Master blog article writer tells you exactly how to write articles that get read and responded to.

Master blog article writer tells you exactly how to write articles that get read and responded to.

By Dr. Jeffrey Lant

It is a pleasure to have this opportunity to spend some time with you and provide the detailed step-by-step information you must have to get the attention of the people on your list and get them to respond -- and rain well deserved compliments on you and your notable blog work.

Let's dig right in; there's lots of ground to cover.

1) The purpose of blog articles.

Know much about space travel? Here's a crucial part that astronauts pay a lot of attention to: the heat shields that protect a space capsule returning to earth. Without these shields the capsule and the passengers within would be fried. The same thing happens when you mail ad copy and nothing but ad copy to your lists. Recipients will get plenty angry plenty fast. They want more from you than just ads, and if they don't get it, the unsubscribe link is near at hand.

Blog copy is essential because it keeps subscribers on your list by giving them a good reason for staying on your list. In short, like those heat shields, this copy protects the list and keeps it whole, growing, profitable.

2) Don't publish random articles.

Give your articles increased weight and importance by creating them as part of an ongoing series. When you write good copy, copy of substance and value, people not only want to read it... but they want more, lots more, from you, a person whose articles and opinion they come to respect.

3) Number each article and announce that number along with each article.

As I write (August 6, 2011), this is my 312 article in the series. You want people to know that, not least because they will want to find and profit from the other articles in the series, all the other articles. Furthermore, as your list of articles grows, so will your reputation and perceived standing. In short, you will be an authority, a commentator of renown and repute.

4) Write your blog articles to a certain length, and stick to it.

My daily blog articles (which I produce free for blog owners worldwide) are all approximately 1500 words in length. That is three single-spaced pages. This length gives you ample space to develop an article on any given theme. It is also a convenient length for readers, not too long or demanding; crucial features in our time-pressed days. Once you have developed your format, you will soon start thinking in terms of your available space and will find it easier and easier the more you write to conceive and write articles of that length.

5) Always search for and brainstorm new article subjects.

I am on a dizzing blog article creation pace: one 1,500 word blog article per day. This is a challenging schedule for even the most experienced writers. That means I need 365 article subjects per year, challenging indeed. But even if you decide to write just one blog article per week, you'll need 52 subjects to write about, nothing to take for granted.

When you write blog articles, you are always and forever in the business of finding hot new article subjects. To start, get the major metropolitan newspaper from your area; (for me that's The Boston Globe)... and a pair of scissors. Now sit down and review this newspaper with a new eye; an eye that's seeking interesting, timely, readers-will-love-this subjects.

Make time to cut these articles from the publication. Don't fall behind with this crucial task. In my case, I review and cut out three times a week, more if at all possible.

Keep a good pair of sharp scissors at hand. Look at each article in each edition to see whether an article on that theme or subject would fit your blog. If so, cut at once and make sure to date everything you cut out. That's a must.

Then deposit what you've found in a large drawer... this is the article subject compost heap and it is essential. In it you will find subjects you will surely want to write about... and subjects you're watching, to write about at some future date. Cut liberally; you can be sure one day you will have no subject readily at hand. Having all these ideas will then pirove very useful indeed.

6) Select the next subject you'll write about, gather the information you need to do so.

The creation of articles of substance, articles that draw continual kudos from your readers, is a direct result of knowing where to look for the information you need. The better you become at this necessary task, the better articles you will produce and the faster your reputation grows, too.

Start by doing a search at any search engine (I prefer Google) to see what information is available. Where you are writing an article about a breaking news item, don't just check the available information, also pay close attention to the time the most recent material was posted (e.g. "7 hours ago"). This is essential for keeping what you write ahead of the news cycle. For timely articles, this skill is required.

Then visit the Wikipedia. The Wikipedia is one of the most ingenious and necessary tools ever invented. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't use it, finding and printing the invaluable information I absolutely must have do my work... one aspect of which is studding my articles with the facts therein so amply provided. This source is crucial.

