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Question: I’ve got a forum and it’s a ghost town. How can I get people to my forum? &ndash NobodyLovesMe

Dear Nobody Loves Me,

Building a forum into a happenin’ place is a LOT of work. Don’t be discouraged if your efforts aren’t paying off yet. It does take time.

That being said, there are ways to boost your forum and keep boosting it, without having to spend a lot of money. Let me share one of my favorite ways to get traffic, writing articles.

You may not be familiar with article sharing. Basically, you write and share your articles with other websites and newsletters that need content. They publish your article with your author resource box (including your website URL). This helps both of you. The website publisher needs interesting, informative content and you need the exposure.

But, what does this have to do with building your forum? It can help you in two ways.

1. In your author bio, include a link directly to your forum so people that click through your link can sign up immediately and get chatting with the other members.

2. Or link to your website and have your forum prominently displayed on every page. The more incoming links you have pointing to your website content, the more important the search engines will think your site is &ndash and you’ll get more natural traffic from google, msn, and yahoo.

So, how do you take advantage of this method of generating traffic? You can start today.

1. Choose a topic. You can even use your own forum posts for inspiration. If you’ve recently answered questions in a post on your forum about any topic, turn it into an article. (Of course you may only use the materials you yourself have written and any and all names should be changed.)

2. Include your Author Resource box. Make sure to think about this part a lot. Many people just skim over it and, frankly, have useless resource boxes. What do you offer to the visitors? Do you have a free incentive for joining? Think this one through. Make it enticing.

3. Submit your Articles. Find article directories where you can share your articles.

4. Then, don’t sit and wait for traffic, repeat the process over and over and watch your forum grow.

The results will be long-lasting as your articles will float around the web for years and years to come.

37 years ago today, America landed the Apollo 11 lunar module upon Earth’s moon. For those of us old enough to remember this event we have that day permanently etched in our memories. On that date I was an almost 11 year old kid taking a summer clarinet class — we interrupted our squeakings and honkings to watch the events unfold on a black and white television as they happened.

So, why am I saying all of this? Am I attempting to mark the occasion for some reason? Well, yes and no. Truly, in the course of human history man’s landing on the moon was a big event. Talk about going where no man had gone before! Yet, I also realize that the vast number of people alive today have no recollection of the event. Figure that anyone under the age of 42 or 43 remembers nothing about the first moon landing. Subsequent landings perhaps, but maybe not the first one in 1969. Furthermore, we haven’t been back to the moon in over 30 years. How many people alive today only know about these events via the history books?

Okay, I am no longer young but I haven’t quite hit the jurassic era either. Still, when writing about events of long ago there is one thing that I must remind myself of regularly: don’t assume that people know what you are talking about. This is true for whatever types of writings you do: spell out acronyms, expound your thoughts, and make it crystal clear to your readers what you are conveying. Your readership may be a lot younger, much less informed, or simply unable to grasp what you are trying to say. Give them background information even when it seems as if they should know what you are writing about.

Question: I’m a Virtual Assistant. Can I use articles to promote my business?

Signed, Eager VA

Dear Eager VA,

Virtual Assistants are springing up all around the internet. It’s a very viable business option and more work at home moms are jumping on the bandwagon every day. The real go-getters will whip up a “business card” website right away with their contact information, ‘about me’ information, and their rates and services offered.

But, then that website sits and collects dust while they wait for the traffic to roll in. So, what’s a Virtual Assistant to do to generate traffic to their website?

Oftentimes VAs overlook one of the best methods of marketing their websites &ndash article writing. Virtual Assistants can write about all kinds of topics &ndash how to organize emails, customer service, hiring or firing a VA, ways a VA can benefit a business, or accounting among other things. Then, they can share the articles, just like any other website owner to drive traffic to their websites and establish an expert status in their field.

If you’re a VA who’s new to article sharing, it’s actually quite easy. You write a helpful article and include your author bio at the end. (See the end of this article as an example.) Then, you submit your article to Article Directories where hungry website owners, blog owners and ezine publishers eagerly grab your article to publish it on their sites.

Now, there is stiff competition so it’s not quite that easy, but that’s the gist of how article sharing works. And, you know it works because you’re reading my article that I’ve written and shared with article directories. There’s my URL in the author bio and you’ve found my article because someone has published it on their website, blog or in their newsletter. If it works for me, it can work for you, too.

Article sharing is underutilized in the Virtual Assistant field and I hope to see that change in the coming year. Go grab that free traffic and grow your VA business. Not only will your VA business grow, but you can share this method of marketing with your clients and blow them away with your knowledge of internet marketing. Best wishes.

