It’s as simple as being witty, well-written, trained in SEO, familiar with Internet rankings, savvy about good digital visuals, and aware of the trade associations and publications that make your product or service a star!

The truth is that anyone can write a blog and publish it online. But if you want to influence someone with an idea or you want to sell something, that’s another story. You need to be found.

A high ranking in Google and other search engines in today’s global marketplace is the name of the game because both business and the average consumer turn first to the Internet to research the goods and services they seek. Two thirds of all purchases are researched online, according to recent studies – and the potential customer rarely looks beyond the top half of page one in a search. SEO articles based around popular keywords that people search on are vital. Imagine looking through the YELLOW PAGES telephone book with no category titles to guide you to the pages appropriate for your search. Keywords then have to be popular, but if they are too competitive, the likelihood of your getting to the top of your Google page is just too improbable. Choosing the correct keywords is instrumental. What else matters?

  • Typically, the hardest part is to get to the editor of a particular publication or portal to pitch the story or idea of an article you wish to write. He usually wants to know your credentials for writing the piece and wants proof you will be a constant content provider, not a one shot deal. Hard to reach editors are best contacted with a brief email story pitch, a collection of former published articles and they are practiced in picking winners. If you get no response, a follow-up call is in order. And if you are still rejected, you need to find another editor at another site to begin the process all over again. Assuming that you are a good authority on the topic you have chosen, and that the pitch has been accepted, here are some next steps.
  • Write an article attaching it to some news hook or current trend that allows you to integrate your keywords in some manner that makes your copy informational, entertaining or worthy of reading beyond the first sentence. Catchy copy is the stuff that gets read, or you will be passed over once the potential customer loses interest.
  • A terrific illustration that is eye-catching and informative can help and will often get you that place in the blog post that is well-read by your target audience. While videos are interesting, they need to be short, telling and easy to download. (Often times the simpler form of clever graphic is the best choice.)
  • Grammar, spelling and overall quality of writing is assessed by the editor recipient, so be sure to have someone double check your work, or use a program like Microsoft Word 7 that will do it for you. Follow-up is essential or you might never know your article has been used. Setting up a Google Alert can help keep you abreast of that.
  • Select a distribution service that is right and reputable. Distribution is pricey and makes you determine who you want to receive it. Some even charge to fill out the form, it is so complicated! It is important to know how websites choose their material, what ranking they have in Google to decipher who should receive it first, and what sites will get you the type of visitor who will most likely be looking for your product or service. Familiarity with websites and blogs and how they like to receive info is necessary to avoid the typical PR faux pas of sending out stuff aimlessly and therefore getting deleted to the Spam folder.

We are not claiming it is impossible to slip into some small, low-ranking ezine with some article submitter you bought for a steal, alongside of 50 articles that read pretty much the same. But then you can be used randomly by any publisher wherever he needs filler, and not necessarily get a credit that is owed you. Not exactly the payoff you were after.

If you want to brand yourself as a quality product, you need to approach the top-ranked sites, search engines and bloggers in an appropriate fashion. Or you can choose to pay a service like Points of Persuasion Syndicate which knows public relations. Headed up by a PR professional, Myrna Greenhut, has written copy by the yard for professional agencies and many corporate clients for more than 15 years. P-O-P-S can place you safely in the arms of a website bound to spread a good word around the globe for you…if not instantly, in a relatively short time.