Jump from Unknown to Widely Quoted in One Week

Start by Being Quotable
It's tough to stand out online. With millions of experts and
websites on the Internet, what are your chances of getting
noticed? Long odds, certainly. But that's not your biggest
challenge.

Most fail to grab attention because what they're dishing out
is dull - rehashing what's already been said, time and
again. Content has been over-sold. It is NOT king if it's
mediocre. Ezine editors and webmasters are selective about
what they'll share with their readers. They know that too
much of what's being submitted to them isn't worth passing
along.

First, you must have something worth saying that connects
with readers in a fresh, engaging way. People are starved
for that - it's why they keep looking. There's less good
stuff being written than you'd expect, given the vast sea of
Web pages.

Jettison the bland and run of the mill. Spend sufficient
time at this step because here's where many writers drop the
ball. Write from your unique vision and real-life
experiences. Make your words so interesting and relevant
that people remember them. That's what gets your articles
forwarded along and mentioned in passing (making you widely
quoted).

Articles can quickly blanket the Internet with your
expertise
Writing and posting articles to many websites or newsletters
rapidly spreads your message. Systematic submissions soon
brand you as a trustworthy expert.
- Focus your content to satisfy the interests of a
definable group or niche
- Develop a list of websites and ezines that reach them,
where you can submit your output

To illustrate the speed that Google responds to posted
articles, this is article #2 for my new website. It just
went up November 1 - http://www.promotewitharticles.com

Two weeks after submitting article #1, I queried Google:
"What Posting Articles Online did for my Google Page Rank
in 90 Days". Results already showed 673 cites (many were
repeats), and that's sure to increase. Remember, it's a
brand-new site, so Google only learned it existed from that
article.

The fact that you're already reading this one (submitted Day
14) demonstrates article marketing is working.

People go to the Internet to get information needed to make
decisions
Reliance on the Internet keeps growing. A Harris Interactive
consumer survey (2004) found that 73% of adults are now
online - 156 million users. That's up from 69% eight months
before.

The Pew Internet and American Life Project found that most
Internet users (80%) expect that they'll be able to find
reliable detailed information online. They will go online
first when they need information. Internet users say it
matters to them that businesses have a Web presence, even if
they intend to make purchases locally.

Other studies have found the Web is one of the most trusted
sources for making major purchases and decisions - second
only to spouses for finding referrals. Your well-placed
articles bring you to the attention of people looking for
what you have to say (wherever they are).

Get your article and message widely distributed and read

- Make it informative and useful
An article is not a sales letter. Resist the temptation to
sell. That should be confined to the signature (Sig,
resource box) at the end. That's where you provide a link
back to your own site from every website posting your
article.

- Make it interesting
Net surfers are unforgiving. If you're boring they're gone.
Flat articles won't enhance your reputation or credibility.
Your title needs to be a zinger that pulls the reader into
the topic. Most readers won't read more than that.

- Make it relevant to specific people
Too many articles fail to connect because they're written
too generally to hit anyone's "bulls eye." Attempting to
speak to "everybody" results in not speaking directly to
anybody. There's no substitute for knowing precisely who
you're trying to connect with, so you can address their
concerns.

- Make it as unique as you are
If you have a distinctive or quotable viewpoint, let it
shine. Expose your personality. A little wit or self-
revelation is welcomed. And if you can sustain it across
repeated articles, readers will search you out.

Better than shouting from the rooftops
Your posted articles provide your soapbox - as broad as the
Web. So make the most of that exposure, and get you voice
heard. Create a ripple of interest which you can continue to
build on about yourself, your website, your book, etc.
That's how reputations get made.

Discover everything you need at the Article Marketing
Academy, http://www.promotewitharticles.com to find in-
depth how-to from the experts. You, too can start finding
yourself widely quoted in as little as a week.
© 2004, Lynella Grant