Getting People to Read Your Articles

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You are diligent and consistent when it comes to posting articles online that are informative and educational for other people. The quality of the writing is superb but you notice that you don’t have a lot of readers. Why not?

If you find that the number of people who are reading your articles is smaller than you would like it to be, there are ways in which you can write that will drive many people to your articles, not only to read what you have written but also to compel people to leave comments and have meaningful interactions with you. Remember that the topic of your article must always touch your audience in some way and make them feel as though you have the answer to their problems.

The metrics of how many people are reading your articles are measurable and very valuable when it comes to being able to understand whether your social media marketing campaign is really working effectively or if it needs some adjustments. Remember that the greater the number of people who read your articles, the greater the potential number of people who will connect with you and eventually will become clients.

Of course, the number of readers will depend, to a certain extent, on your particular niche. However, there are other steps that you can take in order to help increase your readership:

  • A fantastic title: The power of your title rests with the first three to five words. If you choose the correct words for your title, you will be shocked at how dramatic the increase in your readership will be. On the other hand, if you choose a title that is ineffective, it will do nothing for your readership. Your title must contain high-quality keywords and it must give a clear idea of what the article is about. The success of your article is in the title, so you need to make sure that it is everything that it should be and more.
     
  • Keyword research: Before you write one word of your article, you need to do some research to identify the more powerful and appropriate keywords. You want to choose the keywords that will get the most attention from your readers. Part of your research will involve your target audience. Once you have learned as much information a as possible, you will be able to choose the keywords.
     
  • A killer summary: The article summary must be a real attention grabber. It is the part of the article that entices your readers to click on your link and want to read the rest of the article. After the title of the article, the summary is the next most important thing when it comes to grabbing the reader’s attention. The summary should be clear, concise and well organized.
     
  • Promotion of your articles through social media: Once you have posted an article, it is extremely important that you tell everyone whom you know about it. You not only want to share your article with those people but you also want them to share your article with other people. When it comes to social media, that is the only time when “viral” is a good thing.
     
  • Call-to-Action: It is very important to always include a call-to-action with your article. The main objective of offering an article is to get people to interact with you and they won’t be able to do that if they don’t have a way of reaching you. You should make it as easy as possible on them by including contact information (your URL, phone number, etc).

Conclusion

All of the tips that were mentioned here are simple, straightforward and effective. Sometimes it isn’t enough to just write a high-quality article. The promotion of that article as well as the strategic placement and distribution of it are as critical as the article itself. There is a great deal that goes into offering a successful article online. If you follow the advice given here, you will see that more and more people will want to read your articles and will reach out and interact with you.

We are pleased to provide you with the insightful comments contained herein. Please contact us at CompuKol Communications for further discussion on how we might be able to assist you and your team and don’t forget to “like” our Facebook page.

Author

  • Carolyn Cohn

    Carolyn Cohn is the Co-Founder & Chief Creative Services of CompuKol Communications. Carolyn manages CompuKol’s creative and editorial department, which consists of writers and editors. Her weekly blogs are syndicated globally. She has decades of editorial experience in online editing, and editing books, journal articles, abstracts, and promotional and educational materials. Carolyn earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo.

19 Responses

  1. Rosey Dow says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Social Media Marketing Mavens
    Discussion: Getting People to Read Your Articles

    Thanks for posting this. One of the main reasons that articles don't get read is they lack a problem/solution format. If you state a problem or question in the title, people will spot what they are looking for in the lists that come up with keywords. As with everything else, becoming solution oriented moves everything forward.

