & Artists Inc. (AWAI) The Golden Thread, a free newsletter that delivers original, no-nonsense advice on the best wealth careers, lifestyle careers and work-at-home careers available. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.awaionline.com/signup/.)

Think about it. Have you ever seen a hammer drive a nail? Nope, hammers just lay where they were last set down until someone picks them up and puts them to work. Your writing is in the same boat: it doesn’t do a thing until someone picks it up and reads it.

Take a few minutes to read the article below. I’m sure you’ll find some invaluable information to keep your writing pencil sharp there.

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Woman Attacked With Cheeseburger!
(A Lesson in Grabbing Your Prospect’s Attention)

By Guillermo Rubio

I was minding my own business, doing my daily online research, when I was suddenly stopped by an Associated Press headline that read, “Woman Attacked With Burger, Police Say.”

I couldn’t resist. I just had to find out how this woman came upon such a terrible fate.

The weapon in question? A McDonald’s cheeseburger.

Apparently, she and her boyfriend had a spat, which ended in aggravated burger assault.

Funny as that may seem, there is a valuable copywriting lesson in this story.

And that is …

Curiosity is a powerful way to make your prospect stop dead in his tracks and read your sales message from top to bottom. Human nature makes it hard to resist a desire to find out more.

Think about it …

Have you ever been driving down the road, when you encounter a couple of police cars with lights flashing near a huddled group of curious bystanders? Chances are, you really wanted to know what was going on.

Or think about your favorite TV show …

How strong was your desire to learn more after watching the first part of a two-part series … especially after a really good cliffhanger?

No doubt about it, curiosity works.

Claude Hopkins, considered to be the “Godfather” of direct-response advertising, once said, “Curiosity is one of the strongest of human incentives. We employ it whenever we can.”

And as a copywriter, you’d be wise to follow his advice.

The most critical place to use curiosity is in your headline.

Here’s why …

If your promo’s headline doesn’t grab your prospect’s attention, your sales message is headed for wastebasket city.

Here’s an example of an attention-grabbing headline from a classic control that was responsible for bringing home the bacon:

What never … ever to eat on an airplane!

Even if you don’t fly, the curiosity this headline builds is irresistible. You can’t help but want to read further.

Here’s another one:

Outlawed for 41 years, now legal again,
this investment launched the largest family
fortune the world has ever seen …
and could return 665% in the next 12 months.

If you’re an investor, you’d dive straight into the letter to figure out what this newly legal investment is.

And finally …

How to Get FREE Health Care Anywhere in America!
What Hillary Isn’t Telling You!

Back when this promo ran, the timeliness – and the promise of FREE health care – was enough to get even the biggest skeptic to keep reading out of sheer curiosity. Plus, who didn’t want to find out what it was that Hillary wasn’t telling them?

The second-most important place to use curiosity is in your lead.

Within the first two or three sentences, you’ve got to hook your prospect and make him think, “Wow, I need to keep reading this to find out more.”

Here’s an excerpt from one very successful lead:

Many of the world’s wealthiest familieshave used this “secret currency” for generations to grow dynasties. Let me show you just one example …

In this case, the prospect wants to keep reading to find out what this “secret currency” is.

Here’s another example:

This is very urgent, so I’ll get right to the point.

Starting tomorrow, just after 12 noon EST, you could begin skimming $5,250 per month from Wall Street’s banking coffers. If you want, you’ll be able to transfer this money straight into your personal bank account … free and clear.

This promise creates an itch the prospect must scratch. He wants to find out, “How is this even possible?”

And finally, from a health promotion:

I want to warn you about a serious hidden health threat that’s likely targeting you and your loved ones.

Wow. How could you NOT keep reading to find out what this health threat is?

The headline and lead are the two most important places for using curiosity, since they form the critical portion of the letter that hooks your prospect and forces him to keep reading.

So how, exactly, do you create curiosity so you can boost your promo’s response rate?

Here are four ways:

1. Juxtaposition. Put two unlikely things together. For example, take a look at the headline of this article. Cheeseburgers and attacking usually don’t go hand in hand. This unlikely pairing, in itself, creates a good deal of curiosity.