You will also need to visit the websites of article providers such as Associated Press, Reuter's, Bloomberg, etc. They are a terrific source of article subjects and timely data.

7) Brainstorm articles.

You and your lifetime of education and experience are also valuable sources for articles. Keep a pad at the ready, or an Internet file, where ALL possible article subjects can be listed. Never, ever rely on forgetful memory for such subjects. Write them down at once.

8) Set a precise date for finishing all articles.

I write and blog my articles daily. I have a precise time of the day when the deadline for the next article MUST be met: 8 a.m. Eastern time. To do this I find all the data I'l need the day before and review it before bed time. Then I am awake and drafting, editing, then finalizing the day's article by 3 a.m. Eastern time; that is not a misprint! I have found the silent hours of the (usually) uninterrupted night the very best time to write, not least because I am wide awake and full of beans at that time. You'll find the schedule most suitable for you; set it, adhere to it religiously. You will find if you do that your brain and body will be willing to work at that time, and that is a great benefit.

9) Keep individual files for every article you write.

These files should contain all the printed information sources for this subject as well as all your notes and each draft. Everything pertaining to this article (including the compliments readers email you) must be kept, not least because you may very well decide to write follow-up and related articles for which current data will be most helpful.

Last words.

Blogging is the future of the Internet; that is absolutely clear. And for blogging to work, and your list to be protected, superior blog copy is a must. Now you know how to produce it.

About the Author

Harvard-educated Dr. Jeffrey Lant is CEO of Worldprofit, providing a wide range of online services for small and-home based businesses. Dr. Lant is the author of 18 best-selling business books. Republished with author's permission by Vaurn James http://SuccessRoute.biz

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Best Social Networking Sites

Best Social Networking Sites

There has always been social networking of one kind or another; however, it has taken on a whole new meaning in recent years. When it comes to the internet, social networking refers to interacting with groups of people and, by extension, the groups of people that they interact with. Using the best social networking sites can help you to connect with more people, and do it in a more enjoyable way.

If the 1960s through the 1980s were the Space Age, and the 1990s through the 2000s were the Information Age, then the 2010s will like be known as the Social Networking Age, that's how revolutionary it is. People are able to do all sorts of things on networking sites, and they can let their contacts know what they are doing as well, and vice-versa.

Here are some of the best social networking sites:

Myspace was the first really popular networking site, but it is continuing to lose ground to Facebook. There are still a lot of Myspace users, and it offers a different environment than other social sites. For whatever reason, it seems as though musicians are attracted to it in large numbers. However, other people use it, too, so it's worth checking out.

Facebook is more than a website for a lot of people; it's a way of life. Now, that may sound odd, but casual observation shows that it's true. Sure, there were the tech-savvy early adopters who were quick to jump on board as soon as they heard there was a new social website for them to try. Over time, Facebook has become the site that everybody and their mother belongs to, and not just their mother, but also their kids, cousins, old friends, old co-workers, distant family and acquaintances from all over the world. There are tons of games with a social element to them, a built-in chat feature, and the ability to quickly share thoughts, photos, videos and just about anything else a person can think of.

LinkedIn caters more to business people, and is all about networking in the truest sense of the word. If you're looking for a site where you can raise virtual farm critters and plant virtual crops, then LinkedIn isn't for you. However, if you are looking to connect with professionals and would like to get yourself in front of more professionals, then LinkedIn is a must.

Twitter uses the micro-blogging model to drive its site. People can share posts and follow one another, but the catch is that all posts have to be 140 characters or less. This appeals to people who are in a hurry because they don't have to spend much time on any single post, and that's a big part of Twitter's charm.

While these are some of the best social networking sites, there are plenty more out there. Remember that you will only get as much out of each site as you put into it, so be sure to participate if you want to see results.

