Why Article Writing and Marketing Is So Powerful

Guest post by Beth Jones

“But I don’t have time to write!” Maybe you’ve said this before or writing isn’t your favorite thing to do. You have other things on your to-do list today that you think are more pressing to get done for your business, like creating higher-priced home study courses or coaching programs, holding teleseminars or webinars, or selling your products at live speaking events.

Yet writing quality articles is one of the most inexpensive, effective ways to market your online business and to jumpstart its success.

Speaker/writer/life coach Theresa Cennicola of www.theresaceniccola.com says, “Article marketing is one of the best ways to position yourself as an expert and drive traffic to your website. It can be tricky because you need to write for search engines and human readers at the same time. But if you do your research and understand what your market is seeking, then you can easily write valuable articles that serve both purposes.”

“Article marketing and guest posting are simple ways to build your list and establish yourself as an expert. Every time I submit an article to a popular blog in my industry, I see a spike in traffic on my website and an increase in my subscriber list. One of my recent articles attracted an international audience – I received emails from women in India, Nairobi, Haiti and the Philippines.” 

“I think people sometimes forget that the quality of the article is more important than the quantity. I would rather write one insightful, practical, resourceful article that truly helps someone, than a dozen generic, meaningless articles that are filled with backlinks to my website. I don’t know about you, but I’m looking for “real people” to visit my website.”

Writing articles also shares part of your broken but beautiful story with the world. They need to hear it. What are you waiting on?

Why write articles? Here are just a few of its benefits:

• It costs almost nothing but your time writing, posting it on your blog, and/or submitting it to article directories;
• Your writing speaks to others ~ sometimes softly and gently like the rain, at others times like the roar of a hurricane– but it has a voice, your unique voice, that the world needs to hear;
• You don’t have to wait for years to build your credibility – or wait for traditional publishing houses to publish your book and give you the identity you’ve desired of “a real writer.” With articles, you can quickly establish yourself as an expert on a certain topic, with you standing out as the go-to girl for dog grooming, organizing, writing, website designing, coaching, teaching Bible studies, or bungy jumping. 🙂
• Articles help you to create a strong brand, and to increase your online exposure;
• Your articles can create a “buzz” about you and your website, drawing the delightful ideal clients you love to work with/your tribe;
• You can hone your writing skills, becoming a good, even a great, writer;
• You can start article marketing even without a website;
• Article marketing can lead to a spike in traffic at your site, potentially taking your business to a new level of profitability (you want to make money at this, right?)!

You have a talent to share with the world

Speaker, author, life coach Kate Powers of http://askcoachkate.com says, “You have a talent to share with the world. You’ve decided to go into business. What you offer depends on what you do. If you are a coach, the logical service to offer is one on one coaching. A hairdresser will cut hair; an esthetician will offer facial and waxing services.”

“Many people discover they can share their talent through traditional jobs or careers: doctor, nurse, administrative assistant, teacher, lawyer, accountant, mechanic. Each of us has been blessed with a talent.”

“That talent may be discernment, intuitive knowing, organizing skills, financial management, understanding technology, entertaining through song or written word, teaching others by sharing knowledge, healing the sick or any of a hundred others.”

“Submitting articles to a few article submission sites is an easy, low or no cost way to get more mileage out of your writing efforts (talent). I am a huge proponent of maximizing your efforts in your business, so if you can make a few small tweaks to a blog post, then be able to submit it to a couple of article sites with your resource box too, it is worth the time investment.”

It’s easy, it’s inexpensive, it works!

Can I be candid here? Even though I don’t like her sometimes foul mouth, think of Joan Rivers on the Johnny Carson show saying with her strong New York accent, “Let’s talk!” Writing articles is really a no-brainer way to help your business! It’s easy, it’s free or inexpensive, and it works…and it affords you a wonderful opportunity to serve others and to share your unique gifts. You are not destined to be a wallflower at the dance, hiding your brilliance; get up and dance, girl – be it the two-step, the salsa, or hip-hop!

Sharing your heart’s passion

Article writing gets the word out about you and your important message that God has given you to share with others and to impart your heart’s passion. Writing also heals and delivers us, even as it heals others. As author, speaker, and life coach Jo Ann Fore says, write from the heart. (http://writewhereithurts.org/about-jo-ann-fore)

Writing is a healing tool, for you and your reader. As we write, we grow ~ and become more of who God desires us to be. Writing touches and somehow enlarges ours and others’ lives, its imprint on us forever. Writing unlocks bars across our hearts, and sets us – and others – free.

It’s fast

NACWE CEO Diane Cunningham’s motto is “Act fast now.” How many years have you been saying you plan to write a book one day-and still haven’t because it would take too long?

But articles can be written quickly, when you don’t over-think the process. I learned this when I was a reporter at a daily newspaper, working on a short deadline. Don’t be in love with your own words or write to impress. In reporting, you learn to get to the point quick, cutting the fat and answering the important questions a reader has about the story: who, what, where, when, how, why?

You can sit down in one afternoon and write several articles, for yours or others’ blogs, to use as content for your ezine, or to submit to article directories to draw traffic and establish you as an expert.

A global door

You can write an article today, put it on the NACWE site, submit it to online magazines, Ezine Articles (http://ezinearticles.com) and other articles directories (www.vretoolbar.com/articles/directories.php), and see its results in your website stats within a few days!

Writing articles gives you an incredible opportunity, a global platform on the net, which you don’t normally have if you’re just doing local speaking/networking. It’s a wide open door for exposure of your message and your business.

This generation likes sound bites

This generation, like technology, is fast. The old wineskin won’t work anymore! They’re in a hurry; they know what they want out of life and they don’t want to waste their time. If it takes too long, they won’t read it. They want bite-sized portions with solid, useful content, not fake, fluff, or sales-y sleaze. Just be transparent, genuine, generous, and helpful. If your content is what they need or want, they’ll come for more so prepare by continual learning and creating.

Articles are ideal for sound bite info that makes an impressive impact. Start writing; get your message out there for God. Share your story. Be a leader and an influencer of others, make a difference in others’ lives, with powerful article marketing. Share your articles on yours and others’ blogs, on the NACWE site, on Ezine articles and on other article directories today…your heart connecting to others.

In a mood of faith and hope my work goes on…I am a writer and I take up my pen to write. – Pearl S. Buck

Beth Jones is a Christian speaker, author, wife, and mom of 3 beautiful daughters, who resides in a small, rural town outside Kansas City, MO. She loves to encourage women to fulfill their great purpose, through daily intimacy with Jesus and through pursuing their passion. You can find out more about Beth and read her articles at www.BethJones.net and at Ezine articles here. http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Beth_D._Jones