Another great example of this concept is the classic headline: “The Lazy Man’s Way to Riches” Becoming rich is normally associated with hard work. By putting in the adjective “lazy,” it creates a juxtaposition which, in turn, breeds curiosity.

2. Absolutes. This is another great way to build curiosity. Take, for example, the headline you saw earlier: “What never … ever to eat on an airplane.” By making it an absolute – “never, ever” – it builds curiosity. This headline wouldn’t have the same appeal if it simply read, “What you sometimes shouldn’t eat on an airplane.”

3. Questions. One of the most famous of these is: “Do You Make These Mistakes in English?” Another great example is, “Can You Write a Letter Like This One?” The key here is that the prospect would need to read further in order to answer the question.

4. Secrets. Secrets always have been – and always will be – a great way to create curiosity. Everyone wants knowledge that no one else is privy to. Here is a classic example penned by copywriting genius John Carlton:

Amazing Secret Discovered By
One-Legged Golfer Adds 50 Yards
to Your Drives, Eliminates Hooks
and Slices … and Can Slash Up to
10 Strokes From Your Game
Almost Overnight!

So there you have it.

Whether it’s a brutal burger assault, a one-legged golfer’s secret to success, or a way to skim $5,250 off of Wall Street’s coffers … if you use curiosity in your writing, you’ll certainly see a boost in response … and your paycheck!

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Interested in taking your writing skills to the next level? This may be just what you need: The Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting

Regards,

Mike Lawson
www.bluegrasssolutions.org

PS: This article appears courtesy of American Writers & Artists Inc.’s (AWAI) The Golden Thread, a free newsletter that delivers original, no-nonsense advice on the best wealth careers, lifestyle careers and work-at-home careers available. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.awaionline.com/signup/.

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Read This Article For a Key To Hypnotic Writing

By John Torre

Welcome back!

I hope your Labor Day holiday was enjoyable. Mine was good, but I have to say I felt a bit deceived by the weatherman. A sunny, beautiful weekend was predicted here in Jersey, and indeed that prediction held true for most of the state. But down the shore where I was it remained pretty much overcast except for Saturday. But, at least it didn’t rain, and with the good fortune of being able to generate a bit of “liquid sunshine” in lieu of the real thing, a good time was had by all.

By-the way, I realize that to most of the other coastal parts of the country, “the shore” refers to the strip of sand that meets the ocean.

Not in Jersey. To us, that’s “the beach.” While the beach is indeed an essential part of the overall shore experience, here in Tony Soprano land “the shore” encompasses so much more.

If I had to define it, I’d say that the Jersey shore is more “attitude” than location. It’s comprised of approximately 127 miles of resort and residential towns that feature endless rows of vacation bungalows, multi-million dollar homes, roadside motels, and seedy honky tonks from which blare the sounds of Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Frankie Valli, or the latest local tribute band.

On the famed boardwalks of tourist traps like Seaside Heights, it’s all about greasy cheese steaks, sausage sandwiches, slices of pizza the size of road cones, and wheels of “chance” where prizes range from stuffed animals to televisions, bicycles, and more. You’ll also find souvenir shops, beach gear stores, arcades and ice cream parlors, as well as two 300-foot long piers that feature amusement rides, carousels, log flumes, roller coasters, Ferris wheels and other attrations that’ll make you lose your lunch quicker than a quarter through the cracks of the boards.

Every few steps you’ll come upon attractions that test your skills, bearing compelling names like “Frog Bog” and “Shoot the Geek,” where barkers dare you to shoot paint balls at a poor kid dressed up in an Osama Bin Laden costume who’s being paid about six bucks an hour for nothing more than cultivating welts on his head and body.

From the snap of paint balls hitting body … to the blaring sounds of rock-n-roll … to the bells and whistles of Lucky Leo’s Arcade … to the screams and sirens from the rides on Casino Pier … to the tat-tat-tat sound of leather slapping metal prongs as it slows down the spinning wheels of chance … it’s all part of the aura of the Jersey shore.

Is it unique to New Jersey? I don’t know … you tell me. All I can promise is you’ll have the time of your life when you visit the Jersey shore, and you’ll understand why it’s an experience all unto itself.