    Have a great day!
    Posted by Rosey Dow

  2. Walter Daniels says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: On Startups – The Community For Entrepreneurs
    Discussion: Getting People to Read Your Articles

    I would add one final rule. Don't be bland. You cannot satisfy everyone, so don't try. No matter what you say, someone is going to be offended. Don't go out of your way to be offensive, like Howard Stern, but be willing to take a stand. People may disagree, but if they do, you have a chance to change their mind.
    Posted by Walter Daniels

  3. Bright Spencer says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Creative Designers and Writers
    Discussion: Getting People to Read Your Articles

    I like to make contact with people who talk to other people about what they like and do.
    Posted by Bright Spencer

  4. Charlotte Libov says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Creative Designers and Writers
    Discussion: Getting People to Read Your Articles

    I think you basically have to find ways to encourage people to read your work. There is just too much clutter out there. I promote my writing through LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. I actively encourage my friends to comment, and share my stories with their community as well. I practice being clear and specific about this — in today's world of competing interest, 24-hour new cycles, smart phones, etc., etc. subtlety does not necessarily work. Interested in strategies other use.
    Posted by Charlotte Libov MS

  5. Nate Levesque says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: The Blog Zone – A community for bloggers
    Discussion: Getting People to Read Your Articles

    I just read your blog post about that, and I agree with everything that's listed. In my own experience I've had the most luck with a few certain titles and especially, posting them online on Twitter and Facebook. Once you're more visible online then it seems that it starts to take care of itself, as readers will post about it as well; the big challenge is reaching that point.

    Posted by Nate Levesque

  6. Barbara Schoeneberger says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Freelance Editing Network
    Discussion: Getting People to Read Your Articles

    I'd like to know the same thing. Granted, on my personal blog I'm writing for a special market niche and have slowly acquired more readers over the past year, but I'd like to see a lot more readers at my Suite 101 articles. I use good SEO techniques before I even start an article, so I'm open to ideas that would make acquiring readers easier.
    Posted by Barbara Schoeneberger

  7. Lynn MacDonald says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: The Blog Zone – A community for bloggers
    Discussion: Getting People to Read Your Articles

    It just takes time…there are so many blogs out there
    Posted by Lynn MacDonald

  8. Margaret Grisdela says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Social Media Marketing Questions & Answers
    Discussion: Getting People to Read Your Articles

    Publishing an article online is just the first step in an article marketing campaign. There are many ways to drive readers to your article, including:

    1. Post an excerpt from the article on your blog, with a link to the full article;
    2. Add your article to your LinkedIn profile
    3. Promote the article in an enewsletter
    4. Add social media share buttons to your article page, if possible
    5. Tweet about the article, including a link

    Article marketing can be a very effective way to attract qualified prospects.

    Fellow group members, what works for you? Carolyn has asked an important question.
    Posted by Margaret Grisdela

  9. Shari Weiss says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Social Media Marketing Questions & Answers
    Discussion: Getting People to Read Your Articles

    Both the article and Margaret's comment are "right on" with appropriate strategies to increase readership. Two additional thoughts come to mind: (1) How much excellent thought has been written and unfortunately not read widespreadly enough BSM [Before Social Media] and (2) how amazing it is that now we have so many methods at our finger tips to spread the word . . . and hopefully recruit loyal readers.
    Posted by Shari Weiss

  10. Gabe Crognali says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Freelance Editing Network
    Discussion: Getting People to Read Your Articles

    How very true…and very frustrating. In my case, it's more about some folks only being interested in reading the material (a freebie), but not viewing the written document as a sample of my skills that could be of value to them.
    Posted by Gabe Crognali

  11. Nellie Sabin says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Freelance Editing Network
    Discussion: Getting People to Read Your Articles

    Same problem here – put lots of effort into "blog" at Tumblr but not getting any attention. I read somewhere that Google does not search Tumblr blogs, even if you register with them (which I did). Don't know if that is true. I have a hell of a time working with Tumblr, and probably should have gone with WordPress.

    Of course, there are many blogs I would love to read, but you just can't get to them all. How do you make your own a priority when there are 10 zillion out there? ESPECIALLY when you have a real job doing something else?

