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Your web site plays an integral role in your article submission strategy. If
it isn't up to par, your article submission projects won't produce much in the
way of results.
To support your efforts in writing and submitting articles, you need a solid
workhorse, which is the job of your web site. It's not just for looks, but rather
serves the purpose of offering something of value to your target audience and
converting browsers to faithful readers, loyal newsletter subscribers and committed
buyers!
On the Internet, just like with bricks-n-mortar businesses, appearance is critical.
Use these strategies to elevate your web site giving it literal curb appeal
and improving your business, which translates to more article acceptances and
more exposure in your target market!
Cut the Pomp and Circumstance
As with so many elements of the Internet, the use of a Splash Page featuring
fancy graphics and an Enter button is obsolete. Most people find them irritating
and won't even venture past this point to see the rest of your web site, so
delete your splash page now!
Professionalism
If your web site looks the Internet Amateur Hour, you're probably turning off
prospects. Quality clients/customers won't do business with you if your image
is unprofessional. Make sure that pages are neat and organized featuring content
that's easily readable. Be consistent in formatting from page-to-page to prevent
a thrown-together look.
Focus
Just like your articles, your web site needs focus. No business fills every
need for every consumer, so direct your web site to the prospective clients/customers
in your target market. Be clear about the products/services you offer and engage
prospects in your specific market by catering to their needs exclusively and
better than your competition.
Presence
Online businesses have to overcome the hurdle of not having face-to-face contact
with prospects. Make interaction with you a simple process by providing a contact
form, listing a phone number and including an e-mail address on every page.
Stick to Business
Does your web site look reflect you as a business professional or does it blast
prospects with a variety of hard-to-read fonts and excessive graphics? Limit
the number of fonts and colors used throughout your site. Use graphics judiciously
avoiding slow-loading designs that frustrate prospects.
Content
They call it king for a reason, so don't dethrone your efforts by featuring
the same old content. Give prospects and search engines, plus your regular clients/customers,
fresh content that fits your theme and offers value to your target audience.
Accentuate
Pay special attention to your Articles Page. Include reprint details with your
required guidelines above your articles. Use inviting language in your guidelines
encouraging publishers to take advantage of your material. Make it convenient
for publishers by listing articles alphabetically by title and include a three-line
description. Link titles to the actual article page with offer versions in html,
pdf and text files.
Courting Publishers
Publishers are very busy people, so make it easy for them to publish your articles.
Offer a separate publisher's only subscription notifying them when you have
a new article available.
Show Your Smile
Potential clients want to know who you are. Include a photo on your Article
Page for publishers/editors to use when they reprint your articles. Prospects
also appreciate being able to actually see a person because it makes doing business
online much more personal.
Call-to-Action
You're wasting time, effort and valuable space with web pages that don't give
clients/customers the opportunity to do business with you! Each page, even your
individual article pages, should always include a call-to-action. Strut your
stuff by offering prospects your newsletter and/or subscriptions to your exclusive
members-only offerings. Streamline the process and gain more clients.
Testimonials
Share client/customer testimonials with prospects instead of keeping them to
yourself. Add at least one testimonial per page including article pages letting
prospects know just how valuable others find your products/services.
Respect Clients/Customers
More than ever, people are concerned with the security of their private information.
Establish a clear privacy policy and publish it on your web site and linking
to it from each page.
Guarantee It In Writing
Decide your return/refund policy before your web site goes live! No matter
how good your product or service is, at some point, you're going to have an
unsatisfied customer. Create a consistent refund policy up front and update
it immediately on your web site if you change it.
Polish The Final Product
Grammatical mistakes like misspellings, improper punctuation, and capitalization
errors signal prospects that you're not attentive to detail. Have someone proofread
your entire site including your articles to make sure all text is error-free.
So, what's your curb appeal? Your web site is your online office and showroom.
Does it make you look like a professional or more like an amateur with a sideline
hobby?
Remember, marketing with articles is about generating exposure. Although publishers
need articles they may not accept them if your site is poorly designed, disorganized
or filled with grammatical errors and outdated content. Put your best foot forward
to prospective publishers and clients who come to you through your article submissions.
If, despite your best efforts, your web site still needs work consider hiring
a professional. You'll quickly recoup the cost of hiring an expert with more
sales and increased exposure!
About the Author:
Bonnie Jo Davis is an expert writer and article submission guru with over ten
years of submission success. Her web site is located at http://www.ArticleSubmissionSites.com
and she recommends the new ArticleAnnouncer Article Marketing System by Jason
Potash for do-it-yourself submitters. You can find ArticleAnnouncer at http://tinyurl.com/8kzux. |