Okay, ‘nuff said about that. In the spirit of the holiday past (and in anticipation of the ones to come…), what do you say we get back to work?

A couple weeks ago we started talking about some psychological devices that will help your sales copy transform readers into buyers. Today we’ll take a look at another one that has almost a hypnotic quality about it … literally and figuratively.

It’s called, “Neuro-Linguistic Programming,” or “NLP” for short.

Co-founded in the 1970’s by American author and mathematician, Richard Bandler, and Dr. John Grinder, an American linguist at the University of California at Santa Cruz, NLP, in its most basic definition, is the study of helping people change by teaching them to program their brains.

Or, in our case, perhaps subtly programming it for them.

Now understand right up front that NLP is as complex as any psychological field of study out there, and it would be ludicrous to try and use this space to dissect it past the miniscule scope of it that applies to us.

Nevertheless, we can still examine the logic behind certain aspects of it and how they might be used to our benefit as copywriters. And the first aspect we’re going to take a look at this week is…

Embedded Commands

The “Golden Rule” of web copywriting (or any copywriting, for that matter…) is to generate a response of some kind. Whether it’s to call for more information, subscribe to a newsletter or mailing list, or purchase a product or service … you want your reader to take action!

Using embedded commands to elicit that action involves “embedding” the action you want your reader to take in the form of a casual, conversational sentence.

Consider the following sentence:

“Let me know when you are going to purchase this product and I’ll make sure you receive a free bonus report.”

On the surface it seems like a harmless enough sentence. But notice the almost hypnotic embedded command: …you are going to purchase this product.

Embedded commands are frequently used by public speakers to get their point across. Whether it’s a sales presentation or a political speech, the speaker will use voice inflections such as a lower tone or speaking more slowly for emphasis to produce the hypnotic effect.

We, as copywriters, don’t have that luxury so we have to depend on other means of delivering our embedded commands. This normally involves using boldface type, italics, quotation marks, dashes, ellipses, or colors.

In the example above, I set off my embedded command by putting it in italics, thus establishing the effectiveness in which the command is communicated. A person will subconsciously zero in on that part of the sentence as a command, and will likely follow the command without consciously realizing it.

The whole point is to gain effortless compliance from your reader without ever having them perceive that they’ve been given a command. What’s happening when you utilize an embedded command is you’re circumventing the scrutiny of a person’s logical “left brain,” and thus appealing directly to your reader’s intuitive and subjective “right brain” mode.

It is a very powerful tool, but like I said a couple weeks ago, it can be dangerous and unethical (if not illegal!) if used incorrectly, so be careful and do it right.

Crafting an Embedded Command

Start by constructing your command. This is usually expressed in three to seven words in the imperative voice and begins with an action verb. For example:

Pick up the phone…

Learn the secret to…

Act on this now…

Purchase (product name) today and get…

After you’ve constructed your command, simply incorporate it into a full sentence, such as:

Pick up the phone today and speak to a knowledgeable representative who can help you pick out the perfect pattern to compliment your home décor.

Learn the secret to a longer, healthier, and better life through meditation.

An additional bonus report will be sent with your order if you act on this now.

Purchase this widget today and get three more widgets for the just the cost of shipping and handling.

Take a look at some of the projects you’re working on and see where you might be able to edit your copy in order to insert an embedded command. It will make the copy more powerful, more compelling, and elicit your reader to take the action you want him to!

Oh … by the way … knowing where we were going with this post, I embedded a command up above when I was talking about the shore. Can you find it? (It shouldn’t be too hard to spot!) And for that matter, there’s one in the headline. Let me know what you think.

Till next week, and as always …

Good health and good writing!

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Now, if that don’t help you out, I don’t know what will. This is one of the most effective tools in your copywriting tool box. Learn what the masters do and jumpstart your career as a copywriter:

The Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting

Until next time,

Mike Lawson,
www.BluegrassSolutions.org

PS: This article appears courtesy of American Writers & Artists Inc. (AWAI) Writer’s Blog. For a complimentary subscription to AWAI free newsletter that delivers original, no-nonsense advice on the best wealth careers, lifestyle careers and work-at-home careers available, visit http://www.awaionline.com/signup/.