Vaurn James is the Owner of http://SuccessRoute.biz

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6 Ways To Get More Visitors Who Are Ready To Buy

6 Ways To Get More Visitors Who Are Ready To Buy

When you have a website you need to drive traffic to your site. There are several techniques to use to obtain traffic. Here are some of the techniques used.

1. Search engine and directories are used by internet users to locate their desired information. When you submit your website with the search engines and directories you add the exposure your site needs to allow people to locate your website. The practice of adding your site to the locations providing your URL to their results generates traffic. You will need to make your website specific to the needs of the internet users with relevant keywords, Meta tags, and images to attract the traffic based on their search requirements.

2. Pay-per-click directories draw traffic to your site when you advertise and the users click on your ad. Use services such as Overture.com and Google AdWords bid on the advertising. Within the advertisement, use specific terms to describe your business or website in a few detailed descriptive words.

3. Publish your own ezine with interesting facts and information about your website and business. You can include promotions, discounts, and surveys to entice the traffic to visit your site. Most ezine articles allow the writers to include their URLs and links within the article. The added information allows the users to click on the links to be directed to the websites.

4. Publish articles on other websites with relevant products and services. Include a link to your site in your signature as well at the end of the article. Make the title catchy to make the readers want to click on your article. Add a hook in the article to really grab their attention.

5. Advertise in ezines with banner advertisements directed at your target audience. Run the ads at least three times to get the traffic. To increase your exposure, advertise about seven times so your audience sees your ads more. Add a tracking system to your ads so you know the number of clicks, where the traffic was derived from, when they clicked on your ad, and to see how the advertising is working or where you may need to modify the ad content.

6. Place ads on other websites. Research the sites relevant to your business and products. Contact the site about adding an ad to their site. They will generally allow you to place an ad especially if you offer link exchanging (your link on their site and their link on your site.)

Vaurn James is the Owner of http://SuccessRoute.biz

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Common SEO Mistakes-Tips To Help You Not Make These Mistakes

Common SEO Mistakes-Tips To Help You Not Make These Mistakes

SEO (short for search engine optimization) is a collection of methods that are used to move a website higher in the results when someone uses a search engine. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation floating around about what works and what doesn't. Here are a few of the most common SEO mistakes and what you can do to avoid them.

1. Using the wrong keywords. This is such an easy mistake to make. One of the biggest problems is that people tend to go after the search terms that get the most searches, but that isn't always the smartest way to go. The keywords that get the most searches almost always have the most competition and can put you at a disadvantage when starting out. It's okay to use keywords with fewer searches if they fit in with your overall SEO plan.

2. Tag confusion. A few years ago you could get away with stuffing your meta tags with all of your keywords, and that would be enough to move you higher up in the search engines. Today, a lot of the bigger search engines virtually ignore your meta tags when determining where you will place in the results. However, that doesn't mean that other tags don't matter. You can still use meta tags, but you don't have to stuff them with keywords, instead, use them to write a good description of your site and fill in other useful meta information. Heading tags, alt tags and tags used for emphasis can give your keywords and images extra weight, so use them wisely.

3. Having a site that uses Flash only. Flash is a wonderful tool when used properly, but the spiders sent by the search engines can't read it. Not everybody likes a Flash-only website, but if you have good reasons for using Flash, be sure to include an HTML version of your website so the search engines have something to rank your site with.

4. Java Script. Similar to Flash, Java Script can't be read by the search engines. It's easy to use various Java Script applications on your website, but be careful with where and how you use them. One of the more common SEO mistakes is to use Java for menus on a website. That's one of the worst ways to use Java Script because you will lose all of the SEO benefits that come with internally linking your pages. In other words, if you must use Java Script, don't use it for your menus.

5. Relying black hat SEO techniques. Yes, black hat SEO can and does work, but only for a while; eventually the big search engines figure out the black hat methods and then they change their algorithms to make those methods ineffective. When this happens, your page can move down in the results instantly. In the long run, black hat SEO takes more work, so do your best to play by the rules.

