Site Promotion Information

Top 10 Reasons Why I Reject Article Submissions


Each week I receive dozens of article submissions to my websites from aspiring authors, website owners, and entrepreneurs. Unfortunately, I can only use a small fraction of the articles I receive because the writers are making one of the crucial mistakes listed below.

KEY POINT: When you submit articles to a newsletter/ezine publisher or a website owner, you have to remember that we aren't going to publish YOUR article for OUR customers and visitors unless it is a high quality article that gives something of value.

If you're writing articles like crazy, but getting very few of them actually published, then you might want to re-evaluate your approach. Are you making one of these crucial mistakes?

1. Poor Subject Matter:

If you're going to bother to write an article, write about something that we're interested in reading about. In other words, address a problem and provide a solution. Articles that approach an old problem in a new way or with a new twist work well too -- you don't have to necessarily discover a whole new problem that no one else has ever though of before (If you discover a whole new problem and have the solution you better be thinking of product creation not just an article!).

2. Write with personality:

No one likes to read text books. Put a little of your own personality into your writing and make it engaging and entertaining as well as informative. If you have a sense of humor, use it. You have a good chance of being published on one of my sites if you make me giggle... Belly laughs are nearly guaranteed to be published.

3. Write for your audience:

Don't send an article about the value of protein in the American diet to a Russian Political website or the publisher of a podiatry newsletter... They don't care.

4. Write a decent sized article:

I would much rather an article be a little bit too long than very short. Four hundred word articles just don't have enough meat in them. I'm not suggesting that you ramble, but you've got to give me some details if you want me to publish your piece.

5. Break up your article:

Don't write your article in three long paragraphs. Break it up into smaller paragraphs with a few single lines, bullets, etc. to make it easier and more enjoyable to read. Again -- no one likes to read text books.

6. Spell Check and Grammar:

I don't mind correcting a couple of mixed up letters now and then, but let's be reasonable -- spell check your articles. Grammar is another thing that bugs me. I know that I don't always get it perfect myself, but your grammar has to be reasonable. Some of the people sending me articles need to take a high school English class.

One last point in this category is word usage -- don't use words in your article unless you actually know what they mean. Using big words doesn't necessarily make you look smarter. Did you know that newspapers are aimed at a sixth grade reading level?

7. Stop sending sales letters:

No one will publish an article that reads like a sales letter... period.

8. Forget about affiliate links:

Use your head... why would anyone use your article if it's full of your affiliate links? Ever hear of the "Golden Rule?" This is kind of the "Golden Rule" of writing articles -- don't expect someone else to do something that you wouldn't do. Would you publish another writer's article if it were full of his affiliate links? I doubt it.

9. Create a reasonable resource box:

A resource box should tell me who you are, what you do, and how I can get in touch with you. It's not unlimited advertising space for you to describe every website you run and each product you sell. Don't bother sending an article where the resource box is half as long as the article itself. That "Golden Rule" thing applies to resource boxes too.

10. Only write about what you know.

Even if you're writing an opinion piece, get your facts straight. Don't write an article filled with advice that you have no business giving.

If you take nothing else away from this article, remember that good copy always answers "What's in it for me?" When you're writing articles to send to newsletter and website publishers, you have to answer that question on two fronts...

What's in it for the publisher? Why should they show your article to their customers and visitors? Does it give something of value?

-- AND --

What's in it for the people who will ultimately be reading your article when it's published?

After all, the idea is to provide some worthy content that compels readers to visit your site, subscribe to your newsletter, or buy your product. So next time you send an article, what's in it for me?

© Chris Yates - All Rights reserved.http://www.YourSiteSupport.com


MORE RESOURCES:

Uniqlo launches 'UT Vote & Win' promo
Philippine Star
... of not following trends yet allowing people to express themselves through its unique clothing line, recently launched the “UT Vote & Win” promo (http://www.uniqlo.com/voteandwin), an online and on-site promotion for UT, Uniqlo's T-shirt brand.



O Yeah! Join Olez Advanced Hair Straightening System for Fun, Excitement, Free ...
DigitalJournal.com (press release)
Total value of the on-site promotion is worth up to $400.00." Those not attending the show, although missing the party atmosphere, can receive the same benefit by registering and becoming Certified online at OlezAdvanced.com and receive additional ...



E Cigs: Growing Popularity Is Impetus for Discount Offers
SBWire (press release)
PR giveaways like the V2 E Cigs coupon and the Green Smoke coupon, along with our own even more generous site promotion giveaways." He went on to point out that with so much of the selling of e cigs being done online now it's buyer beware, ...



MediaPost Communications

How To Create Search Ads That 'Run Like A Dog'
MediaPost Communications
As search marketers, the next time you think about crafting a message in a paid-search ad or copy for a Web site promotion, keep it simple and concise. Studies have shown that that consumers will click and buy with a higher degree of success when the ...



One-Stop Shopping for Democratic Donors
ABQ Journal (subscription)
“ActBlue, it's kind of like a momentum-based, inertia-based fundraising,” Griego campaign manager Ed Yoon said, noting that the site's promotion pages track real-time donations that can encourage other donors to join a fundraising bandwagon.



Online Marketing im Kfz-Handel: hier steckt noch viel Potential
Currentgame (Pressemitteilung)
Bekanntmachen durch Registrieren und Platzierung nennt man auch Sitepromotion oder Website Netpromotion. Als Suchmaschinen Promotionagentur und Rankingservice sind die Spezialisten und Profis unserer Firma als Dienstleister fĂĽr Ihr Unternehmen auf ...

and more »


e-Commerce News Magazin

PromoMasters Workshop "Mit Location Based Services punkten"
e-Commerce News Magazin
... das Anmelden und die Registrierung ist möglich durch Web Promotion von PromoMasters Suchmaschinenmarketing. Bekanntmachen durch Registrieren und Platzierung nennt man auch Sitepromotion oder Website Netpromotion. PromoMasters Workshop.

and more »

Google News

home | site map
© 2006