How to Write a Winning Article and Hold Your Reader’s Attention

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The goal of a content writer is to quickly capture and hold a reader’s interest.  By immediately grabbing their attention you are more likely to keep them from moving on before they reach the bottom of the page.  Internet readers are only after one thing – information – and if they can’t readily find what they are looking for, they will go elsewhere. The first paragraph should give the reader a good idea of who, what, where, and why.  It should give them enough up front information to hold their interest and read on.

When readers are looking for specific information they tend to skip through large paragraphs.  By excluding unnecessary adjectives, redundant wording, and flowery descriptions you can keep paragraphs short and to the point.

Because Internet readers find articles VIA search engines, effective keywords are essential.  Keywords should be used through out your article and as often as possible including headlines and subheadings. Then, when submitting your article to search engine directories, social bookmarking sites, and article directories, your article has a better chance of being picked up by web browsers.

Don’t be afraid to change your keywords.  If you feel they are not attracting readership, try using a free online keyword generator like Google AdWords Keyword Tool can be very helpful and may just give your article the boost it needs.

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People notice graphics right away and are drawn to them.  By choosing appropriate pictures it can help give your article more impact.  Where a picture is worth a thousand words, a strategically placed picture can play an important part in holding the reader’s attention and selling your article.

And finally, let your title be the drawing point to your article.   By clearly indicating what your article is about, you will stand a much better chance of being found and read.