[EzineArticles] EzineArticles Asks: What Are Your Best Social Media Practices?

EzineArticles Asks: What Are Your Best Social Media Practices? How Do You Use Social Media to Reach and Engage Your Audience? Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, Pinterest, etc.... With so many social networks and dozens of strategies, which ones are the right fit for your platform? The answer varies from niche to niche, which is why we are turning this question to you, our well-versed Expert Authors: What Are Your Best Social Media Practices? I know; that's a HUGE topic that requires a little more information. Consider any of the following 10 questions to help guide you in your response: What platform works best for you and your audience? Did you find any platforms that didn't work for you? How many platforms do you concurrently manage? How often do you post? What do you do to increase followers and engagement? What forms of content have the highest level of engagement, such as photos, links, videos, etc.? Do you use your personal profile or brand profile to engage with your audience? What type of calls-to-action do you use to encourage engagement and sharing? Have you used paid advertising on social media and did it yield good results? Have you employed a social media marketing company to either manage or boost your exposure? If so, what was your experience? Don't worry! We're not asking you to answer ALL of the above questions. Simply touch on the questions that you've had the most experience with or additional social media strategies or methods not mentioned. Share your comments or pose a question below to join the conversation - we'd love to hear from you! Need help? Check out the following related social media resources we've featured on the Blog: The Power of Social Networking Stick Around! How to Turn Your Audience Into Broadcasters On Google+? Follow EzineArticles for Great Insights! Social Media Tips for Expert Authors Pin Your Articles to Increase Your Exposure Best Practices for Expert Author Facebook Users To Your Article Writing Success & Passion! Vanessa, Editorial Manager http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ PS: On Google+? Visit our Google+ page and click "Follow" to gain more EzineArticles' insights and tips today! EzineArticles Member Endorsement "The benefits will be dramatic" EzineArticles has been one of the best Internet marketing decisions I've made over the years. One thing that is important with Internet marketing is to produce content consistently, not once a month. The benefits ... will be dramatic in that regard. The whole process is a marathon, not a sprint! David Greene PreferredPainCenter.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-8850130-4884430.91384863d13c19d33b8fa26a396b13a6@lists.permissionbasedemail.com ISSN: 1525-7126 - Library Of Congress, Washington D.C. Postal address: EzineArticles.com, PO Box 12740 Green Bay WI 54307 USA © Copyright 1999-2013 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

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[EzineArticles] 100 Words Every Expert Author Should Know Part II

100 Words Every Expert Author Should Know Part II To "Know" vs. To "Use" In our previous post, we featured a list of 100 words compiled by the EzineArticles Editorial Team. The Origins of the List Only some of the words were inspired by our Editors' love for the English language (such as "ballyhoo"). A majority of the words were inspired by writing terminology (such as "simile") as well as several words new writers are recommended to learn (such as "precipitous") prior to their advancement into writing professions. Should you use all of these words in your articles? Of Course Not! While it could be done, you would be hard pressed to use the word "homonym" in an article discussing gastric bypass surgery or the importance of drain cleaning equipment. Our recommendation with this list was to get to know these words and even use them to "spice up" your writing when the occasion arose. In our excitement to share the list with you, we neglected to clarify the following - how this list benefits you and your readers: Expanding your grasp of the English language will help you create a stronger message to communicate to various audiences. Understanding how to apply the various writing terms will help you improve your writing style. You're the Expert You are the authority in your niche and the language you use is a reflection of your credibility. With practice and time, you've discovered the keys to writing a message that both reaches your audience and reflects your credibility as an Expert Author. You know better than anyone what words are the right words for your target audience based on your experience in what converts prospective audiences into customers or followers. What you also know is to use discretion in order to convey your message memorably while avoiding turning your informative article into a gaudy display of arrogance. Based on your feedback, you've asserted that the 100 words recommended by our Editors are not fit for your audience. However, these words may be of use to you if you've wanted to hone your own writing skills. Understanding these words doesn't give you a badge of elitism - that won't get your articles read. Knowing these words will help you broaden your writing skills to better apply your message. For example: Knowing the meaning of "irony" will help you avoid misusing the phrase. Understanding the "metaphor" behind "a penny earned is a penny saved" may help you convey your message. Writing in your audience's "vernacular" will help you connect with your audience. Word Usage Best Practices Always - we repeat - always write for your audience. Topics, style, language, demographics, etc. - these are all factors you should consider in your writing style. Use their words unless your audience shares the same technical language and background as you. Simple and short is always better. If instructing in your article, keep it short. No one ever said paragraphs MUST be 4-5 sentences to be effective. Shorter paragraphs work well and can be easily digested. Cut the fluff. Be clear. Wordy is not better. It's confusing. Will you use plain, simple words the majority of the time in your writing? Yes. Knowing when and where to place more specific language is the art of writing and engaging your audience. Write what you know, but never stop expanding on what you do know. We thoroughly enjoyed everyone's comments! Thank you all for weighing in on the topic and if you're new to this topic, please click here to visit the original post. To Your Article Writing Success & Passion! Vanessa, Editorial Manager http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ PS: Like us on Facebook for more great tips every day. EzineArticles Member Endorsement "... professionalism and excellence ..." EzineArticles has impressed me with their standards of professionalism and excellence. I am happy to be one of their authors. Gerald Gillis GeraldGillis.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-8848234-4884430.91384863d13c19d33b8fa26a396b13a6@lists.permissionbasedemail.com ISSN: 1525-7126 - Library Of Congress, Washington D.C. Postal address: EzineArticles.com, PO Box 12740 Green Bay WI 54307 USA © Copyright 1999-2013 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

