Writing articles is a great way to share your knowledge with people online. With a bit of practice, it becomes second nature to produce quality content that your audience will want to read.
Whether you’re writing for your company, an academic journal or a personal blog, it’s important to understand how to get started with article writing. This will give you the confidence to publish your work and gain the skills needed to develop a successful freelance career.
1. Start with a compelling first paragraph
The opening of your article is one of the most critical aspects of its success. Often, the first paragraph will determine whether or not an editor will take the time to read your work. It should be compelling, illogically concise, and engaging.
2. Write with authority and factual accuracy
Ensure that your articles are filled with facts that support your claims. This will help you establish credibility and trust with your readers, and it will make them more likely to click through to your main content.
3. Use strong, relevant keywords
Creating content that caters to users’ search intent is an essential part of any article writing process. This is a big step in the SEO process and will help you rank on page one of the SERPs when potential customers search for the topics that your articles cover.
4. Include a captivating headline
The headline of your article is often the first thing that your reader sees, and it has to be enticing enough to keep them reading through your entire article. The best way to do this is by including a captivating headline that draws the reader in and explains how they’ll benefit from your content.
5. Mix up your components for a more interesting flow
A mix of quote, facts/statistics, and paraphrasing can be a great way to convey ideas to your readers. It helps you avoid jargon and complex language that only a small number of people understand.
6. Proofread your content before publishing it
Having a final draft of your article is crucial for your success as an author. This will help you spot any mistakes and ensure that you have a smooth and logical flow throughout the piece.
8. Use a variety of sentence lengths and paragraph length to keep your readers engaged
Variation in sentence length, paragraph length and text size can increase the appeal of your writing and keep your audience interested. This is especially true if you’re using different types of writing styles to convey your message.
9. Use a variety of word choices
A key component of good writing is to use a range of words that are easy for your readers to understand. This means avoiding jargon, technical terms, and complex language that is only understood by a few people.
If you’re not sure which words to choose, check out a word dictionary or online thesaurus. This will help you pick up new words that you can add to your articles and strengthen your brand.
