Oftentimes, readers would just scroll down the mouse wheel to get pass through the latter part of an article. They often think that the section where they get to see author’s information and links doesn’t seem to have any importance in their research. Well, the reason for the wrong notion could be some article they’ve read that seemed to have wasted their time with advertisements and sales pitches.

Although it may be true that the ulterior motive of article marketing is to sell by means of providing contents, the main goal of an author is still to provide reliable information. The body of the article will do just that while the resource box (the author’s section) is the space allotted for a call to action. Nonetheless, you still have to write it in a very subtle way that it may seem as if it flows naturally from the contents. Also, the resource box should not dominate the whole article. You should limit the word count to 15% of its total size.

What to Include in the Resource Box

Name. Isn’t it a wonder that many authors still forget to give their names in the resource box? If there is a space for you to promote yourself, here it is. When you write an article, you only get to see your name on the byline and on the resource box. Some authors would say that they are not selling themselves anyway and that what they need to focus on is the product. That is so wrong. When you sell a product, you should also sell yourself to the readers simply because you have to gain their trust before you can get them to buy from you. If you frequently provide exceptional articles under the same byline, eventually, readers will remember who you are and how helpful you were. That reputation cannot be bought by money but you can earn a lot out of it.

Contact Information. This is especially important if you consider yourself an expert on the field you are writing on. Readers would often want to get in touch with you for interviews and additional information. Again, this is a way to build rapport and trust with your readers. In the long run, they would follow whatever it is that you write and that can only mean more income for your articles. Give out your e-mail address to say the least.

Elevator Pitch. This has to consist of 1 to 3 sentences that sum up the article and how additional information can be found. No, this is not a sale pitch at least to the reader’s eyes so don’t try to sound like promoting a product even if that’s what you wanted to do all along. Avoid over-hyped claims just to get the readers clicking through on the link. Focus on giving them what they need, if and only if you can deliver.

Call to Action. Now here is your make or break deal. You already gave them what they wanted. This is how you can get what you need from them while still sounding as if you are still offering more. Does that sound confusing? I hope not because this is your one chance to get new visitors and to keep the old ones coming back for more. Your call to action should either ask the readers to buy a product, visit a website, and subscribe to a bonus report, email list or newsletter. Make sure to put the valid URL of the website you want to promote so that the readers could simply click on the link.

How to Get Click-Throughs

So how exactly can you get click-throughs without sounding like you are asking them a favor? Again, the key is subtlety. The resource box should flow naturally from the article. If the resource box is related to the subject of the article, you don’t need to put a lot of effort on trying to make it fit. All you have to do is to guide the readers into clicking the link.

Tell the readers exactly what they can get by clicking. Don’t lure them into something that they don’t really need just to receive a click-through. It will immediately backfire on your reputation as a trustworthy article writer.

People would surely want to find out more information on a popular topic. The more people visit the link, the more unique visitors you will receive. If that is already the case, there’s no harm with a little self-adulation. Brag about the popularity of the website on your resource box. New visitors will be interested on clicking your link if you tell them that a lot of people already had.

Remember that the readers need to know what to expect when they get redirected to another website. People who go to the internet for information need instant access. Wasting their time will make them feel frustrated and that is not a good thing for your business.

Tags: Traffic, Traffic Monday, Traffic techniques

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