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[EzineArticles] 100 Words Every Expert Author Should Know

100 Words Every Expert Author Should Know A Great Vocabulary Makes Compelling Reading! The EzineArticles Editors have compiled a list of 100 words they recommend every Expert Author should know to be more concise, descriptive, and engaging. Show you're a master of the English language by spicing up your writing with the following words and feel free to share this graphic. By no means is this an exhaustive list. Click here to view the complete list and let us know what great words you would add - we'd love to hear from you! Want to share this image? Simply copy/paste the code from below into your blog or website. <a href="http://img.ezinearticles.com/blog/100-words-expert-authors-should-know.jpg"><img src="http://img.ezinearticles.com/blog/100-words-expert-authors-should-know.jpg" title="100 Words Expert Authors Should Know By EzineArticles"></a> To Your Article Writing Success & Passion! Vanessa, Editorial Manager http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ PS: Take control of your article's publication schedule with an EzineArticles Premium Membership subscription. Sign up today! EzineArticles Member Endorsement "... my original articles still bring traffic to my first website!" I began my first website in November of 2006 and by early 2007 I had enough content to start promoting it ... I first learned about article marketing from my site's webhost and their guide to getting traffic to your site. They also recommended EzineArticles as a high-quality article directory ... Some of my original articles still bring traffic to my first website! Kristen Burgess MilkAndMud.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-8837780-4884430.91384863d13c19d33b8fa26a396b13a6@lists.permissionbasedemail.com ISSN: 1525-7126 - Library Of Congress, Washington D.C. Postal address: EzineArticles.com, PO Box 12740 Green Bay WI 54307 USA © Copyright 1999-2013 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

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[EzineArticles] Get a GRIP on Your Article Comments