Fast forward to the 21st Century and you quickly see that not much has changed in the fundamentals of the written word. Writers still write one word at a time. Readers still read to obtain information or amuse themselves. Of course, the craft has been honed, polished and refined a good bit, but essentially it remains the same. Simply put, it is the main way humans disseminate information.

Articles have many uses and purposes. Our focus, however, targets their importance as an internet marketing tool.

This article answers these questions:

* What is article marketing?

* How and why does it work?

* What benefits does it offer the internet marketer?

What Is Article Marketing?

Article marketing is a practice used by internet marketers to enhance their expert status in their particular field and to improve their ranking in the search engines. The intent is to increase exposure and attract pre-qualified targeted traffic back to a specific web page.

Articles written for distribution should not be confused with web copy. Web copy is more akin to direct response sales copy in the print world. Distribution articles, written for submission to article directories and publishers across the Internet, have a different focus and purpose. They don’t sell products or services directly but rather sell the expert status of the author.

This is usually the hardest concept for new article marketers to grasp; “how can I make sales if I don’t push my product?” The answer is you can’t and you will pitch your product or service once you get the reader to your web page. That’s the whole idea behind article marketing: get the reader off some obscure article directory or blog and onto your web site where actual conversions take place.

How And Why Does Article Marketing Work?

Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. Envision what their shopping experience is like before they ever see your article:

You’re curious about a new widget. The one you have now has been a lifesaver over and over again. But alas, like everything else in life, it’s getting a few years on it. The power cord is frayed, half the attachments are lost or broken and it simply doesn’t get the job done anymore. You hate to let the old guy go but you just can’t suffer through his poor performance any longer. You need a new widget.

You’ve heard the gossip at work about a new type of widget on the market that does everything but make the bed. It’s all the rave on the radio and ads for it are popping up everywhere. Ever the skeptic, you need more information before you’ll be sold on hearsay. The man who sold you the old widget has retired, so that option’s out. It’s time to pound the pavement again.

You drive over to Gadgettown, park the car and start down the street on foot. By the time you get to the far end of the shopping district, you’ve been pinched, poked, prodded and pitched to in every way possible. Everyone will sell you something but no one will tell you anything. You sit down on a bench to rest a bit before you fight your way back to the car and home. Empty-handed.

Across the street, a scholarly looking man is standing back in a recessed doorway quietly smoking a pipe and gazing upon the street hawkers up the way. The subtle blue neon letters in his shop window spell out “Widget World.” The smaller red ones underneath reveal that he is an “Authorized Factory Dealer.”

You stroll over and strike up a conversation and quickly discover this is a guy that really knows his widgets! He answers your questions in a friendly yet knowledgeable way. He tells you he has some additional free information in the office from corporate. He also has some floor models of the new Blue Fuzzy Widget if you would like to step inside and see for yourself. Thirty minutes later, you’re out the door with a new widget under one arm and a box of attachments under the other.

The shop owner (article) didn’t sell you a widget. What he sold you was trust in his expert status. He gave you answers to your general questions and offered the rest of the story inside the shop. His signs (links) gave credibility to his status and told you exactly what you could expect from him: he is an authorized dealer.

That’s how article marketing works. You have to get the customer off of the street and into your shop in order to conduct sales. It’s a pretty simple concept.

What Are The Benefits Of Article Marketing?

* It builds your reputation as an accepted expert in your chosen field

* It brands you and your product

* It improves your value to search engines by creating large numbers of backlinks

* It’s 100 percent “White Hat” and won’t get you in trouble with the search engines

* It provides you with content you may recycle through blogs, forums, newsletters and emails

* Depending on niche and quality, articles continue to drive traffic for years

* It’s very cost effective. Once a piece is distributed, that’s it, no more financial outlay regardless of length of effectiveness

No doubt you will think of many more benefits, but you get the idea. In a nutshell, article marketing is about building your expert status, generating traffic and leading qualified prospects to your website.

