Can't seem to think of an idea for a great article? Feeling burnt out and sluggish?
This is a common problem amongst article marketers, and it's nothing to be overly concerned about. Article marketers write so many articles that it's no wonder the creative juices dry up from time to time.
I completely understand how it feels. I experienced a terrible case of writer's block just last week. It's not the first time for me, however, and I've learned how to deal with it.
The first thing that I do is take a step back and remove myself from the situation. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and focus on what my goals are and how I'm going to achieve them. I focus on the product I'm promoting, and then I turn off my computer and engage in a fun, relaxing activity.
I'll take a walk, pop in a DVD, or even head down to the nearest lake and throw out a few casts. The point is, I get away from my computer. This always succeeds in clearing my head, and I'm able to dive right in and start working again.
Now that you've got a clear head, it's time to look for ideas. Here are a few places to get some great ideas for your articles:
1. Your Notebook
If you don't have a notebook or a 'scratch pad', get one. I actually have several, one for each product I promote. Keep the notebook within reach, especially when you are at home relaxing. Ideas often pop into my head when I'm watching television, or even doing household chores like laundry.
I always stop what I'm doing and write them down, and you should do the same. When you need ideas, look into your notebook and read what you've written. I only use this for emergencies, that way I always have a reserve supply of ideas at my fingertips.
2. Forums
Forums are a fantastic place to get ideas. Simply do a search for forums in your niche by pulling up your search engine and typing in 'your keyword phrase' + forums.
Pay close attention to the threads that ask a question. Those threads are started by people looking for answers. You can get a great idea of what problems people are having this way, and you can whip up an article providing the answers.
Forums are also a great place to find content. There will be many posts from people providing solutions. Open up a blank notepad file and paste the answers into it. You can then rewrite these into bullet points and tips for your article. The subject matter of the article will be based on the question that is being answered.
3. Q & A Sites
The most popular question and answer site is undoubtedly Yahoo Answers. Type in your keywords and search open questions only. Find a common question that is being asked. This means it's probably a common problem that people are having.
More often than not, this will indicate a hot trend and these keywords will also have a high search volume. Take advantage of this by providing a keyword rich article that answers the question. With a few backlinks, you can rank your article and potentially make quite a few sales.
I'll often find a popular question and then look for the answer that people have chosen as the 'best answer'. This means it's good content and a solution that is actually very helpful. If you can provide people with a good solution to their problem, the chances are greater that they'll click-through from your resource box.
4. Life Experiences
Do you ever wonder why biographical books and movies are so popular? It's because people relate to the experiences of others. You can capitalize on this.
If you are looking for a great article topic, you needn't look any further than your own experiences. For example, if you are promoting a bass fishing product, think back to when you were new to the sport. What are some of the questions you had? Did anything funny or traumatic happen to you? What was your first catch like?
All you need to do then is incorporate the product you are promoting into the article by talking about how much it would have helped you back then, or how much it has helped you and how it made everything easier for you. Again, present a problem, and provide the solution. That's all people expect when they read a 400-500 word article.
The key is to exceed their expectations by giving them exceptional content and an effective solution. Put a good call to action in your resource box, and you've created a powerful sales tool that will produce for months to come.
5. FAQ Pages
Did you know that most content sites, commercial sites, and even blogs have a frequently asked questions page? These pages are often a wealth of information and frequently provide answers to commonly asked questions. Hence the term 'frequently asked questions'.
You can access these pages by doing a search for 'your keyword phrase' + frequently asked questions. This should give you an endless stream of content and many ideas for a good article.
Using these methods will provide you with more ideas than you can possible ever use. The only thing left to do is compose some articles. Did you know that there is a fantastic software program that will do your article research for you? You can learn more about this at: CJ's Guide To MMO.
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