Get a GRIP on Your Article Comments Want to Increase Your Exposure, Network, and Traffic? Get involved by commenting on articles relevant to you and your niche! Leaving comments on EzineArticles.com can help you: assert your credibility as an active expert enhance your SEO presence create an open dialogue stay on top of the trends in your niche How Do You Leave Comments? On any article found on EzineArticles.com, simply scroll down to the Get Involved section and select the Comments button. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with our Article Comment Policy. When you're ready, complete the Leave a Comment form by entering: your name your email address (this won't be published) your relevant website URL a subject for your comment your comment Get a GRIP With Article Commenting Best Practices Gracious - Keep your comments positive to make a good first impression. If you disagree with the author of the article, then summarize their point and explain, in a respectful manner, why you disagree. Treat others like you're meeting them face-to-face. Doing so will allow you to bridge the online gap between you and your peers.   Relevant - Sharing irrelevant or promotional comments and links will undermine your efforts and your authenticity as an expert. Your comments and links should relate to the article content to ensure a positive user experience, increase your transparency, and show you're a credible expert.   Informative - Wow your readers with your expertise in your niche by providing your own relevant original tips or personal insights. Go beyond writing a generic "Great Job!" and inserting your link; create value by offering points that haven't been brought up or ask questions to promote participation and interaction with the author.   Persuasive - Entice readers to click through to your website and continue the conversation by balancing content with promotion. Resist the temptation to leave an advertisement for yourself or your business because doing so appears spammy. How to Find Fellow Expert Authors Not sure how to connect with other experts relevant to your niche? It's easy on My.EzineArticles.com! First, set up your Expert Author Network: Log in to your My.EzineArticles.com account. Select the Networking tab. Select Recommendations from the left-navigation menu. Select Top Expert Authors in Your Niche filter from the right-navigation menu. A listing of experts in your niche will appear, from which you can: Select the name of the Expert Author to view their Profile Select the Connect button to add the Expert Author to your Network Once you've added fellow Expert Authors in your niche, browse their articles by clicking their link in the "Expert URL" field of their profile. When you're finished reading the article and ready to comment, scroll down to the Get Involved section and let the discussion begin! Questions for us? Suggestions for fellow Expert Authors? Click here to visit this post online and share your comments! To Your Article Writing Success & Passion! Penny, Managing Editor http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ PS: Not following us on Twitter? You're missing out on a lot of great article writing tips and wisdom. Follow us today! EzineArticles Member Endorsement "EzineArticles.com has worked out extremely well ..." The relationship with EzineArticles.com has worked out extremely well. As a consequence of publishing articles on EzineArticles.com, I have built a huge body of material that enhances my credibility and search engine optimization. However, and most importantly, I have been able to use EzineArticles.com as a way of helping others. Nigel Brooks NigelAlBrooks.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-8831193-4884430.91384863d13c19d33b8fa26a396b13a6@lists.permissionbasedemail.com ISSN: 1525-7126 - Library Of Congress, Washington D.C. Postal address: EzineArticles.com, PO Box 12740 Green Bay WI 54307 USA © Copyright 1999-2013 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

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[EzineArticles] Getting Started with the EzineArticles Toolkit

Getting Started with the EzineArticles Toolkit Starting out? Changing your strategy? It's tough! Helping you get started and preparing you for success is one of our passions. Check out the following EzineArticles "toolkit", including resources and tools, to break down writing barriers and get a handle on your strategy to succeed in content marketing, article writing, and much more. Top 3 EzineArticles.com Resources Article Writing and Insights Blog The blog is your number one source to stay in tune with the latest and greatest information for your writing strategy. We publish hundreds of posts on the blog every year, including instructional videos, infographics, grammar tips, and search engine insights. In addition to these posts, the growing number of commenters who offer their own insights and feedback makes the blog a thriving community of information that will add to your growth. (Don't forget to subscribe to EzineArticles Blog Alerts to ensure you never miss another blog post again!) Editorial Guidelines To maintain the quality standards of our Expert Authors, we provide the Editorial Guidelines for you to use to your advantage – not just in your article writing efforts, but in all of your efforts. These guidelines are based on years of experience, data, feedback, questions, and laws to protect you and your readers. Frequently Asked Questions The FAQ page provides you with answers to the most commonly asked questions and was specifically designed for our members and newcomers to the EzineArticles.com community. Featuring a large number of questions grouped by member needs, discover how to submit an article, find out what to do if you can't log in, look up major article writing components, and more. Top 5 EzineArticles Social Media Pages Follow us on Twitter (and Vine!) - They may be 140 characters or less, but these brief snippets pack a powerful and informative punch. Like us on Facebook - Share and like motivational quotes, join the EzineArticles Facebook community discussion, and contribute your own insights. Join us on Google+ - Add us to your circles to join us for an article writing discussion or find us in various writing and online communities. Subscribe to us on YouTube - Watch and rewatch the latest quick tips, tutorials, and training videos. Repin our Pins on Pinterest - Browse, comment on, like, and repin highlights, graphics, wallpapers, and a hodgepodge of hilarious writing-related pins. Top 5 EzineArticles Members-Only Tools Find the following tools in your My.EzineArticles.com account: Submit New Article - Each field in the Submit New Article form includes tips for effective writing (click the blue "?" icon in each field) as well as built-in guides to ensure your article review process is as efficient as possible. Title Suggestions - Out of ideas or need help discovering what your audience wants? Use our title suggestions to help generate new article ideas within your niche! Each title is created based on terabytes of data from keywords and phrases commonly searched on EzineArticles.com. Performance - View the traffic and activity of your published articles. Networking - Build relationships with fellow Expert Authors - ask questions, start discussions, and share successes. Challenges - Set up your own personal writing goals or you can invite others to join you in a group writing challenge. BONUS: Premium - Whether your business is made of brick and mortar or just the ethereal stuff of the Internet, a Premium Membership can significantly enhance your article marketing efforts. What tools would you like to see in the future? Where do you connect most with EzineArticles? Click here to let us know - we'd like to hear from you! To Your Article Writing Success & Passion! Penny, Managing Editor http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ PS: Don't forget about our Premium benefits package. It can have a huge impact on your bottom line. Find out how: http://EzineArticles.com/Premium/ EzineArticles Member Endorsement "I have grown my monthly newsletter to over 14,000 subscribers." I started article writing when I started my newsletter in late 2006. At that time, I had about 25 subscribers - mostly friends and family. Since then I have grown my monthly newsletter to over 14,000 subscribers. Lee Binz TheHomeScholar.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-8825848-4884430.91384863d13c19d33b8fa26a396b13a6@lists.permissionbasedemail.com ISSN: 1525-7126 - Library Of Congress, Washington D.C. Postal address: EzineArticles.com, PO Box 12740 Green Bay WI 54307 USA © Copyright 1999-2013 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

