How do you go about writing a great article for your site?

I use a combination of Market Samurai, and a variety of other unconventional means to do research. When you use sites like, say, WebAnswers, you have FREE insight into what questions gain a significant amount of views and which don't....plus, it can stimulate article ideas...

The following are great content sources to help you get qualified and original articles:

1. Article directories

There are lots of directories with high quality articles, such as eHow, suidoo etc.

These directories have editorial workers to evaluate all submitted articles and just take in high quality articles.

2. Forums and Blogs

Forums and blogs are also the very practical place to locate your quality articles. You can use Google to find famous forums and bolgs by entering (also take article marketing as an example) "Blog article marketing" and "forum article marketing", and then Google will show you numerous forums and bolgs.

3. Communities

In the community, experts in every area will post their opinions on the corresponding topic. Such as Facebook, Twitter, etc are all the famous communities. You can sign up in those, find and discuss your related topic.

4. wikiHow

wikiHow is a wiki-based community, consisting of an extensive database of how-to guidelines written by experts knowledgeable on specific topics.

5. Yahoo Answers

Yahoo Answers is the one more place to find high quality articles. It is a knowledge sharing platform, where you can ask, answer, comment, and vote on questions and answers.

6. Wikipedia

Wikipedia is a freely available, web-based, multilingual program.

7. Expert/ famous writers

Get your intended articles from experts is also your good option. Every field has its own experts, and no matter what is your topic, you can find experts in your field, using their opinions, content, and also can discuss with them.

8. E-books

The last way we list to find your targeted content is through E-book. There are countless eBooks online for your free use (e.g. Free-eBooks)

Hope these can help you.

I do it the old fashioned way. I use the Internet, the public library, and my own library. If you have a keyword in mind, which you should, that is a good place to start. Learn all you can about it. If you have a weak memory take notes from your research.

It will help you write "off the cuff", then if you get stuck refer to your notes.

In my opinion, you cannot create an outline unless you know something about the subject and then you have an idea of what you want to write about.

I do not use an outline, because it stifles my output. However, after I have written the article in the editing process I check for continuity. It is there that an outline reveals itself to me and I organize accordingly.

You will develop your own technique.

One of my professors once spent a whole class talking about REVISIONS and why you need them.

Review. Revise. Review. Revise. Over and over again. Nearly six years later I still think about that when I write an article.

My approach to writing "great" content is probably too simple to list here, but the easy way to put it would be, "I just plunge in."

Both feet first. It depends on what I am writing about, but most of the time I just jump right in and see what happens. Then I let it simmer for a bit before going back to review and then revise.

Usually in this process I come up with a different angle to write from and carry on from there, which leads to even more review and revision. Over and over again. It's how I write I guess--especially for my authority websites.

I often am trying to hook a reader by answering a burning question of theirs and then hoping to send them straight down the rabbit hole with a variety of related articles. The deeper I can send them the happier I am.

In a way I almost look at it like a video game. You start at level one and then progress to a new area which brings you to level two, which then leads you to another area... so on and so forth.

That is how I look at my articles on my site. How does this relate to another article on my site? How can I best provide the user with the information they are seeking? What is the reason they are looking for this information?

These are all question's that run through my head when writing an article. In a nutshell its review and revise until I hit that sweet spot!

When researching articles I generally stay away from most of the online resources, article sites, wiki etc, because you don't really know how accurate the information that you are sourcing is. Although i'm not sure everyone is too concerned about this.

I find the library the best resource, and I also have access to academic databases, which sometimes helps with more esoteric subjects.

1) Where To Do Your Research

This totally depends on the niche, but I would definitely stay away from Ezine Articles and the like. You want to go right to the source, not get your research from rehashed directories.

• This means for health, use trusted sources like Mayo Clinic
• For reviews, use manufacturer website and consumer reviews on sites like Amazon. Good review sites like Cnet are also useful for filling in the blanks
• Sometimes it also helps to go to government sources on the subject
• It also helps to go to forums or places like Yahoo Answers to see what people want to know on the subject - so you can fulfil a need.

2) Organizing Research

I am not the most organized person I tend to copy and paste a lot of info/ links into a document so I've got it all there for me to look at. Then I note down the most important points I want to take away from that research.

3) Outlines

I don't always make an outline, but I highly recommend - it especially if you're not necessarily a seasoned article writer. It makes it SO much easier to write the whole thing. I'll usually just write my subheadings and fill in the blanks from there.