Avoiding these common SEO mistakes will help you place higher in the search engine results.

Vaurn James is the Owner of http://SuccessRoute.biz

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A Day In The Life Of An Affiliate Marketer

A Day In The Life Of An Affiliate Marketer

Being in the affiliate marketing business is not that hard now with the internet at your disposable. It is much easier now compared to the days when people have to make use of the telephones and other mediums of information just to get the latest updates on the way their program is coming along.

So with technology at hand, and assuming that the affiliate is working from home, a day in his or her life would sound something like this?

Upon waking up and after having breakfast, the computer is turned on to check out new developments in the network. As far as the marketer is concerned there might be new things to update and statistics to keep track on.

The site design has to be revised. The marketer knows that a well-designed site can increase sign ups from visitors. It can also help in the affiliate?s conversion rates.

That done, it is time to submit the affiliate program to directories that lists affiliate programs. These directories are means to attract people in joining your affiliate program. A sure way of promoting the affiliate program.

Time to track down the sales you are getting from your affiliates fairly and accurately. There are phone orders and mails to track down. See if they are new clients checking the products out. Noting down the contact information that might be a viable source in the future.

There are lots of resources to sort out. Ads, banners, button ads and sample recommendations to give out because the marketer knows that this is one way of ensuring more sales. Best to stay visible and accessible too.

The affiliate marketer remembered that there are questions to answer from the visitors. This has to be done quickly. Nothing can turn off a customer than an unanswered email.

To prove that the affiliate is working effectively and efficiently, inquiries would have to be paid more attention on. Nobody wants to be ignored and customers are not always the most patient of all people. Quick answer that should appear professional yet friendly too.

In the process of doing all the necessities, the marketer is logged on to a chat room where he or she interacts with other affiliates and those under that same program. This is where they can discuss things on how to best promote their products.

There are things to be learned and it is a continuous process. Sharing tips and advices is a good way of showing support. There may be others out there wanting to join and may be enticed by the discussion that is going on. There is no harm in assuming what opportunities ahead.

The newsletters and ezines were updated days ago, so it is time for the affiliate marketer to see if there are some new things happening in the market. This will be written about in the marketer?s publication to be distributed to the old and new customers.

These same publications are also an important tool in keeping up to date with the newly introduced products. The marketer has put up a sale and promotion that customers may want to know about. Besides, they have to keep up with the deadline of these sales written in the publications.

It is that time to show some appreciation to those who have helped the marketer in the promotions and sale increase. Nothing like mentioning the persons, their sites and the process they have done that made everything worked.

Of course, this will be published in the newsletters. Among the more important information that have been written already.

The marketer still has time to write out recommendations to those who want credible sources for the products being promoted. There is also time to post some comments on how to be a successful affiliate marketer on a site where there are lots of wannabees.

Two objectives done at the same time. The marketer gets to promote the product as well as the program they are in. Who knows, someone may be inclined to join.

Time flies. Missed lunch but is quite contented with the tasks done. Bed time?.

Ok, so this may not be all done in a day. But then, this gives you an idea of how an affiliate marketer, a dedicated one that is, spends the marketing day.

Is that success looming in the distance or what?

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Vaurn James is the Owner of http://SuccessRoute.biz

. Check us out anytime for marketing tips and a free subscription to our cutting edge newsletter.

Affiliate Marketing Without A Website

Affiliate Marketing Without A Website

Succeed in Affiliate Marketing Without a website

Is it possible to succeed in affiliate marketing without a website?

The answer is yes, it is. While most would agree that you'll eventually make more if you can implement certain strategies on your own website, it is definitely possible to profit without worrying about how to go about starting your own site or blog. And it might be a good way to start so that you can begin profiting right away and gradually learn how to build your own site.

Affiliate marketing is very appealing because you have a ready-made product along with a sales page and all you have to do is find a way to get traffic to it. That sounds easier than it actually is, especially because you are not the only one trying to sell the products that you decide to promote. But when you do make a sale, you will most likely get anywhere from 50 to 70 percent of the sales price in commissions.