We write and we write well. At least we hope that we do. Still, we writers need our own library of “go to” books to help us write with strength, market our wares, and simply to inspire us to greater works. I’ve compiled a brief list of useful books for the serious article writer’s library. Some I own, while others I plan on buying.

The Chicago School of Style, 15th Edition &ndash Considered by English speaking authors as “the Bible” of proper grammar usage and style, this 950 plus page reference book is everything you need to have on hand when you simply are not sure about punctuation, grammar, spelling, etc. Surprisingly, the book is not stuffy as it allows serious writers some flexibility with the rules. If you have been writing for some time, you know that rules do change. I was shocked when even the Chicago School started a sentence with “and” in it. Oh me, oh my!

Guerilla Marketing For Writers — I am very curious about this title as I have seen reference to it on various writers’ web sites. Essentially “Guerilla Marketing” espouses the need for writers [particularly book authors] to spend as much as 33% of their time marketing. Hmmm…writing in and of itself is so involved. Who has the time?

Writer’s Market — Every year since this reference book was first issued in 1921, the Writer’s Market has served writers in finding places where they can submit their work for payment. The book lists contact information, submission guidelines, and tips on all the who/what/when/where/why of the “word” industry.

Random House Webster’s Pocket Grammar, Usage, and Punctuation Guide Okay, I admit it. When I don’t feel like lugging the “Chicago Style” around, this Random House book meets most of my needs. 300 power packed pages that will easily fit in your laptop carrying case, purse, or suit jacket pocket.

No, I rarely use a dictionary anymore nor do I rely on a thesaurus. Everything I need is right online or part of my Word program. I don’t know about you, but I am definitely a 21st century writer who manages to write, edit, rewrite, submit and accomplish a multitude of related tasks from the ease of my laptop computer. No pencil and paper for me, except when lounging by the river or down at the beach. Oh, for more of those types of experiences!

Wisdom can be found in the most unexpected places. Today, wisdom bubbled up from a pineapple under the sea. I suddenly realized that everything you’d want to know about writing articles for your website can be taught by SpongeBob SquarePants and his friends.

When you write for your newsletter, blog, or website, which character are you most like?

Squidward: Squidward is B-O-R-I-N-G. When writing articles, are you a Squidward? Do you just get the words down on paper or are you finding a fun twist to entertain your audience and keep them coming back for more? Take time to make your articles stand out from the thousands of other dull articles out there by including personal stories or just having fun while writing. For instance, this article could be entitled “How to Write a Good Article”, but would it stand out from the hundreds of other articles about article writing? Probably not.

Mr. Krabs: This crustacean is focused on one thing and one thing only, making more and more and more money. Only a cartoon could actually have dollar signs drawn in his eyes. He thinks of no one, only how he can benefit. Are your articles focused on you or on the reader? Are you providing information or do you have blinders on, thinking only about how you can make money from the article you are writing? If your article reads like an ad or is self-serving or full of affiliate links, you might write like Mr. Krabs.

Patrick: SpongeBob’s best friend, the starfish, has a good heart, but isn’t the brightest creature in the sea. Do your articles make you sound like an expert? Are you providing valuable content or just pushing out sloppy articles as fast as you can? Always double check for typos and grammatical errors. If you’re challenged by spelling and grammar, hire a Virtual Assistant or Copywriter to proofread and submit your article for you. Or slow down, set your article aside for a day and then reread it before you click the “submit” button.

Plankton: The smallest creature in the sea is also the sneakiest. He’ll do anything and hurt anyone to steal someone else’s work (the Krabby Pattie secret formula). Write your own material. Don’t be Plankton. Don’t copy and paste someone else’s work, edit it, and try to pass it off as your own. You will be caught, and it just isn’t worth it. Take the same amount of effort and work on your own thoughts and ideas. Plankton never gets away with his schemes, either. He’s on Plan “Z” and is still pathetically failing at his attempts to steal the secret formula.

SpongeBob: This little guy always tries to do the right thing, and is a hard worker. He may not always end up getting the results he hoped for, but he bounces back and tackles his work with a renewed vigor. SpongeBob works very hard, he’s a good friend, he always thinks of others, and tries to have fun no matter what he is faced with. Hardworking, friendly SpongeBob is the guy to be when writing articles.

Although this is a silly lesson in article writing, I hope you’ll remember the important messages our underwater friends have taught us.

1. Be entertaining. Not boring.

2. Write articles to help others, not with dollar signs in your eyes.

3. Proofread your articles carefully, and provide valuable information.

4. Write your own material. Don’t copy others.

5. Be a SpongeBob! Hard work and persistence pay off.

Before you know it, you’ll develop a following for having informative and entertaining articles and you’ll be King or Queen of the sea.