Lastly, remember that, although you do want to include keywords, you need to make your content useful for the reader first and foremost. Include the keywords where it comes naturally.

In my eyes, a "great article" is something unique and special. It must
do one or all of the following things:

* provide useful or valuable information
* entertain and retain the attention of a reader
* persuade or convince a prospect towards your point of view,
or convert them to carry out a desired action

I generally write on subjects I'm an expert on. When called upon to do
so for any other niche, I research the topic to become reasonably 'expert' on
it, using various reference sources listed by others on this thread for
getting a good handle on the subject.

Then, I spend some time thinking about a 'hook' or 'perspective' or
'point of view' to present in my article.

It could be anything, depending upon your niche and style and audience,
but it should be unique, novel, attention-grabbing and persuasive.

For instance, this morning I wrote a 2,000 word guest post for Yaro
Starak's "Entrepreneur's Journey" blog - about being remarkable, and
winning fans for your business.

I really didn't evolve a 'point of view' until I was half-way through
the draft - but had been constantly thinking about it along the way.
In the end, everything worked towards that point... that EVERYONE is
remarkable, yes, including YOU the reader!

If at the end the article convinces the reader about that point, it
has done the job it set out to do.

Any GREAT article should do that... achieve the goal for which you
set out to write it.

Close a sale.

Change a mind.

Inspire a reader.

Give hope.

Create comfort.

Soothe. Calm. Energize.

Whatever.

The rest is a matter of mere detail - spell-checking, grammar policing,
style, flow, word count, keyword optimization etc.

Hope this is of some help

All success
Dr.Mani

P.S. - When I set out to write this 300 word post, my goal was to help
at least a few readers say, "Oh, so THAT'S what makes an article GREAT!"

Did I succeed at it?

Research. Research. Research. That is my simplest method on how to create a unique article. I don't just focus on one resource instead I rather gather lots of information first to come up with new ideas and also to finalize my outline.

You can research on a lot of article directories like GoArticles, Ezine, or even in Google. Try to explore the web and you'll find what you're looking for.

Jack

Mary beat me to it - copying and putting articles on your site, unless you have permission to do so and follow all requirements for keeping that permission is stealing.

Has nothing to do with Google or SEO. Has everything to do with theft.

Article directories, hubs, lenses, etc. might give you some inspiration for topics, headlines, hooks, etc. but I would never rely on them for facts. Many of the so-called writers you'll come across wouldn't know a fact if it bit them on the arse. All they know is word count, keyword density, etc.

Do some real research - source materials, 'real' newspapers and magazines that employ fact checkers, real authority sites, real books, etc. Ideally, you want to find multiple sources saying the same thing in authoritative sources.

Outlines? Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Sometimes the article itself will dictate the outline. 'X Tips' type articles mean an intro, the tips and a wrap-up. I tend to use outlines for longer, more involved articles where I want to make sure I don't go wandering off the trail, so to speak.

Organization? I'm not exactly the poster child for being organized. Like another poster, I tend to dump everything, along with source citations or urls, into a document and work from that. For a 2,000 word article, I might have 20,000 words (or equivalent) in notes.

For research i go to ezinarticles and pick three articles that is relevant to my topic of the day. So then i pick three facts of each of the three articles and write from that.

Takes me around 5-10 minutes to write a fresh and unique article.

Mike Tyler.

Thank you everyone for the great information.

I'm going to do a whole bunch of research first before I write a article.

I'm going to dump all the research I find into a note with links and highlighted text. Then work from there.

First I'll find what people are looking for (according to my topic) and then I'll read some articles and do some research

To find what people are looking for:
1. Yahoo Answers: Yahoo! Answers - Home
2. Web Answers: Web Answers - Share your knowledge. Ask questions for free. Get the answers you need. - WebAnswers.com
3. Twitter: Twitter
4. Forums related to your niche

To find articles & research on the topic:
1. Ezine Articles: http://ezinearticles.com/
2. Squidoo: Squidoo : Welcome to Squidoo
3. Hubpages: HubPages
4. Market Samurai app "Find Content" Module
5. Competing Sites
6. Google search
7. Google Blog Search: Google Blog Search
8: Wiki-how: wikiHow - The How-to Manual That You Can Edit

As mentioned earlier, using ezinearticles to find your facts is a bad idea since a lot of incorrect information is just reused...over and over. But it can be a good place to find ideas and to see what people are interested in reading.

