[EzineArticles] Approval Tips: Place Commas Correctly

2 Minute Approval Tips: Place Commas Correctly Episode 11 marks the return of the "2 Minute Approval Tips" video series. We'll make this quick! This video series is meant to give you tips for getting your articles approved on the first submission every time. We looked back at submission records to find common reasons why articles aren't approved initially. Then, we compressed that information into individual 2-minute videos to save you time. This episode focuses on proper comma usage. Commas can make or break the meaning of your writing. If they're used in the right way, they'll help you get your point across. If not, they could cause your message to get lost in translation. In this video, I share a two-part tip for the proper use of commas. Downloadable Versions:                 A Quick Recap of the 11th "2 Minute Approval Tip" There are two parts to today's tip: using commas to separate items in a list and using commas to separate adjectives of equal rank. List Items First, when listing a series of adjectives or nouns, use commas to separate individual elements. For example, in the sentence: "In college, I learned how to speak German, French and Spanish." ... you put a comma between the words "German" and "French" to show that they are individual elements. It's a matter of preference whether you put a comma between the last two list items. The current accepted style by the Associated Press stylebook is to leave it out. Separating Adjectives Another rule that we see causing problems is the use of commas to separate adjectives of equal rank. Many people think that if you have two adjectives next to each other in a sentence, you always separate them with a comma. This isn't always the case. You only apply this rule when both adjectives describe, or modify, the same noun. Take these sentences, for example: DOESN'T Modify Same Noun He is a fantastic mystery writer. We drove by the old-fashioned colonial house. That's how you become a fast cross-country runner. Modifies Same Noun I'm going to submit more high-quality, original articles to EzineArticles. The long, arduous journey took ten days. Expect to be greeted by knowledgeable, considerate residents. Notice, there aren't any commas in the first set of sentences, but they are present in the second set. In the second set, each adjective describes the noun of the sentence separately. When deciding whether to use a comma in these situations, use the "and" trick. Substitute the word "and" where the comma would go. If that changes the sentence meaning, you don't need the comma. If it still makes sense, you need the comma. An alternate test is to flip the order of the two adjectives. If the meaning is still the same, you need the comma. Also, watch comma usage when separating clauses, adding non-essential information and when you're writing out dates, geographical names and numbers greater than 1,000. To check out the entire "2 Minute Approval Tips" series, click here. Put this and all the other "2 Minute Approval Tips" to good use by writing your next set of high-quality, original articles for more traffic back to your website or blog. Also, leave a comment to share your own spelling and grammar tips by clicking here: 2 Minute Approval Tips: Place Commas Correctly To Your Article Writing Success & Passion! Marc, Communications Manager http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ PS: In case you missed it, in yesterday's Blog we recapped all of the new videos produced in the EzineArticles studio over the past 90 days. Check it out to get caught up. EzineArticles Member Endorsement "... what a simple place this is to publish articles." I was introduced to EzineArticles over a year ago. If I had gotten myself in gear and stopped panicking I would have realised what a simple place this is to publish articles. I'm also reassured that this is a quality site as there is a distinct lack of duplication and also a simple way for my clients to navigate and have a browse. Can't recommend it highly enough! Amie Crews www.will2succeed.co.uk EzineArticles Newsletter Information Join EzineArticles | Manage Your Subscription | EzineArticles RSS Feed | List Support Create Free Membership Account | Login For Members Only To Leave The EzineArticles Newsletter: leave-5397055-4884430.91384863d13c19d33b8fa26a396b13a6@lists.ezinearticles.com ISSN: 1525-7126 - Library Of Congress, Washington D.C. Postal address: EzineArticles.com, PO Box 12740 Green Bay WI 54307 USA © Copyright 1999-2011 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

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[EzineArticles] Some Niches Seeing Increased Traffic

