Writing articles that relate to the content of your website can be a terrific way to boost your search engine rankings and increase traffic.  Unfortunately, poorly written articles end up buried in the article directory junkyards getting limited visibility.  On the other hand, compelling articles have a much longer life, maximize your online visibility and exponentially increase your back link popularity.  Read on to learn how you can write more compelling articles.

No matter what your article is about, as an author you must engage the reader.   Remember, you are writing articles to promote your website and get one-way back links.  With a poorly written article you’ll get back links from the article directories you submit to, but you’ll miss out on the key reason to write articles.  The key goal is to get publishers and webmasters to use your content; not just to get your article listed in the directories.  You want your articles to proliferate.  Only then, will your embedded links get maximum exposure.

The Style - How do you compel others to use your articles?  First and foremost, the article has to be well written.  If you think diagramming a sentence is simply drawing a box around it, you may want to spend some time researching creative writing techniques.  Nothing turns off a reader more than poor grammar or sentence structure.  On the other hand, good copy writers take advantage of short or incomplete sentences to create emphasis and vary rhythm.    Optimize your rhythm.   Irregular rhythm encourages your reader to pause and reflect.   Be conversational.  It makes the article personal.  To improve your writing technique, read more.  As you do, pay particular attention to writing style.  Learn from good authors and adapt.

The Hook – The title is the most important part of any article.  Why?  Because its purpose is to hook the reader in seven words or less; turning a casual browser into a curious reader.   A compelling article needs a persuasive title.  Lure the reader into your article with a catchy headline that peaks their curiosity.   Sink the hook if you appeal to their self interests at the same time. Titles can be provocative, but be careful not to offend.  Finally, use words that pull on emotional strings.  It goes without saying that your title must align with the content of your article and include at least one relevant keyword phrase from your website.

The Twist - Pick a topic you are passionate about that relates to your website.  Your zeal for the topic will show through in the content.  Develop an idea around the topic, but with a different spin.  Lead off with this twist.  Intrigue the reader.  Once you have their attention, expand on your twist.  Explain how your twist benefits the reader or solves a problem they face.  Loosely speaking, this is your value proposition.  Highlight how your article is different than other articles on the topic.  This entices people to read the second paragraph.  Use the remainder of the article to expand your key points.

The Close - This is your call to action.  Your closing paragraph should emphasize what the reader should do after reading your article. Don’t forget the importance of the resource box at the end of your article.  This is usually the only place you can place a link to your website.  Show your expertise on the article topic. Include your name, web address and any actions you want the reader to take related to the article.

Articles that stress the benefits of publishing articles are a dime a dozen.   The twist in this article is to encourage you to focus on writing truly compelling content. Webmasters and online publishers search feverously for good content.  The better your content, the more it will get published.  Your links will appear in more places than just the article directories.  Readers will also be more apt to add your article to their favorite Social Bookmarking service.  The call to action in this article is to encourage you to spend the extra time it takes to write truly compelling articles.  Think about it.  It will maximize your efforts and keep your articles from getting buried in the article directory junkyards.