My best personal advice on writing a "great" article is this: Don't sit down at the screen thinking "I must write a GREAT article". It's too intimidating. Gather your research, do a quick outline, and then write. When you're done; then you can go back and turn it into a great article.

Writing takes practice like every other skill. So don't put too much pressure on yourself in the beginning. First drafts aren't the place to try and achieve greatness.

Good luck, Rose

D37, similarly I too have to get my articles done myself thus allowing fellow experienced forum members to share their ideas and advices. This post really helps a lot because it inspires me to create more articles to write on!!

So...

Many thanks to all!!

Your welcome.

I don't use a program because my outlines are very simple. Let's say I was writing about "How to Make Money Doing Magic Shows".

It would be something like:

Introduction - Can You Really Make Money by Magic?
Creating Your Show
Knowing Your Audience
Marketing for Birthday Shows
Getting Restaurant Work
Breaking into the Library Show Business
Conclusion or Summary

It's simple and concise. This is actually a long outline. It could easily be a 1200 - 1500 word article.

Another simple form of outline is the ever popular:

7 Ways to "your topic goes here"

Then your outline is the 7 ways.

Since we were talking about ezinearticles earlier; they do have some good information about writing articles including a lot of templates. Definitely worth your time to study.

Write some articles.

Read some tips.

Write more articles.

Read more tips.

Write even more articles.

Read even more tips.

Eventually you'll get there

HI there D37,
I have been into article marketing and writing. Let me share you some quick tips:
1. Define your niche -know who are your target audience first so you will know what kind of information you would like to give them that might help them. Understand your audience so you will know what keywords to use. To identify your niche, determine your interest. For example, if your website or offered product and interest is about website developing you may start creating articles for newbie in website developing. You can write tips for website developing for beginners.
2. Research, research and use your expertise - you are about to build your credibility online. So be careful when you provide information. Do an extensive research about the chosen subject/area then integrate it with your personal knowlege.
3. Put your self in your reader's shoes - if you are the reader, what specific topic you would like to know when you research online. Is it about the programming language? platform? codes? or graphics? This way you will know what to give them.
4. Write a draft - layout your content by deciding how many words and paragraphs you will providing. For instance, you are going to write 400 words with 7 paragraphs. Start structuring your content. For instance, the first paragraph will be your intro, the body is where you put the tips/steps the last parag is the conclusion and advice.
5. Make your content conversational-write as if you are talking to someone who needs your help. Let your content flow naturally. As much as possible avoid jargons. If you are using technical terms, make sure to provide additional explanation.

Doing SEO to your contents:
5.Select the right keywords- make use of long tail keywords and make use of free keyword research tool to know if these keywords are commonly use by people when searching online. Pick the right phrases.
6. Know about keyword density and backlinks -research on the ideal keyword density and which parts of your content you would like them to place.

Hope these things help you. If you have further questions, please feel free to PM me. Good luck!

Some great tips here! I'm an IM newbie although I've written lots of articles in the past.

I'll add to this that just taking a few minutes to stop and think about your own personal experience and viewpoint can help generate a new slant on the subject. You've done your research, you have your sub-headings ready, but you want to write something that will stand out. So now you sit quietly and let your ideas flow from your own unique perspective on life, and on the subject you want to write about.

As a quick example, let's say you are writing an article on "Meditation" - you know what the books say about how to meditate, (focus on your breathing, etc..) but more importantly, you know how it feels to bring yourself into a state of meditation. If you can convey this feeling in your article, then the reader can relate it to a direct personal experience, rather than just a "procedure" for them to follow.

Hope this makes a little sense...!

Andy

My process is similar to DrMani's. If I am not familiar
with the topic I will do as much reading on the subject
as possible.

I tend to stay away from sites such as EzineArticles,
GoArticles and the many other article directories for
reasons that others have already mentioned.

If I find a .Gov or .Edu site in the niche I am targeting
then I start there first. Another great resource as many
have mentioned is the public library. The public library
system in my area allows you to check out an e-version
(if it's available) of the books they have.

Reading through material like this helps to give me general
information on the topic. My next step is to figure out who
my target audience is and what action I want them to take.
Then I just start writing.

After the first paragraph I can tell if I need to do more research
or need to come up with a better hook, in some cases both.

Personally, if I feel like my writing is not flowing after the first
paragraph then I just stop. I find that the article just sounds
choppy and boring if I try to force it. If the writing flows then
I just keep writing.