Some Niches Seeing Increased Traffic Jennifer, an EzineArticles Expert Author, recently wrote in and asked: "A large percentage of your traffic is gone, like 90%, or that's what I hear. Is that true?" Here's my video response to Jennifer's question: Downloadable Versions:                 Here's a summary of my points from the video: First and foremost, the 90% rumor is not true. Google's recent search algorithm update did have an impact on our traffic, but it was to the tune of about a 10-35% decrease. We're still serving over 1 million visitors to our site every day. Some niches actually gained traffic from this update.   Google tweaks their search algorithm just about every day (sometimes more) and that adds up to about 300-500 updates a year. Up until these changes, we've never been hit negatively with any of these tweaks during our 11-year history.   The goal of the update was to go after low-quality, thin content. We completely agree with Google on this update, and we've made sweeping changes to our Editorial Guidelines and internal review processes to combat low-quality, thin content.   Keep in mind that we've raised the bar on the acceptable level of quality every month since we launched EzineArticles.com. In the last few weeks, we've done about a full year's worth of "quality bar" raising in an effort to weed out thin, derivative content while identifying and highlighting the absolute best content.   We're more proud of the content that we see on EzineArticles.com today than we ever have been, and we're really excited that the highest quality content is getting its chance to shine. You can still use EzineArticles.com to find a voice and find a home for your high-quality, original articles to build your credibility and get increased traffic back to your website or blog. You can view this post online and post a comment by clicking here: http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/2011/03/some-niches-seeing-increased-traffic.html   Symptoms to Watch Article Template Even if your field of expertise is outside the health and wellness niche, writing a "symptoms" article could be just the thing to cure your article inspiration ills. When most people hear the word "symptoms," they think of changes in your body that come from an illness. That's true, but "symptoms" can also mean "causes" - and that's the definition we're going to use here to help you write some great articles. For example, articles explaining the "symptoms of a shaky investment strategy" and the "symptoms of an off-balance golf stroke" would both tackle the symptoms (or causes) of a problem. Then the articles would give the reader advice for how to deal with those symptoms. Try using this article template to frame your next article idea in a new way. Here's how: 4 Steps to Building a "Symptoms" Article: Narrow Your Topic To A Specific Problem - Focus the article on the symptoms of the problem and use your expertise to shed light on what people can do if they experience the symptoms.   List the Symptoms – List the symptoms of the problem and give a brief explanation of each. Make it clear how to identify them.   Share What To Do About Them - Describe what to do if you experience the symptoms. Give a "cure" to the problem. This is where your one-of-a-kind expertise is essential.   Provide Cautions and Wrap it Up – Include your own cautions with the problem and your method of dealing with the symptoms. Use these cautions as a way to recap and wrap up your article. For every problem that can occur in your niche, there's a "symptoms article" waiting to be written on that very subject. Use this template today to write your next set of high-quality, original articles for more traffic back to your website or blog. Also, visit this post online and leave a comment to share your own template ideas. To Your Article Writing Success & Passion! Christopher M. Knight, Publisher http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ PS: How formal is your writing style? Check out last Friday's Blog for some direction on how to evaluate and enhance your own writing style. EzineArticles Member Endorsement   "I can honestly say that EzineArticles.com outperforms the other services I've tried BY FAR." I'm just getting in touch to say thanks for providing such an excellent service. Since submitting my articles just a few weeks ago, I've been amazed at the amount of traffic arriving at my website daily. I can honestly say that EzineArticles.com outperforms the other services I've tried BY FAR. Keep up the great work! Kevin Eikenberry kevineikenberry.com EzineArticles Newsletter Information Join EzineArticles | Manage Your Subscription | EzineArticles RSS Feed | List Support Create Free Membership Account | Login For Members Only To Leave The EzineArticles Newsletter: leave-5359634-4884430.91384863d13c19d33b8fa26a396b13a6@lists.ezinearticles.com ISSN: 1525-7126 - Library Of Congress, Washington D.C. Postal address: EzineArticles.com, PO Box 12740 Green Bay WI 54307 USA © Copyright 1999-2011 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

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[EzineArticles] Last Chance: EzineArticles Formula Classroom Course

