I have a new video for you that includes an article makeover. If article marketing is a part of your promotional strategy (and it should be) you’ll want to have a look at this. Great tips to take you from so-so to super!
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Marketing Words Blog : Work Less, Convert Better, Sell More
Convert better, sell more, work less
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LOL I love the way you said el’cheapo articles 😉
I’ve used Joe Marsh’s GetOriginalArticlesWritten.com an they were affordable and I used quite a few for EZA with no problems, though I did change a few subtitles and add a little extra info.
This was really helpful seeing someone else go through an article and tweak and rewrite and reshape.
Glad you liked it. Yes, I’m finding more and more that watching someone do something is oftentimes far more helpful than just telling people what you’re doing. Looks like that investment in Camtasia paid off 🙂
Dear Karon & readers,
First, have an unconditionally Happy 2012 – and beyond.
Cheap articles are just that: cheap. They’re written by slaves, contractors working for sweatshops, getting a minimal percentage of our 5 or 10 bucks.
I set my foot on such content factories; I turned 180ο and ran as fast as my virtual feet would carry me away. Why? Because writers would be paid less than $2 per hour, were they to take the time and properly research, compose and polish their articles.
But I’ve cried bitter tears, while I was there. I cried for the years I’ve spent on my education; I’ve cried for employers who didn’t have a clue what underpaid writers were going through and always demanding more; for the snarly language employed in their job postings: “Plagiarism will not be tolerated!” – as if I’d ever dream of copying content and selling it as mine!
Affordable articles are slow killers for the persons writing them – now that I know what it’s like, I’d sit on a sidewalk with the contractor (for he can’t afford to enter a coffee shop) and unite my tears together with his, rather than complain for the shallowness of the piece produced.
P.S.: It’s really nice and helpful showing your polishing process on video. Keep up the good work!
Thank for your comments, Helenee. I appreciate your point of view. Happy New Year to you, too!
Good business has always depended on good people sharing good ideas. Yours are some of the best. Well done.
Karen, this video is exactly what I needed. I’m a visual learner, and I love the before-and-after demonstration of creating better articles.
I’ve been writing web content for a start-up online SEO company for a few months now. It’s my first real gig. I can relate to that mediocre writer you hired.
As blah as it sounds to read those $10 articles, I can tell you they’re equally as blah to write every day. Fortunately, the editor does a nice clean up job.
I appreciate the quick cash, but I’m very quickly getting bored because I know I can do a whole lot better with my writing. I want my writing to be fresh and different rather than becoming boiler plates.
So these tips you’re offering come in very handy. Thanks.
Thanks Bruce. I appreciate it.
Gina, I know the feeling. Here’s an idea. Rather than letting the editor clean them up, you could charge more and provide exceptional articles that require no editing/proofing. You’d make more money and you’d save the editor a lot of time. Something to think about.