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[EzineArticles] EzineArticles Is Now on Vine!

EzineArticles Is Now on Vine! Informative and Fun 6-Second Videos Every year, EzineArticles provides 1,000s of motivational quotes, tidbits of information, training prompts, and much more in order to enhance your article writing efforts. Besides the Article Writing and Insights Blog, you can easily find us on popular social networking websites like Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Pinterest, Twitter, and now Vine! What's Vine? Acquired by Twitter in October 2012, Vine shares content in motion. From serene scenes, to humorous pranks, to dynamic promotions, on Vine you can create short looping videos to share with your audience using your iOS device (e.g., iPhone). Here are 5 ways you can use Vine: Further engage your audience Promote your brand Display your products or services Offer niche-relevant tips and insights Show love for your audience Check Out Our Most Recent Vines Below! If the Vines do not appear immediately, please try refreshing your page. If you're on Twitter, just CLICK the  to Retweet the Vine. "The desire to write grows with writing." - Erasmus Give your writing motivation a boost! Take the Sprinter Challenge and publish 10 articles in 7 days. Get the Deck of Cards featuring Article Templates at the EzineArticles Shop! EzineArticles #grammar tip: Grammarsaur vs. "alot." Good grammar never goes extinct. You don't have to download the Vine app to view EzineArticles' Vines! Simply follow us on Twitter where we'll release new Vines. Are you on Vine? Follow us, create your own 6-second EzineArticles Expert Author Vine, tag @EzineArticles, share it on Twitter and in the comments section of this post on the EzineArticles Blog, and we'll retweet the top 5 to our 95,000+ Twitter Followers. Let's see those Vines! To Your Article Writing Success & Passion! Penny, Managing Editor http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ PS: Article templates make it easy to build a huge article library quickly and easily. Try it for yourself with our free Product Review Template on PDF. Just go here to download it today. EzineArticles Member Endorsement "... the positive effects of passive income and name recognition is well worth the effort." Thanks so much for the great publicity. I was amazed at how many articles I already had written when I started digging out all my old notes and speeches. It just took a little reformatting, bringing up to date and filling in here and there to have them ready to send off to you. Even though we are swamped with projects, the positive effects of passive income and name recognition is well worth the effort. Keep up the good work. Judy H. Wright ArtichokePress.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-8819966-4884430.91384863d13c19d33b8fa26a396b13a6@lists.permissionbasedemail.com ISSN: 1525-7126 - Library Of Congress, Washington D.C. Postal address: EzineArticles.com, PO Box 12740 Green Bay WI 54307 USA © Copyright 1999-2013 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