Last Chance to Enroll: The EzineArticles Formula Classroom Course Now that we've released The EzineArticles Formula Home Study Course, we won't be offering the Classroom version year round any longer. Your last chance to enroll will be this Friday, March 25th. We're not sure when it might become available again so if you have the interest in enrolling, you'll need to act fast. You can visit http://EzineArticlesFormula.com/ to get more information or to enroll today. In comparing the Classroom version to the Home Study version, the three major differences are: Over a 5-week period while class is in session, you'll receive access to an experience comparable to anything you'd find at a leading university. You'll be able to take advantage of a wealth of experience with your EzineArticles instructors and your article writing community. This course is guaranteed to exponentially accelerate your learning curve.   You'll receive 90 days FREE high-speed EzineArticles Premium Membership.   You'll have access to all advertised live teleseminar events led by Chris Knight. A New "Extra" Included With The EzineArticles Formula? We've added quite a bit of value to The EzineArticles Formula over the past few months and we just added another extra. If you've been an EzineArticles member for any length of time, you may have heard about Chris Knight's, Article Production Strategies Seminar. This seminar gives you a chance to have Chris as your personal article writing coach, and many folks like you took advantage of this opportunity to learn from one of the true pioneers of article writing on the Internet. We're now including this seminar with your investment in The EzineArticles Formula, making this an unbelievable value. For those that previously invested in The EzineArticles Formula Classroom or Home Study versions, you can gain access to Article Production Strategies by going into your digital locker and re-downloading whichever version you have. Here's a list of ALL of the extras you now receive with both The EzineArticles Formula Classroom and The EzineArticles Formula Home Study Course: 5 Weeks FREE EzineArticles Premium Membership, a $121.25 Value (The EzineArticles Formula Home Study Course) 90 days FREE EzineArticles Premium Membership, Close to a $200 Value (The EzineArticles Formula Classroom Course) Chris Knight's Article Production Strategies ($77 value) 2 Bonus Modules Covering Writing Best Practices (20 Videos at a $60 Value) 12 Page PDF on the Basics of Article Writing and Marketing ($20 value) 7 Page PDF Report on How to Use Templates to Create Great Content ($20 value) 6 Page PDF Report on How to Create Great Article Titles ($20 value) 6 Teleseminar Replays Featuring Chris Knight ($200 value) 26 Quick-Start Article Templates ($25 value) The EzineArticles Formula is loaded with great content. If you're a Premium member and are up for renewal, your true cost for the Home Study option would be $75.75 when you factor in the Premium bonus! You're getting 5 weeks of FREE Premium Membership, which is a $121.25 value you'd already be investing in. We can't guarantee Article Production Strategies will be a part of The EzineArticles Formula in the future, and you won't be able to enroll in the Classroom Course past Friday, March 25th so make today the day you decide to team up with EzineArticles and take your efforts to new heights. For more information or to enroll in The EzineArticles Formula Classroom course today, click here: http://EzineArticlesFormula.com/ For more information on the Home Study Course, or to make your investment today, click here: http://EzineArticlesFormula.com/HomeStudy/ To visit this post and leave comment, click here. To Your Article Writing/Marketing Success & Passion! Rob, Director of Online Education http://EzineArticlesFormula.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ PS: Sign up for our brand new EzineArticles Marketing Newsletter to be the first to hear about newly-developed paid training tools, announcements and even get some FREE tips! Go here to sign up: http://EzineArticlesFormula.com/   EzineArticles Formula Member Endorsement "This is an AWESOME training system" This is an AWESOME training system. Has anybody told you guys lately that you're absolutely brilliant ... well you are! Suzi Elton www.wowfactorwriting.com EzineArticles Newsletter Information Join EzineArticles | Manage Your Subscription | EzineArticles RSS Feed | List Support Create Free Membership Account | Login For Members Only To Leave The EzineArticles Newsletter: leave-5329816-4884430.91384863d13c19d33b8fa26a396b13a6@lists.ezinearticles.com ISSN: 1525-7126 - Library Of Congress, Washington D.C. Postal address: EzineArticles.com, PO Box 12740 Green Bay WI 54307 USA © Copyright 1999-2011 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

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[EzineArticles] 8 Tips for Optimizing Your Landing Page

8 Tips for Optimizing Your Landing Page Increase Your Overall Conversion Rate With a Quality Landing Page. The quality of your landing page is one of the single most important factors dictating whether you're able to convert one-time readers into prospective customers. Once a reader clicks a link in your Resource Box, they are showing trust in you that you'll deliver additional quality information on the landing page. Unfortunately, if your landing page under-delivers on those expectations, you run the risk of losing that reader to another information source. So, when it comes to designing your landing page, your #1 concern should be the overall user experience. A Successful Landing Page: Keeps Visitors at Your Site Facilitates Further Action (e.g. signing up for promotion or purchasing a product) Delivering on these two items may seem simple, but they take time to develop and eventually perfect. In this video, I'll share 8 tips to ensure that your potential customers land smoothly on your landing page and they're ready to continue their business relationship with you. Downloadable Versions:                 Here's a quick summary of the points from the video: Relevancy - No matter how you've positioned yourself as an expert through your article writing efforts, make sure your links are consistent with your market position. If the Resource Box and links aren't relevant to the article, you'll appear misleading to readers.   Functional - Make the landing page functional, clean and elegant. Do research to check that you're not behind the times with your website's design. If your site doesn't appear to be up-to-date, visitors will be less likely to trust that your site is secure.   Interactive - Your landing page should have visitors doing something. That "something" is up to you. For example, if your goals with article writing and marketing include getting more newsletter sign-ups, Twitter followers, Facebook friends or sales, then use your landing page to those ends. Your call to action should be placed high on the landing page so it's visible.   Clear Messages - It should be obvious what you want visitors to do next. Stay focused on the benefits of what you're offering. Once you set the tone by delivering great content in your articles, keep that focus while you deliver your marketing messages on your own site.   Unique Messages - Create a landing page for each different product or type of product. If you have multiple landing pages, make them each unique to the message you're sending.   Multi-Purpose - Build the landing pages right into your website. The main benefit is that the page will be indexed by search engines just like any other webpage on your business' website.   Avoid Flash - Avoid using a Flash intro page. They may look amazing, but they rarely provide the conversion you're looking for. The everyday web surfer has a short attention span and wants control over what they see. Flash animation takes away that control. Plus, Flash animation extends page load times, which gives visitors time to opt-off your site altogether.   Streamlined - Make your "sale" right on the landing page. Don't send visitors all over the place looking for the action item. If you want them to buy a product, start that process right on the landing page. Each additional step you add before making the sale is another opportunity for them to opt-out. Whether you've recently updated your landing page or not, evaluate and adjust your landing page with these eight points and you'll be well on your way to increasing your rate of conversion. Feel free to share any of your own landing page optimization tips by visiting this post online and leaving a comment.in the comment section below. To Your Article Writing/Marketing Success & Passion! Marc, Communications Manager http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ PS: Check out tomorrow's Blog post to find out what will now be included with The EzineArticles Formula package. EzineArticles Member Endorsement   "Your search engine rankings are great!" A marketing friend told me about you and how great your site was. She was right! Not only that, but having my wedding, relationship, marriage, and love articles on EzineArticles.com has brought new traffic to my website. Thanks for offering an excellent service. Your search engine rankings are great! Krista Dunk www.nwweddingplace.com EzineArticles Newsletter Information Join EzineArticles | Manage Your Subscription | EzineArticles RSS Feed | List Support Create Free Membership Account | Login For Members Only To Leave The EzineArticles Newsletter: leave-5322461-4884430.91384863d13c19d33b8fa26a396b13a6@lists.ezinearticles.com ISSN: 1525-7126 - Library Of Congress, Washington D.C. Postal address: EzineArticles.com, PO Box 12740 Green Bay WI 54307 USA © Copyright 1999-2011 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

