Publishing articles is far and away the most effective method existing to build long term interest in and traffic to your website, but many people would rather chew off their left arm to keep from having to face the keyboard in the morning. They think it is far too much wasted work and effort to produce an article no one is going to read anyway. On the other side of the see saw are the people who know that reading those boring and bland articles is a tedious chore. But articles exist to be read and enjoyed. An article unread actually was a waste of time and effort.

To insure your articles get read and enjoyed, these 6 tips are guaranteed to keep the reader on the hook:

1) Use short paragraphs.

When the paragraphs are very long, the words get jumbled in the mind of the reader just looking at it. It seems confusing and too much of a chore to read all the way through. Your reader will quickly jump past that long paragraph and move on to much easier reading articles that are nice to look at as well as to read. Paragraphs can be a single sentence, sometimes even a single word! Remember - 8th grade level works.

2) Use numbers or bullets.

Numbers or bullets can quickly make your point easy to remember and digest. Readers will know this is the important part of the article and their attention can easily flow through the structure of your article. Format your bullets and numbers so your article won’t look like a single block of square paragraphs. Add a little bit of flair and pizzazz to the shape of your articles. At least the ones where the format is under your control.

3) Sub-divide your paragraphs too.

Breaks down each important point into to easy to read nuggets of information that will still feel like part of the whole. The reader can follow from one point to the next with little problem. This will hold your reader long enough to get your point across.

4) Provide a good attention-grabbing title or headline.

Study the work of successful copywriters. When your title incites curiosity you have gone halfway toward winning the battle for your prospect’s attention and getting your article read. Statements and questions which include keywords people are looking for should start each paragraph. Describe your article’s content in subtitles in a short and concise manner.

Titles like, “7 Tips To Make Her Start Stalking You Today”, or “The Secret To Making Her Faint When She Hears Your Voice” incite curiosity. Titles that command people work as well, such as “Make Her Yours In Six Easy Steps”. Titles should draw attention on their own.

5) Speed up the pace.

With your opening paragraph, include real situations and stories that draw in the reader. Descriptive language can drive home the point your are trying to make. Don’t overdo the flowery language and metaphors though. Don’t waste words just to make a longer article.

6) Use specific facts and figures when possible. Not just weak and ordinary statements.

Using specific facts and figures strengthens your article because it makes it authoritative. But this is no college paper. Don’t make it too formal.

Writing a good article doesn’t have to be a chore. These are just a few points to keep in mind, some simple guidelines to follow. Once you get the hang of it, writing articles can be fun, and extremely profitable.