Question: I started an online talk radio show. I have the equipment set up and my guests lined up. But, how do I get listeners? I feel like I’m talking to myself.

Signed, Talking to Myself

Dear Talking to Myself,

First of all, Congratulations! What a big step you took to start a show. You’ve got the equipment ready, the interviews lined up and are ready to roll. I’m assuming you’ve already spent money on equipment so you don’t want to spend more on advertising. What’s a frugal online radio host to do?

Lucky for you, there are many ways to get traffic to your online radio show. One of my favorites is writing and sharing articles. If you’re unfamiliar with this method of traffic generation, it’s actually quite simple. In fact, it’s working right now. You’re reading an article that I’ve written and shared &ndash and you can see at the bottom of the article, my author bio, where I get to share a little bit about me.

If it’s working for me, it can work for you, too. All you need to do is to find some topics, write effective articles with an author bio that works, and submit it to everyone who wants it. And repeat, repeat, repeat.

Not only will you get traffic to your website, but you’ll get more people inquiring about being guests on your show. And, if you sell advertising on your radio show, you’ll get exposure to more potential advertisers as well. Article sharing is definitely a great way to get your name out into the cyber-world.

And, the best part is that every article you send out is working for you for years to come. One article won’t likely get you a flood of traffic, but it’ll give you a ongoing drip. Fifteen articles will get you a trickle, and so on. So, get writing and get your message out there. You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Question: I’ve got a newsletter that just isn’t growing. I’m posting my site on free classified ads and I’m paying for advertising, but I’m just not seeing results. What can I do?

Signed, Nobody Loves Me

Dear Nobody Loves Me,

Let me start by saying you are not alone. I believe you are working hard. Unfortunately, just because you are working hard doesn’t mean you’ll have success. You need to also work smart and invest in long-term ways to grow your list.

Let me tell you about my favorite way to grow your list &ndash giving away articles.

If you’re not familiar with using articles as a marketing method, then you’re in for a big treat. Website owners and blog owners are always looking for content to share with their web visitors. So, there are places called Article Directories (basically a library of free articles) where they can go to find articles that they can use &ndash free.

All of these articles have an Author bio at the end. (See the end of this article for an example.). The author bio is the primo space where the authors get to talk about their business. Their brag space, so to speak.

What does any of this have to do with you? You can write and distribute articles to these article directories, too. And, in your author bio, instead of linking directly to your main page of your site, you can link to a page where you have a signup box for your newsletter. Voila. Everyone who clicks through that link will be taken to the page where you can offer them your wonderful newsletter (with a great incentive they can’t pass up.) Of course your page will lure them into signing up and your newsletter list will grow.

Writing and submitting articles is an effective marketing strategy to deliver targeted visitors, increase your rankings and boost sales. However, it is easy to equate article writing with onerous tasks such as writing high school or university essays. The memories of the pain involved in this form of writing can take time to fade away. The good news is that after learning a few simple steps, writing your own articles isn’t as hard as it appears.

One of the biggest hurdles most new writers face is finding ideas to write about. The easiest way to begin is to write about things you are interested in and preferably passionate about. You already have knowledge in these areas which can be shared with others. It is easy to under-estimate your own abilities in areas you are experienced in. Talented people are often surprised by the level of questions novices ask (it is important to remember that there is no such thing as a stupid question - only stupid answers).

Once you have decided on a general area, a good way to narrow the topic down is to focus on the problems that people have. Typically, people read articles because they want to be entertained or they want information. Writing entertaining articles is a particular and more difficult skill. However, writing informative articles can be as simple as sharing tips that you have learnt. A guiding principle is to expect the readers to be looking for “What’s in it for me”.

You may already know the common problems that people have in the particular field, but if not, a good source of information is to look at related online forums and note the most common questions asked. If you don’t have all the answers a small bit of research can assist. Often the answers are readily available with a Google search which the readers could do themselves. However, you are adding value and convenience by providing a range of answers in a single document.

Most people don’t like to read large documents from the Web, so unlike long essays, articles tend to be around 400 words long. If you break the article into an introduction, a small number of sub-headings and a conclusion you may only have to write about 50 words in each section. The sub-headings may be for authoring purposes only, but if they are relevant they can be left in the final article.

The first draft should be for your eyes only. Don’t try to produce a final copy as you write. It tends to be much quicker to get your thoughts down and come back to edit later. The final step in the writing process is to proofread your article making sure that the writing flows and would be interesting to the reader. Ask yourself, ‘does the article provide information the potential reader is looking for?’. It can also be helpful to have someone else proofread the article. This is also the time to remove spelling and grammatical errors.