About the Author:Brad McGovern is the Marketing Manager at Article Marketer, and offers advice and news of note to article marketers. Watch for more from Brad in the coming days!

Find more help with your article marketing program here: Custom Articles

This new service, Article Video Robot, converts text articles into speaking video pieces ready to be distributed to over 17 major video outlets across the Internet. At $0.97 each, you can’t beat that price anywhere.

Introduction to the Article Video Robot

Mike,

Bluegrass Solutions

As the owner of Bluegrass Solutions Article Directory, I’m glad to know that my fellow publishers are also holding author’s feet to the fire. If you want quality, you have to accept nothing less. Poorly written, cobbled up work just doesn’t make the grade. It’s like trying to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.

I’m glad to know there are a few of us left who still require at least a modicum of quality before we will publish an article. The thing that always perplexes me is why someone who is trying to impress you enough to do business with them represents themself so poorly? I bet their competitors just love it when they see they have posted another article.

Article Writing…You Cannot

By: Echievements

Article Writing: You Can’t “Do It” in 15 Minute

Did someone tell you that articles could be written in 15 minutes? Do not believe it! Writing, even the simple act of letter writing, involves your personality, intelligence, and commitment. Most of us do not have the capacity to deliver the goods article writing demands in 8 to 15 minutes.

My laptop’s “Start” menu points me to the “No Nonsense Article Creator”. Kim Haas’ software sets a pattern of progressive and simple steps that could produce an article in 15 minutes. To finish that quickly, you have to think and work pretty fast. I am sure someone bangs out 4 articles an hour, but I have never succeeded. I outlined this article using “No Nonsense Article Creator”. My 15 minutes of article fame passed an hour before writing this sentence.

During a teleconference, I heard an Internet marketer, whom I respect say, “Just write the article; don’t worry about grammar or length. Just write it.” I say, write it right or not at all. Every word reveals you, your ability, and your commitment to your article topic. If you believe this fact, then your effort is worth more than 15 minutes.

If 15 minutes of article writing takes too long, Article Marketer offers an 8 minute article software. That strikes me as odd since Article Marketing holds authors to high levels of content, grammar, and spelling standards. Article Marketer’s “Article Writer” will show you how to write the most popular type of article: lists. You will also learn how to write your article so that it is correctly formatted, and your articles submissions will be a snap!” Sometimes we can “do it” in 15 minutes, but most of the time you should not.

I use the “No Nonsense Article Writer” to capture article ideas. At this time, I have 40 articles with titles and basic outlines to finish. Using the software helps organize my articles, then I copy them to PSPad Editor. Whitesmoke can help you write better too.

Article writing requires an idea, thought sequence, research, proof, and justification for any recommended action steps. If you can do all that in 15 minutes, I am impressed. Here is what I think article writing requires. Admittedly, the “No Nonsense Article Creator” and “Article Writer” will get you started.

You can write about any topic. You’re not bound to your highest level of expertise. If you want to become an authority on a specific subject, then write only about that subject. A primary rudiment for writers is to “write what you know”.

1. Write a quick outline in your notebook (always carry a notebook to capture ideas). Let your thoughts stream. No need to edit a word, and avoid rereading. Just write.
2. Now read to create an outline or flow to your thoughts. Circle key words that prompt paragraphs. Organize your ideas.
3. Keep your paragraphs brief and your sentences short. Yesterday, I read a 74 word sentence written by a Town official. Strunk and Wagnall’s Elements of Style recommends 7 word sentences.
4. Don’t Write Like You Talk. Talk Like You Write.
5. Quote authorities or interview one.
6. Edit…Edit…Edit – No step matters more than editing. Sometimes we have to set an article free before multiple edits. If you can hold back submitting your article for a few days, you will see many ways to rewrite, but at some point set that article free.

John Updike died Tuesday, January 27, 2009. Updike wrote “essays, reviews, short stories, poetry and memoirs,” according to CNN. In genre and subject, Updike’s writing made the simplest idea poetic. There is not a wit of a chance he used a software program to write a book.

During an interview with The Academy of Achievement, Updike tells writers “.. to develop actual work habits, and even though you have a busy life, try to reserve an hour say — or more — a day to write. Some very good things have been written on an hour a day…So, take it seriously….”

