The idea behind writing articles for content is to make them available to as many interested readers as possible. This is achieved by posting them to article directories with the idea in mind that the resource box stays intact. The article would then be displayed on other websites, or even in ezines and would serve as a catalyst to getting traffic to your website. Theoretically, these visitors would be pre-qualified for your offer, assuming the article in question is relevant to the products or services offered on your website.

At Fylko, we like you to publish unique content and we do not allow the copying of your content on other sites. We believe that using fresh content each time enhances your reputation and is worth the extra effort.

But the same mistakes need to be avoided to get your article accepted on our site or on other sites or blogs. Here are some of the more common mistakes that will prevent your article from being handled as you would like. Avoid these mistakes and your articles will indeed be seen by your potential customers.

1. Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation Mistakes –When you write articles, you should always have a fresh set of eyes to proof-read the articles. Even when the latest tools available in your word processing software, there should be someone, or even multiple people to read what you have written. The reason you want to do this, is because spell check will only check for misspellings and there is the possibility with the different usage of words in the English language, that an improper word is used. The same thing with grammar and punctuation. The word processing programs are sophisticated, but not infallible. The point is, if a reader begins to go through an article and they start finding a lot of grammatical errors or misspelled words, they’ll assume that you probably don’t know what you are talking about, and they will move on. Short paragraphs break the article and make it easier to read. It gives the page “whitespace” and makes the screen easier on the eyes for the reader.

2. Stick with the Same “Person” – When you start writing, you will write “you”, “we”, “us” or “I”. Stick with it throughout the entire article. For article writing, “you” is usually the best way to address the reader as it feels more personal to the reader and resembles a conversation.

3. Avoid Hype – Avoid lots of links to your site. Avoid hyping it up and above all else, leave the gratuitous self promotion out of your articles. If your article reads like an ad, it will be taken for an ad and it will be skipped over by the reader, If it even makes it into the article directory to begin with. Fylko allows one link within your article and one within your resource box. Use these links wisely and do not only link to your home page. The reality is that people search the web for INFORMATION before they even consider buying anything. If they are interested in what you have to offer, they WILL click the link in the resource box. Having the same link more than once is of little benefit so avoid this. Research shows that for a useful article a resource box may generate a 3% click-through rate.

4. Base your Content on the Needs of the Reader – When you are writing, think about the reader. Your article should answer the question presented by the title. The title is the reason the reader is looking at your article to begin with, so make sure the article sticks to the title.

5. Narrow the Focus of the Article – When you are writing your articles, don’t fill it full of generalizations. Refer to point number 4 and realize that you have to thoroughly explain the topic and relate to it by using bullet points where appropriate. Include strong points in the article that emphasize that you know what you are talking about as far as the subject matter goes. The length of your article is not nearly as important as providing the information the reader is looking for.

6. Headlines – Headlines or titles as they are more commonly known are what draw the reader to the article to begin with. In short, headlines are very powerful and they should be used properly. Again, make sure that you stick with the topic. The headline should be simple and as short as possible. Use your keywords in the title when writing with SEO in mind.

7. Plagiarism – Writing involves research. There’s no other way around it, and sometimes people need to research a topic even when they know about a subject if for no other reason than to get a “kick-start”. That’s fine, and it’s actually expected to get a good thorough article in the end, but don’t steal another writers work. For one thing, and this is especially so in the case of SEO writing, if you copy someone else’s work, it will be of no real benefit to you, and may even possibly get your site penalized for duplicate content. In short, it’s a waste of time. You may as well go ahead and get the permission of the person who wrote it to begin with. Be original in your writing. People do not want to constantly read the same article over and over again, even if it has been reworded a little. This can hold true to so-called “PLR” articles too. It’s duplicate content and you get ZERO benefit from it.