    @Barbara – By the way, I think niche is the way to go. Otherwise you're just another voice in the wilderness.
    Posted by Nellie Sabin

  12. Roberta Budvietas says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Social Media Marketing Questions & Answers
    Discussion: Getting People to Read Your Articles

    We have used many tools over the years and some work well to get a couple of hundred readers. One of these tools that we have used is article submission but that doesn't seem to have done us much good in terms of business but this may be because our bio is not strong enough. Occasionally I find articles we have published over the last 20 years come up in google analytics as someone has found it in an ezine.Aside our own personal copy, I was totally unaware that some of these articles were still out there.
    We have used all kinds of different outlets including creating video and audio. Right now a lot of our readership is coming from our Blog Talk Radio Broadcasts.
    I have not found twitter useful.
    My Blog has more readership when I participate in things like the Ultimate Blog Challenge. That also gets me better twits too.
    I think that there is so much published today both on and off line, that unless someone finds something and talks about it and they are powerful influencers, many good writers will remain unread by many.
    Margaret, I will try your suggestions especially the Add to profile. Thanks
    Posted by Roberta Budvietas

  13. Lady E Cole says:

    I just started writing again and posting some of my thoughts. I really appreciate (all your advice) but this hit closer to home than usual and was something I needed. Carolyn, you are usually "on point" and very helpful. Also you write in such a way it's easy to understand  it's like having someone there beside you explaining it to you not in technical and otherwise boring mumbo-jumbo. Thanks again.

  14. Laura Finger says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: The Blog Zone – A community for bloggers
    Discussion: Getting People to Read Your Articles

    Well, in my case I've been blogging for only a couple of weeks. So I'd be shocked if anyone other than my mom and best friends were reading. I decided before I started that my blog would be an online portfolio that would spring me into getting more jobs, writing online content

    So instead of trying to grow my blog, I'm focusing on putting out as much quality writing as I can. Comments are great because I get instant feedback, but getting a large following for the blog just isn't my main focus.
    Posted by Laura Finger

  15. Paul Steinbrueck says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Social Media Marketing Questions & Answers
    Discussion: Getting People to Read Your Articles

    One of the most important things to remember is that it takes a lot more work to get a first-time reader than it does to get a regular reader to come back. So, make it a high priority to encourage people to subscribe to your RSS feed, or follow you on Twitter or Facebook. If you get just 10 first-time readers to read each of your articles, but offer no way to subscribe/follow, after a year you'll still have just 10 readers a day. But if you can get 1/3 of them to subscribe/follow, after a year of posting once a day, you'll have 1,000 readers a day.
    Posted by Paul Steinbrueck

  16. Lynette Young says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: NY/NJ Women & Minority Business Owners and Entrepreneurs
    Discussion: Getting People to Read Your Articles

    I agree, remembering to put a call to action is important! Ever wonder why nothing happens when you write a blog post — maybe it's because you didn't *ask* for *anything*!
    Posted by Lynette Young

  17. Susan Fiscarelli says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: NY/NJ Women & Minority Business Owners and Entrepreneurs
    Discussion: Getting People to Read Your Articles

    Carolyn, I really liked this post and after you read it is makes so much sense. Communication is communication. We need to use the same steps in all venues of writing. One thing I think many forget is the last step: call-to-actiion.
    Posted by Susan Fiscarelli

  18. Susan RoAne says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: Reputation 2.0
    Discussion: Getting People to Read Your Articles

    As an old saying goes, "There is no accounting for taste." Or the lack thereof. Perhaps one should reference Lady Gaga or the Real Housewives of Anywhere, USA. The piece of advice I've shared since I wrote How To Work a Room® is that you have to write what the market of people think is their issue, interest or pain.A clever, catchy title helps but capturing the market is quite the dilemma!
    Posted by Susan RoAne – The Mingling Maven ®

  19. Kristina Jaramillo says:

     

    Via LinkedIn Groups

    Group: NY/NJ Women & Minority Business Owners and Entrepreneurs
    Discussion: Getting People to Read Your Articles

    Hi Carolyn- Great points. Now, there is one more thing I must add: You have to get your articles in front of the right audience. For example, with social media – are you just tweeting it so everyone see it – or are you putting your content in LinkedIn groups that your targeted audience belongs to. Are you just submitting your articles to article directories (among hundreds of thousands of others) or are you submitting it to websites and blogs that your audience goes to -and deems credible. For example, my articles are published in Website Magazine, Electronic Retailing Magazine and on websites like SiteProNews.

    Posted by Kristina Jaramillo