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[EzineArticles] Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar Revision Checklist

Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar Revision Checklist Grammar Denial When you're part of a writing community, such as EzineArticles.com, there comes a time when you're asked to copy edit a friend or family member's work. This recently was the case for me when I accepted a request to review a friend's magazine. After an hour of review, I was surprised by the sheer number of grammatical errors and attempted to negotiate how to constructively help my friend. There were three stages to our conversation: Denial - "You're too strict," she said. Anger - Frustrated and feeling cornered, "I was never formally educated in school" she spat out. Bargaining - "Don't worry about punctuation or sentence structure," she told me. "Just look for spelling and misused words." Now I was confused. Punctuation and sentence structure are part of good grammar! Self-Made Writing Genius This entire scenario reminded me of so many self-made authors who never formally learned their craft - they taught themselves. Take for instance the great orator and author, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. In and out of various rural schools in Kentucky and Illinois for short periods of time, Lincoln estimated he had less than a year of formal education. Shortly after Lincoln arrived in Illinois as a 21 year-old-man, he sought out a grammar teacher to learn more about the English language. With the help of his teacher and the modest book "English Grammar and Familiar Lectures of 1828," Lincoln taught himself English grammar. Whether or not English is your native tongue, there's no shame in teaching yourself English grammar as an adult. A formal education may provide a foundation of knowledge, but it's up to you to build it up. In addition to the checklist below, here are a few resources I frequently use when revising my own writing as well as when I'm reviewing another author's work: Google - Need a refresher on the definition of a word? Simply type "define: [enter the word]" into your Google search for the definition. Eats, Shoots & Leaves By Lynne Truss - Truss' text is a must-have if you need to brush up and refine your punctuation. The Elements of Style By William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White - For the odd rule and giving your writing style professional polish. 10-Step Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar Revision Checklist Spelling - Check for misspelled words.   Misused Words - Review a running list of words you're prone to misuse (even if they're typos). For example: it's vs. its, your vs. you're, their vs. there, and a vs. an.   Apostrophes - Look for all non-possessive plural nouns (ensure there's no apostrophe) as well as review contractions or possessive nouns for apostrophe usage.   Commas - Review for comma splices (a comma joining two independent clauses without the presence of a coordinating conjunction) as well as revise commas used in a series.   Colons and Semicolons - Check colons for introducing long quotes, announcements, and introducing a series without expressions such as namely, that is, etc. Fix comma splices by joining independent clauses with a semicolon when stylistically correct.   Dashes and Hyphens - Ensure dashes are not excessively used and they maintain a space on either side. Check whether your compound modifiers are using hyphens correctly (no space on either side).   Other Punctuation - Review for excessive exclamation points and ellipses as well as period usage relative to quotation marks.   Run-on Sentences - Find every occurrence of coordinating conjunctions - e.g., and, but, or, and yet - and revise any run-on sentences.   Sentence Structure - Check for unclear syntax and unnecessary passive voice.   Asides - Check parentheticals and adjust sentences to ensure they're used only when absolutely necessary. There you have it - my 10-step checklist. What do you include in your Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar Revision Checklist? What resources do you keep (and use!) in your writing space? Click here to let us know - we'd love to hear from you. Want more grammar insights? Browse the Grammar Tips category for posts on top misused words, spelling blunders, punctuation howlers, and much more! To Your Article Writing Success & Passion! Penny, Managing Editor http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ PS: Add a little more structure to your articles with EzineArticles' 52 interactive Article Templates on PDF. Get them here for just $19.97! EzineArticles Member Endorsement "EzineArticles surely has worked for me." I really have supported my business with my ezine articles ... This has been a tremendous boost to branding of my name, my website, and my various projects. I am looked upon as an expert on aging, someone that writes about their subject. People get an idea of what you think, as well as what you can give to their organization or on an individual basis. EzineArticles surely has worked for me. Patricia Weaver PatriciaWeaver.net 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-8814720-4884430.91384863d13c19d33b8fa26a396b13a6@lists.permissionbasedemail.com ISSN: 1525-7126 - Library Of Congress, Washington D.C. Postal address: EzineArticles.com, PO Box 12740 Green Bay WI 54307 USA © Copyright 1999-2013 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

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