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[EzineArticles] "Dear Annie" Article Template

"Dear Annie" Article Template DEAR EZINEARTICLES: How do I cope with my current problem - lack of article ideas? I saw the warning signs for a couple of months leading up to this problem and I've asked people around me for advice, but nothing has worked so far. I kept using up ideas and had no great way to refill my ideas folder as I went along. This is more devastating than any case of writer's block I've ever experienced. Please advise me. – Wandering Without Any Article Ideas DEAR WWAAI: I know you're hurting, and I'm sorry about that. Everything is great when your article ideas folder is full, but as it empties, you need to continue generating new ideas. Well, one of the best solutions to deal with a lack of article ideas is to start your writing with an article template, and more specifically this "Dear Annie" Article Template. Creating a "Dear Annie" Article Template: Start With a Question – Your question may be a common one you hear about in your niche or something you already have in the FAQ section of your website. Pick a question that requires the answer of a full article of about 400-750 words. Avoid questions that have simple Yes/No answers. They won't generate very compelling articles. Instead, pose and answer questions that ask "Why" or "How" things work.   Answer the Question – Use a personable voice to answer the question and give the best advice you can on the situation. Use your expertise to navigate the problem and offer a solution. You can use the "Dear Annie" format with a set of questions or you can organize the content in paragraphs.   Add Another Question – Add additional questions that fit with the same theme. Use bolding, italics or other clear labeling to distinguish between questions.   Identify a Theme – Tie questions together with the theme they share. Once all questions you want to cover are answered, discuss the connections between each to wrap up the article. Then you can also give any extra insights you have. Use this template today to give passionate responses to the everyday issues faced by your readership. With this template, you'll increase the amount of care and attention felt by your followers. Visit this post online and leave a comment to give your own twist on this template. To Your Article Writing/Marketing Success & Passion! Christopher M. Knight, Publisher http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ PS: Chris Knight's Article Writing Seminar, "Article Production Strategies," is now included FREE with The EzineArticles Formula Home Study training solution! To discover everything you need to know about taking your article writing efforts to new heights, and to find out more about everything included inside of The EzineArticles Formula Home Study package, click here: http://EzineArticlesFormula.com/HomeStudy/ EzineArticles Member Endorsement "I have been receiving lots of leads and experienced increased traffic ..." It's only been a month or so that I have been using EzineArticles.com and I have been receiving lots of leads and experienced increased traffic to my one-month-old website. I haven't even done any promotion or placed any ads yet! At the rate I am going, I may not even have to place any ads at all. Marsha Maung www.marshamaung.com EzineArticles Newsletter Information Join EzineArticles | Manage Your Subscription | EzineArticles RSS Feed | List Support Create Free Membership Account | Login For Members Only To Leave The EzineArticles Newsletter: leave-5312616-4884430.91384863d13c19d33b8fa26a396b13a6@lists.ezinearticles.com ISSN: 1525-7126 - Library Of Congress, Washington D.C. Postal address: EzineArticles.com, PO Box 12740 Green Bay WI 54307 USA © Copyright 1999-2011 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

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