Should a simple Internet how-to article aspire to Updike-like standards? Maybe if on line writers wrote fewer articles, and worked on them diligently, more articles would be worth reading.

Of course, that advice goes for me too.
Author Resource:-> Echievements Writers Community is the online article directory for publishers and authors. Articles answer questions with how to instructions. Echievements supports and encourages online publishing and article syndication for websites, ezines, and authors. The Echievements Writers Bin is Ray Randalls all about writing blog. Ask him questions here. Need help writing? Get writing help.

Submitted By ArticleUnited.com

Article From Bluegrass Solutions Article Directory

This happens when an author, for whatever reason, can’t effectively put their thoughts down in print. Whether writing a novel or doing some article marketing, writer’s block  stops the writer dead in the water.

If you find yourself afflicted by this, it may become very frustrating, very fast. There are some things you may do to overcome this obstacle before it becomes incapacitating.

Here are a few tips to get you back in the saddle again:

* Many writers find it helpful to change their surroundings. Even the smallest change may affect large results in freeing the creative juices again.

Take your laptop on a short, local trip. It’s not the distance that matters as much as the change in atmosphere.

It may be all is needed is to try a different location right inside your home. Maybe you need to be out of the office for a bit; even if that means just walking from end of the house to the other. That may be all it takes to change your whole outlook on things and put you in a new frame of mind.

* Another trick of the trade to get out of the writer’s rut, is to change your topic to something new. I’m not talking about picking another topic within a niche. Go outside the box and challenge yourself by learning about something new and writing about that.

How many times have you been to the gym or other sporting event and warmed up or stretched before the game? Think of this writing practice as a “stretching exercise” for the creative mind.

The very worst thing that could happen is you are still blocked. You will, however, have invested your time in learning something new all the same. That knowledge may be useful down the road in ways you can’t yet see.

* Focus on a different target audience. Stop thinking about customers and website visitors. Write to a family member or close friend. Tell them about your topic; much the same way you would in a verbal conversation.

Don’t allow yourself to write to strangers. Write to someone you know and to whom you can relate.

* Don’t try to edit while you write or you will never be done. When you write, write and when you edit, edit. Avoid anything that disrupts the flow once you have it started.

As aggravating as writer’s block seems at the time, it is usually not terminal and will pass in time. The worst thing you can do is beat yourself up about it. It only exaspirates the problem and it’s worse than ever.

Maybe the best thing to work through writer’s block is to walk off from it totally for a while. Read a book or go to a movie or take a long walk.

Unless you are working for a professional writing service under deadline, who cares if your write today or tomorrow? And if you are a professional writer, no worries. There seems to be something magical and powerful in an editor’s boot when properly applied to the posterior.

If you write for enjoyment, only write when you  enjoy it. If you must write for your business, practice makes perfect (or at least passable). You will either improve over time or find a good professional writing service to outsource your work. Either way, the job gets done and that’s all that really matters anyway.

Mike Lawson is a freelance writer, entrepreneur and internet marketing professional. Learn more about effectively marketing your business here:

Cutting-edge internet marketing information, products and services: <a href=”http://www.bluegrassmerchants.com”>Bluegrass Merchants</a>.

Custom web content, articles and copywriting from an established professional writing service: <a href=”http://www.bluegrasssolutions.org”>Bluegrass Solutions</a>.

Readers often approach Web content searching for something specific. This is where the approach to Web content differs from a hard copy approach. A reader will often peruse a newspaper or periodical hoping to come leisurely across an article of interest. They may relax on the couch flipping through pages and “whatever comes what may” is their attitude.

However, when they make a conscious decision to sit at their personal computer they are typically on a mission. They are information gathering and fact-finding with purpose. You need to be cognizant of their approach when you create your content. Your readers will want easy-to-read and easy-to-scan information. They will want it in front of their eyes immediately when they land on a Web page.

When you write for the Web, you also have to take into account the physical act of reading content on a computer monitor. This is a different experience from reading from a newspaper, book, or magazine. You must account for this in your writing. This will ensure that pleasant reading experience that is vital to promotional communication.

