Still Writing Boring Articles?
We’ve all seen article after article that is boring as hell. You know them; your eyes only skim them briefly while you’re reading and you certainly don’t give them the time of day. So why are people still writing them?
Because when all is said and done, these “boring” articles are still immensely useful. Granted, articles like “5 Tips for Making More Money” are a dime a dozen, but we keep writing them because they work. If you’re a financial planner, you’re giving your target audience what they want. However, shake it up when you can, because the same old articles DO get boring and the more people see them, the more they skip over them.
I’m not saying you have to be a creative artiocle writing genius every time; most of us aren’t. But it wouldn’t kill you to write something cool and interesting once in awhile. Don’t be afraid to step and be a little edgy. If you’re a financial planning company writing and article about saving money, think about creating a story based on the craziest things people have done to save money.
If you’re a wedding planner, think about an article offering people advice on how to have a successful wedding via “D’oh! The 5 Worst Wedding Mishaps and How to Avoid Them.” If you’re promoting an event or trade show, think about articles like “Booth Babes Contest at XYZ-Vote Now!” a la Shoemoney.
In geek terms, these articles are called “linkbait.” The goal of articles like this is usually to gain traffic and links, but quite simply, these types of articles get traffic and links because people like them. Write an article that produces emotions in people. Write an article they love, one they hate, one that intrigues and engages them. Further, write for yourself. Write an article you’d like to read and your target audience will probably like it too.
Above all, don’t stress out and have fun!