Once I am done I let it sit and come back to it later for final
edits and revision.

Hope that helps.

If you know your topic and your keywords - just write. If you need more information you can use the internet to research the subject and re-write the information in your own words.

Also, link to other HUGE sites like Ezine, Squidoo in your articles when you can - The mighty GOD Google likes that!

My time saving tip is to create a template for yourself to use.

For each article have something like:
----------------------------------------------

HOW TO START YOUR OWN GOURMET MICE RESTAURANT

In this article we will discuss the demand for gourmet mice, [point 2] and [point 3].

Gourmet mice are in great demand right now since the search for the exotic and bizarre food stuffs have moved on from licking frogs. In Europe alone over 30,000 adventurous diners have tasted this delicacy and gourmet mice continue to be popular. [subpoint], [subpoint].

[Point 2]

[Point 3]

Now that you have read this article you can get started building your own gourmet mice restaurant.

-------------------------------------

Obviously I completely made up that example, but the process is the same regardless of topic.

Always outline your article before you start writing!

First thing to write is the title - what kind of spin do you want to take on your keyword/topic?

Then choose 3 main points to cover that address your title (eg. Main point = Demand for mice)

For each of your main points, write 2-3 questions for yourself (eg. "why eat a mouse?", "where is mice eating popular?")

Just type each question into Google and skim read results.

Go back to your blank page and type from memory. This will result in having your own wording.

Once you finish your article run it through a duplicate content checker like Plagiarism Checker

I really need to be in the mood to write. About once a week I get really motivated (usually early morning for me) and I go to work. I can write a 500 word product review in about 10-15 minutes. I just do some research on Amazon or other big box website and then start writing.

I learned a long time ago that if I am forcing it when Im not motivated, the quality of my work suffers big time. So when the mood hits me, Ill do 10-15 articles/reviews in oe sitting. That usually gets me through the week.

Rich

Do your research in Google Keyword Tools first...got the keyword which are more than 1000 and less 10,000 global searches...used a long tail keyword and write an article about it...make sure the keyword is repeated 4-5 times in the article...and make sure you keep on trying to submit at ezine articles, aticlebase or goarticles...google love them!

Well.. what for? Do you know the objective you're writing the article for?

I would better write 1 "quality" article that offers a clear & fine perspective than write 10 articles which do nothing but fill the blog.

So define your objective & perspective before you start writing an article.

I just simply write what I know about. I don't do writing for my other niche sites. I just read what others wrote on the subject then re-write it in my own words. Its simple and fast.

I JUST wrote an article about this: How to write an article in 6 easy steps. It details how to make it unique. The key is to write out everything you know about the subject first and then do the research to back up the information you have and add a little more.

John,
In that case here is what you do:

Write a ton of articles with your incorrect facts and post them to ezinearticles...then everyone else will use the same facts and your reality becomes the internet reality.

First, every article you create must have an objective to serve. Most of the times that objective is to entice the reader of the article to visit your site or some other site where you are an affiliate.

Secondly, every article must have a context that is limited to a one point only. Yes you may write an article like 5 tips or seven how to's but covering a single point. One point one article should be your aim.

Based on these two aspects, you then proceed to keyword research. Free tools serve well for your article purpose unless you are writing a seo optimized article.

Regarding outlining the article, for article directory submission, ideally it should have four to five paragraphs with first para as an introduction of the point you want to cover in the article, para 2 and 3 for actual point, and para 4 for the summary of the article to conclude it. You need to stuff the keywords preferably one per paragraph depending upon where you are submitting the article. For other places like blog or web 2.0 sites this outlining varies to some extent.

Review again to make sure that the purpose of the article for what you wanted to create that article has been served or not. This will save much of your time.

Use wordtracker free keywords tool to find keywords about your topic. Select the keyword that solves some problem of reader for example "Beginners Guide to Set Up Your Blog in 10 Minutes". Make main points or steps and write detailed article. Longer and detailed articles work better.

I personally am in the article business - though I don't write a lot myself these days, but I'll tell you what I do.

According to me "unique" means relevant, compact and all inclusive information all under one roof. I receive feeds from sites in my niche, news feeds from search engines and well I also check out the different info sharing sites in my niche.

I try to accomodate as much as possile into one article and the goal is always to "overdliver" to my readers.

BTW, since you are starting out I'd suggest you grab a copy of Dragon Naturally Speaking. It'll speed things up for you.