Video Two:

How To Write A Killer ArticleYour Readers Will Love

By Gary McLarenThe Article Writer’s Toolkit

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Question: How Would You Like to Write Killer Articles that Your Readers Love?

Killer Articles

According to the Urban Dictionary, “Killing it” is an expression that means “performing at the highest level”.

Killer Articles:

● Have a defined purpose● Match the reader’s interests● Convey a clear message ● Are memorable

#1The Solution

1. Define Your Primary Audience

2. Define Your Primary Objective● Entertain● Educate● Inform● Persuade

3. Write Down What You Know About the Topic Already

Preparing to Write Your

Article

#1The Solution

4. Research the Topic Further

● Observation● Interviewing people● Written records (e.g. online

or in a library)

5. Identify Keyword Phrases for Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Preparing to Write Your

Article

Write Your Article

List Article

Select an Article Type

Problem & Solution Article

How To Article

Interview Article+ Many More

Types of ArticleReview Article

Article Structure

The exact structure for each type of article is different. However most articles, at a very broad level, follow this structure:

● Headline ● Introduction● Body● Conclusion or Summary

In the remainder of this video, I’ll be covering each of these parts of your article in detail.

Your headline has one purpose: to bait or lure the reader so that they cannot resist reading your opening paragraph.

John Caples, in his book, Tested Advertising Methods, reveals that the best headlines have one or more of the following four elements:

● Self-Interest● Curiosity● News● Quick and Easy Way.

Write a Powerful Headline

That Grabs Your Reader’s Attention

Self-Interest1. Be personal. Use the word “You” or

“Your” in the headline.

2. Create anticipation of personal gain.○ Promise a benefit. ○ Help to avoid pain.○ Solve a problem. ○ Warn of a threat.

NewsHeadlines which contain the latest news attract a reader’s interest, e.g. Use words like “New”, “Just Released”, “Introducing”, “Announcing”.

Arouse CuriosityYou can arouse curiosity with something secret, surprising, or unexpected.

Quick & Easy WayReaders love to learn how to do something more quickly and more efficiently. Use words like “How To”, “Method”, “Technique”, “Ways”.

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Headline Examples

#1The Solution

Give the impression your article is a quick read

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Two More Headline Tips

If your article is to be published online, then try to use the main target keyword phrase early in your title.

Remember SEO

#1The Solution

● Brainstorm several possible titles for your article.

● Try to choose a “winner”, and use it as a working title while you write the article.

● After writing your article, come back and review the title to see if it is still the best choice.

Choose a Working Title

Your title was the bait that lured your reader and grabbed their attention. Your opening paragraph must “set the hook”, capture their interest and get them to read the second paragraph and beyond.

Your Opening Paragraph is your “elevator speech”.

You need to convince your reader that the title wasn’t just “click bait”, and you’re actually going to deliver what you promised in the title.

The Introduction

#1The Solution

Here are ten ideas to help you write a good opening line:

● Ask a Question. “How does Vimeo really compare to YouTube for hosting your business videos? We asked three experts to...”

● Arouse Curiosity. “Usually the things that go bump in the night turn out to be nothing, but last week I woke to something I hoped I’d never see.”

● Reveal an Interesting Fact or Statistic. “Did you know that 75% of men don’t know this one critical thing about their heart?”

Write a Strong Opening

That Draws Your Reader In

● Show Empathy with Your Reader. “So you have the latest Yoast SEO plugin but you're confused about how to make the most of it? You're not alone!”

● Shock or Surprise Your Reader.Can I be straight up with you? 90% of the advice I read about SEO is wrong.

● Mention Someone Famous. “It’s fair to say that Alex Wu has the Midas touch when it comes to investing in China.”

● Quote Someone. “‘Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you're probably right.’ Every marathon runner should pin those words from Henry Ford to their…”

Write a Strong Opening Line

#1The Solution

● Introduce or Tell a Story. “I still recall the exact words that led to a fist fight during my visit to the Vatican twenty years ago.”

● Engage Your Reader’s Imagination. “Imagine buying an RV with a faulty hot water system. So you install a new propane system yourself. But what if you try to do it on the cheap and something goes terribly wrong?

● Engage Your Reader’s Memory. “When did you last spend days working on an epic blog post, only to publish it and have it fall flat, with no comments, only a few shares and hardly any engagement?

Write a Strong Opening Line

The main body is everything that comes between the introduction and the conclusion. Sometimes the body will have two or more sections.

Before you write the body, you need to have a clear plan of where you’re going.

Does your article pass the test: “Is it interesting?” Don’t write a boring article.

Write the Main Body

● Be clear and concise● Use an active, not passive voice● Avoid lengthy sentences● Avoid jargon, obscure words or

technical terms that your audience might not understand

● Avoid cliches, e.g. “At the end of the day”.

● Avoid overuse of adverbs. ● Use the power of “story”.

Writing Tips

Consider whether your article could be improved by including:

● An example● A relevant fact or statistic.● An anecdote or story.● A quote from an interview with

someone who has a connection to the article.

Add Some Improvements

#1The Solution

Remember SEOSEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION: If your article is to be published online, include some of the keyword phrases which you identified during your preparation. Try to use these words and phrases naturally within the article.

Like a firecracker, you should go out with a Bang and not a fizzle. In your conclusion:

● Sum up the article.● Tie up any loose ends, such as the

ending of a story that began earlier. ● Remind readers of the key

takeaway.● Repeat, if appropriate, the benefits

of taking action.

For blog posts, you should also invite your readers to leave their comments and feedback.

Write a Conclusion or Summary

Include a Relevant Graphic or Image. You can find images for free at Pixabay and FreeImages, or purchase the rights to use premium images from Shutterstock, iStock, or DepositPhotos.

If you like, create your own “title images” like the one below. This is very easy to do with the free tool, Canva.

Additional Tips for Bloggers

#1The Solution

Additional Tips for Bloggers

Add Internal & External Links. Try to include at least one internal link to another page on your blog and at least one external link to content on another website.

Suggest a Tweet. Select a brief quotation from the article that your readers can click on to tweet, as I did in this article I wrote about National Novel Writing Month.

Create the link with ClickToTweet or there is a form at Meyerweb.

Consider creating a short link for your post, as I did with my post, The Ultimate List of Gifts for Writers. This bit.ly link is easy for people to remember and great for sharing on social media. Additional Tips for

BloggersUse the free SumoMe plugin. This plugin for WordPress makes it easy for your readers to share your article on their favorite social networks.

Brought to youby Gary McLaren...