If you still have problems writing you may want to do a search for ‘article writing software’. There are many packages around which can make the process easier. Similarly, there are numerous e-books available on the topic and many of them are available for free.

Once you have written your article you may want to add it to your own website as an item that search engines love - a piece of original content. If you add an ‘About the Author’ section with a link to your website, you can also submit it to article directories. As other websites publish your article you receive another thing that search engines look for, one-way back links. Article submission can be a tedious process, but software and websites that can submit to multiple directories in one go exist to make the job much easier.

After writing your first few articles you will find it is not as daunting as it first appears. You never know, you may even want to offer your services as a freelance writer on the Internet as a way to make some extra income.

There are thousands of articles to be read on the World Wide Web, and many more are being added everyday. If you take the time to do more than skim them, you will find that many articles are about similar things. Why would you take the time out of your busy schedule to add one more? We all suffer from information overload- so why add to it?

Why should I bother?

Here are some good reasons to consider why it would be to your advantage to take up article writing:

1. Expert Status,

By writing articles in your niche area you begin to establish your credibility as an expert in that field. When writing your article it is important to include key words in the article that relate to your specific area. This will make it easier for the search engines to link your name to your area of expertise, and your reputation will grow into ‘expert status’

2. Your Articles Are Needed

Webmasters, ezine editors, and publishers are looking for fresh content to publish to their subscribers. It is to your advantage that they find you. Then your article will get reproduced all over the world, and that will increase your exposure and reputation.

3. To Use your Resource Box

The resource box at the end of your article is your space to “sell” and promote you and your services, products, and expertise. To reprint your article, publishers have to include the resource box. Here is your opportunity for FREE advertising and unashamed self promotion.

4. To Gain Traffic To Your Website

By including a live link back to your site in the resource box your will increase your web traffic to your website. This is a good marketing strategy, as search engines look for links into your site and it will improve your ranking and you will get even more traffic directed your way.

5. Content is King

Quality content is king on the internet. The more places your articles are found on the Internet, the better it is for you. This is because when a search for your subject, name or company is done the more hits will be found by the search engines, and you will place closer to the front of the listings. (of course there is a way for your article to come up as Number One, but that is a topic for another day)

How do You Get Your Article onto The Internet, and Get Noticed?

There are several ways to do this, here are four important ways:

1. Publish your article on your website. To get it noticed quickly , you can submit a sitemap to Google (it’s a free service)

2. Register and submit your article to free article submission sites such as .EzineArticles.com , .articlesbeyondbetter.com . There are lots out there- do a search for them. You can also sign up to several Yahoo groups that focus on article writing and submission.

3. Submit to a service that will submit to sites for you. Well known submission services include Isnare, Article Marketer, Submit Your Article and thePhantomwriters.com.

4. Buy software that will not only submit articles for you, but help with the formatting and make them search engine friendly as well. If you intend to write articles frequently this is a great time saver. I recommend Article Announcer

So What Next ?

Start writing and increase your expert status, web traffic, and promote your

business product or service for free.

There is tremendous demand for quality articles on the Internet and in the brick and mortar world. An individual who is interested in making headway in the arena of 21st century article writing needs to fully understand the article writing basics. Through this article, you are presented with some of the article writing basics that are most important to success in the copywriting field today.

Like many people, you may be looking for an online business that will prove profitable for you. In this day and age, one of the most lucrative and profitable types of online businesses that you can engage in is article writing. Through this article, you are provided with an overview of how people have found success in article writing online today.

First of all, an online article writing businesses relatively inexpensive to start. In fact, you really don’t need any money at all to start your own online article writing business. You can begin the process by developing your own simple website.

Another immediate step that you can take to start developing your own online article writing business is to sign up at a freelance website. Many individuals have begun profitable online writing businesses by garnering work through freelance websites.

In addition to being inexpensive to start an online article writing business, you can maintain and build your online writing business without having major overhead. In fact, through referrals and recommendations, you can grow your client base with relative ease and no expense.

In time, as you continue to focus on your article writing efforts, you can develop an expertise in particular areas. As you develop your expertise, you’ll be able to attract even more clients.

Finally, when it comes to article writing basics, focus is also of paramount import. One of the most common complaints in regard to articles that are written is that they simply do not stay on point. A write rambles away from the topic at hand and brings in extraneous material that is neither relevant nor appropriate. Proper article writing demands that a writer stay focused and absolutely stay on topic at all times.