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Gain Media Coverage By Writing A Great Article

September 26, 2012 | Catriona Pollard

Articles are a great way of gaining media coverage for yourself and your business. They can also help you position yourself as an expert in your industry when you write about helpful industry tips and advice.

Many publications welcome well written articles on topics of interest to their readers. However, your articles should never blatantly advertise your business or be written as an advertorial.

Your article must then be written in an informative and objective manner that aims to provide value to its readers. Think about the publications that your target audience reads and start writing an article that would be suitable for them.

Most publications will have specific requirements for the articles they publish. For example they might only want articles on a certain topic or they might have a strict word limit.

Grab a copy of the publication you want to write an article for and have a look at the style and structure of the articles. Some websites will also detail their publication’s article requirements or you can call the publication and ask.

Here are some tips on writing a great article.

• Find out the publication’s deadline: Every publication runs to editorial and advertising deadlines and it is essential that you submit the article before the deadline.
• Find out the length of an article: Find out the number of words the editor is looking for and you will have a much better chance of getting published.
• Write in short clear sentences: Use sub headings, dot points and bold headings to communicate key points.
• Take your time: Articles are invariably improved by allowing a few days to go by and then returning to your work.
• Edit it: Proof read and even ask someone else to check it before sending. Other people see things you don’t and their final finesse can turn your article from good to great.

After you’ve written your article make sure you send it to the correct journalist in the publication you want to be featured in and detail why it would be perfect for their readers.

Have you had success with getting your articles published in magazines and newspapers etc? Love to hear what you have achieved and please share any ideas or networking tips you have used to continue building relationships with publications who might publish future articles you write.