The difference in Web writing is not in the content per se. What you want to convey online may be the exact same thing you want to convey in your hard copy content. You are just going to present your content differently to conform to the online aesthetic. The following are five tips for writing for Web pages. They also apply to article writing for your article marketing efforts.

Make Use of Headlines

Headlines draw attention to themselves and hence the content they trumpet. A headline says, “Hey, look here, there’s important information here.” A headline in its entire big block, bold text beauty is like a sign hanging out in front of a business. Make sure your Web page headlines grab readers’ attention.

Make Use of Subheadings

Subheadings bring attention to important secondary points. They also break up blocks of text so a Web page has more white space. More white space is easier on the eyes. Subheadings allow readers to organize mentally, a page quickly. This allows them to hone in on data relevant to their needs.

Use Shorter Paragraphs

Writing Web page content is not like writing the Great American Novel. Writing long expository passages is not effective Web page writing. Reading large blocks of text on a computer screen is not conducive to keeping your readers alert. Scrolling through unending text with little white space on a computer screen makes for tired yes.

When there is no break in text, readers lose their train of thought. They become discouraged and click away from Web sites. That’s the last thing you want when someone lands on your Web site. Work on keeping your paragraph length in the three to six sentence ranges.

Use Shorter Sentences

You want to shoot for an average length of fourteen words per sentence. That’s the average, with some shorter, some longer. You may have the occasional sentence over eighteen words but they must be the exception to the rule.

Focus On What You Want a Specific Web Page to Achieve

Are you trying to sell a product? Are you trying to inform with timely information? Are you trying to build a subscriber list? Focus your message on your Web page’s purpose. When you stay focused on your purpose, you deliver your message with clarity. You do not meander off topic and confuse or annoy your readers.

When you follow the above Web content writing rules, you do your readers a favor. You ensure their reading experience is enjoyable and a user-friendly one. Employing these principles in your article writing is also beneficial. They will help ensure your article promotion campaigns are successful as well. Applying the above tips will increase the chances that readers are open to your Web message.

Write On!

Tiva

(Tiva Kelly is the Head of Article Coaching and offers advice to authors at Article Marketer, a highly popular article distribution service. Learn how to market your small business by submitting articles through Article Marketer. )

Today we will look at having a controlled article marketing campaign. Article marketing through an article distribution service that has an extensive publishers list is the way to go. It’s a great way to get widespread distribution of your article writing efforts and website links.

A controlled article marketing campaign begins with choosing the proper article topics. You do this by knowing all there is to know about your affiliate product. You then link the benefits of your affiliate product to topics related to the product.

For example, your affiliate product may be a software program that helps companies manage inventory better. What are the related topics that fit this product? They are any topic that deals with cash flow, streamlining operations, inventory turnover, and the like. Whatever concerns business people when it comes to ordering, storing, and moving inventory are topics you can write about regularly. From those informative articles, readers can link back to your site where they will find that helpful software program. You will show them how your affiliate software program fulfils needs you talked about in your articles.

After choosing article topics and writing about them, a controlled article marketing campaign means securing proper distribution. As stated at the beginning you want an article distribution service that has an extensive publishers list.

This bears repeating because it is essential to reaching diverse niche markets. Take that inventory-management software program, where should an article related to that product end up. It should not end up in a magazine on general interest fashion and beauty. It should end up at a business trade publication focusing on helping retailers improve operational processes. Your target audience is business people who have a need for inventory management solutions. You need to look for publishers who cater to them.

A good article distribution service will provide you an extensive list of publishers so you can select specialized publications. You are in control of your article marketing campaign when you have many options in the way of publishers. You are not at the mercy of a basic, limited, general, and small publishers list.

How else can you employ a controlled article marketing campaign? You do it by aligning yourself with an article distribution service that allows unlimited article submission. You may be writing on a variety of topics related to your affiliate product. You know the more articles you submit the greater the chance for increased traffic to your website. You do not want your message stifled by a service that limits the number of articles you can submit.

