Articles, whether they appear in magazines, newspapers, content websites, blogs or e-newsletters can be very effective marketing tools for any business. They are great for boosting your credibility by pitching you as an expert on a certain topic. They can also be powerful for attracting well-qualified prospects to your business and/or your website.

Editors in the offline and online spaces are always looking for “well written” articles so there’s a massive amount of free publicity on offer. Notice how the words “well written” are highlighted. That’s because editors are pitched all sorts of articles and most of the articles AREN’T interesting to read.

5 mistakes people make when writing articles

1. Too much sales pitch and not enough information

Articles, by their very nature, are supposed to provide a reader with valuable, informative or entertaining information that they can then use to improve their situation in some way. Some business professionals though, see articles as a vehicle to simply deliver sales information.

2. Too much information and not enough sales pitch

lt’s great to deliver value to your reader, but it’s also important to keep in mind what you want to achieve (which should be to build credibility and attract qualified prospects). The trick is in delivering enough information to provide some great value but ensure that information is incomplete in some way. In other words, ensure they need to contact you to find out more about how to achieve their goal.

3. Written in a boring way

This is self-explanatory. If it’s boring to read, it won’t get read — simple as that. To find out how to write in an engaging way just refer to the 10 Study Guide on “Copywriting".

4. Topics that DON'T interest the target market

Don’t be tempted to simply write articles for the sake of it. More specifically, write articles on topics that relate to the product or service you’re selling and pitch you as an expert in the product/service/need of your target market.

For instance, if you’re a dog trainer, it makes sense to write articles on:

• The Shocking Truth About Dog Training: Why Some Training Methods Actually Harm Your Dog
• 5 Easy Steps to Train Your Dog to Walk on a Leash
• The Truth About Reward and Punishment

5. Too much technical information and not enough examples

People don't understand a lot of technical jargon. And they don’t want to read a whole bunch of theory about how to do something. They want everyday language and they want to read real life examples of the ideas that you’re communicating in your article. lf you can do both of these things, you’re one step closer to winning your audience.