One of the quickest and easiest places to start is on Clickbank. This site offers an enormous choice of mostly digital products and services that you can sell. Take a look at the training offered on the site to help you get started. Based on the stats that Clickbank offers for each product, you can decide which one or which ones you want to promote. If you are new, it's generally recommended that you start with just one product.

One of the best ways to then proceed with your affiliate marketing without a website is to do some article marketing. But before you do this, you'll need to do some keyword research. Use the free Google Adwords Keyword Tool to come up with the exact keywords that people are typing into the search engines when they do a search for whatever it is that you are offering. Then, you should purchase a domain name with the top keyword in it so that you can direct that to your affiliate link. Next, write an article on one of the keywords you select -- the article should be between 400 and 600 words. Include the keyword in the title of the article and in the first sentence of each paragraph of the article. You should try to hit a percentage of about 3% of your article being your keywords. Then, submit your article to sites like EzineArticles.com. Keep in mind that while you cannot place links from your article to your affiliate page, you can do so in the resource box which appears at the end of the article. This is really the most important part of the whole article so make it compelling enough for the person to click on the link.

Writing articles is really one of the best ways to succeed in affiliate marketing without a website because it helps you establish a presence and some sort of authority, even though you do not have the website.

Vaurn James is the Owner of http://SuccessRoute.biz>. Check us out anytime for marketing tips and a free subscription to our cutting edge newsletter.  

Local Internet Marketing - Targeted Traffic The Right Way

Local Internet Marketing - Targeted Traffic The Right Way

Most businesses have jumped on the train of internet marketing as they have discovered the value of cheap, targeted advertising compared to more traditional mediums. Not only that, but it offers many companies a much wider customer base than they could previously access.

Just think about it, as little as a decade ago if you wanted to sell something in another city or country you would have to open a point of sale locally, which was certainly not cheap. Most businesses couldn?t dream of expanding abroad due to costs, however the internet opened the doors to small businesses as well, allowing them to compete with the big fish.

However, web wide advertising is not always suited to every type of business, especially some types of offline service providers. For example, a restaurant will never be able to service more than the local area and therefore it doesn?t make sense for its website to target the whole web. This is where local internet marketing comes in.

In this case, the SEO plan is designed to target only people interested in the local area. This can be done with the use of geographically targeted keywords, maps and many more.

The advantage of focusing on local internet marketing is that costs are usually much lower than if you were to target the general public. For example, ?French restaurant Houston? will not cost as much per click as ?French restaurant? and will only target people interested in a French restaurant which is in Houston. On the other hand, a search for ?French restaurant? will bring up a very long list of French restaurants all over the world.

Local internet marketing is an excellent option for offline, small businesses that provide local services and their type of business does not allow them to expand globally. Plumbing, landscaping and even cleaning services are all such businesses. On the other hand, web development companies or ebook publishers do not have the same limitations and in their case they should focus on global internet marketing.

One extremely useful way to take advantage of local internet marketing is with maps. The large search engines offer a map service where companies can register their offline address. This has multiple advantages but the main one is that it establishes credibility because people can see the physical location of your business. This also has a positive impact on the ranking of your website but, unfortunately, it is a technique that is often overlooked.

Local internet marketing is an excellent way to reach extremely targeted customers for a much lower cost than if you were to market to the entire world wide web. However, you need to do a little more investigation regarding which keywords your PPC campaign should target and maybe even get some professional internet marketing consulting to show you how you can design and track your campaigns.

The beauty of internet marketing is that you can see virtually in real time how effective your campaigns are and tweak them accordingly. However, you do need some professional advice until you learn the ropes and can handle it yourself.

Vaurn James is the Owner of http://SuccessRoute.biz

. Check us out anytime for marketing tips and a free subscription to our cutting edge newsletter.