Your target audience has questions and concerns. They want answers to questions and solutions to concerns. Your articles are offering answers and solutions, and those valuable links back to your site. Why would you choose an article distribution service that limits how many answers and solutions you can send out? With Web surfers hungry for useful information you want to be in control of how many articles you can send out in a subscription period.

One other way to run a controlled article marketing campaign is to poll regularly your niche to keep up-to-date on their needs. As time goes on people sometimes change. There needs do as well. They may want enhancements to your affiliate product. They may want information on new data and studies related to your affiliate product. When you know what your audience’s new needs are you can begin to search for information to fulfill those needs. You will gear your article writing to topics that address these new needs. Of course, the articles will link back to where your “latest version” affiliate products are.

A controlled article marketing campaign will speak to your target audience’s concerns. You will provide them relevant information and a direct link to where a certain affiliate product resides. This is your affiliate product, which they now know about because of a controlled article marketing campaign with a clear message offering solutions.

To your success,

Brad

Brad McGovern is the Marketing Manager at Article Marketer, and offers advice and news of note to article marketers. Watch for more from Brad in the coming days!

It’s important to employ keywords in your article writing efforts. It’s equally important to employ them in your web page content. In what ways should you employ keywords so they become an effective marketing tool? The following are a few ways:

Article marketing

Consider your article promotion campaigns first. You spend time creating articles that give readers useful information on topics related to your affiliate product. You do so in hopes that readers will see you as an authority on a subject. You want them to trust you as a reliable knowledge provider. Further to that, you want them to trust you as a credible affiliate product seller.

They will never know any of this if your articles do not contain keywords. The reason is they will never find your articles in the first place in the wide expanse called cyberspace. Your article writing efforts must contain keywords in the title, opening paragraphs, expository content, and ending paragraphs.

However, they must be the right keywords. Effective affiliate marketers place popular keywords in their articles that pertain to their affiliate product. They presume that people will type these keywords into search engine boxes when searching for products. If your articles contain keywords that potential customers enter into search engines there’s a good chance they will end up at your article.

Therefore, it’s imperative that you know your customers wants and needs thoroughly. When you do, you understand their thought processes. When you know how they think, you will “think-up” keywords that they would use in their searches. Make your keywords match theirs and watch your article marketing efforts produce results.

Web Page Promotion

When you write content for your web pages employ the same principles you do in article writing. Make sure you place those same keywords in the body content of your web pages. Place the keywords in headings and in even in some sub-titles that you write for your website. Placing keywords in the Meta Keywords tag is not enough.

Search engines regularly “crawl” the Internet checking Web sites out. They take information from each site’s content. This information determines the category a particular site will be under in search engine results. This information also helps search engines describe the Web site properly. They will then rank sites and base their ranking on keywords in your content.

That’s why keywords are so important. The keywords and phrases that people enter, that are part of your content, mean you receive a higher ranking. The search engines recognize your keyword information. They formulate that this matches popular search terms. They then rank you higher accordingly.

Like your article-writing efforts, choose the proper keywords for actual web pages. If your affiliate product is red alligator shoes, your web page content had better contain “alligator shoes”, and “red alligator shoes.” It should also contain “quality alligator shoes”, “premium red alligator shoes”, and “imported red alligator shoes.” In other words, be specific. Your web page content must not only contain the word “shoes” or “quality shoes.” Your potential customers will be looking for specific shoes and will type in specific words.

In addition, your text ads and banner advertisements should have keywords in them. This is especially true in advertising titles. Make sure your ads are concise and precise with the keywords strategically placed in them.

It also doesn’t hurt to have sidebar text and navigation bars keyword optimized. It’s all about making your total website attractive to the search engines. Do not overstuff the web pages with keywords, though. Have just enough on each page but not too much. Too many keywords will make the web pages read unnaturally and will not give your website that professional aura.

Using keywords effectively in article marketing and web page promotion will bring visitors to each platform. Let effective keyword usage be another tool in your affiliate-marketing kit. After all, the more tools you have to grow your business, the faster that business will grow.

To your success,

Brad

Brad McGovern is the Marketing Manager at Article Marketer, and offers advice and news of note to article marketers. Watch for more from Brad in the coming days!