[EzineArticles] 7 Ways to Give Thanks as an Article Writer

7 Ways to Give Thanks as an Article Writer Have You Thanked Your Readers Lately? With the holiday season in full swing, it's important to reconnect with family members, enjoy good food, and most importantly, give thanks. On the business end, it's essential to reflect on ways to thank your readers, customers, and niche followers. Giving thanks is a win-win for you and your audience because both sides feel the positive energy through the message. If you're looking for ideas to accomplish this, we have a few to consider. It's the perfect time to show others how much they mean to you. Seize the opportunity! 1. Send a Thank You Email: This is perhaps the most common form of thanks to reach a wide audience. Send a thank you email to those who recently purchased a product, commented on an article, or interacted with your business in a positive way. Write a personalized message for your most active or engaged customers. It may seem old-fashioned, but it's still an effective, genuine method of expressing your gratitude. You may be surprised on the feedback you receive from something as simple as this. 2. Shoot a Video: Videos are a crucial aspect in promoting your brand and vision. They are a potent force of influence due to their personal nature. Thank your readers by giving a behind-the-scenes look at an aspect of your business, or share a personal experience that means a lot to you. These videos don't have to be long; keep it short and sweet! 3. Ask for Feedback: Many companies rely heavily on consumer feedback. Asking for suggestions and actually following through is a great way to give back to your audience. When you're due for some changes in your business, reward customers by choosing their best ideas, and praising them publicly or personally for their brilliant contributions. They will appreciate your dedication to take their feedback to heart. 4. Offer a Freebie or Special Deal: Corporate gifts are always popular around the holidays; however, they can also be very expensive. If you don't have the budget to give away free promotional items, consider running a special. Slash prices on existing items or plan a new promotion around the holidays to give back to your customers. "Special deals" can be focused on recurring customers where only a select amount will be thanked in this way, which creates a feeling of exclusivity. 5. Interact with Them: If you have a large following, it can be difficult to respond to all comments and feedback. Don't slack off in this area. Make the time to comment back to those who gave you a line of appreciation or inspiration. There can be some real gems in the comment sections of your articles, blog, social media pages or app reviews, don't let them go unrecognized. They're your biggest fans; let them know you're listening! 6. Put Them in the Spotlight: Dedicate a portion of your website to feature your best followers or customers. You can point out their exceptional talents, thank them for their efforts, and also showcase their business or product. When you reach out to them to get their permission, you can also ask a few questions about themselves and their business. Let them know they deserve recognition for whatever it may be that you find to be exceptional. 7. Provide Quality Content: We couldn't end this list without pointing out the most obvious, and sometimes neglected way of thanking your readers... new content! Reusing old material is not going to win over your audience. You need to work for their praise and trust, and original content is a sure way of making an impact. Strategically plan new articles and promotions, and keep things interesting for your readers. There you have it, 7 ways to give thanks as an article writer! If you're pressed for time, focus on the most accessible forms of thanks from the list above. If you're pondering these ideas, but are unsure if your readers have really done anything for you lately, this post may be up your alley. Do you have any great ways to thank your audience? Please share! As always, THANK YOU for reading! To Your Article Writing/Marketing Success & Passion! Courtney, EzineArticles Member Support Manager http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ P.S. We are thankful for ALL of the hard-working writers who helped EzineArticles.com become what it is today! EzineArticles Member Endorsement "EzineArticles is a Great Way to Start Out" I didn't know that writing and submitting an article could be this easy and exciting! EzineArticles really allows a writer to write and share great articles without hesitation. EzineArticles is a great way to start out if you are thinking about article writing. I love my EzineArticles! Kisha N Rivera http://ezinearticles.com/endorsements/ EzineArticles Newsletter Information Join EzineArticles | Manage Your Newsletter Subscription EzineArticles RSS Feed | List Support Create Free Membership Account | Login For Members Only To Leave The EzineArticles Newsletter: leave-10562732-4884430.91384863d13c19d33b8fa26a396b13a6@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 1999-2014 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

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[EzineArticles] How to FAIL at Network Marketing on Social Media

How to FAIL at Network Marketing on Social Media Social Media Opens Doors - Don't Let Them Slam in Your Face! When it comes to business, social networks are an amazing communication tool. They connect new relationships and re-kindle the old. They facilitate conversation, help organize events, and spread information. They can even be a great place to promote your business… when you do it correctly! If you're active on a social network, such as Facebook, you may know a person who uses it to SPAM their business promotions. They push their products, invite you to countless events, pretend to be genuine, and simply plug your feed with endless promotional JUNK until you're compelled to unfollow or defriend them. Because some of our article writers are involved with affiliate or network marketing, we want to share some insight on the best practices. So, how do you know when your social network promotion is pushing the limit? Easy. Here are 3 people you DON'T want to become. The "Get Rich Quick" Girl – This young lady joined a network marketing business because she wanted to be a stay at home mom and make quick, easy money while doing it. She doesn't have business experience, but her brand ambassador assured her it would be simple. She primarily uses Facebook to promote her products, and her posts sound more like a PLEA than a quality pitch. A supportive friend asked for product information and she simply led them to a website to answer their questions. She mysteriously stopped selling after 6 months. Lesson: Network marketing isn't a "get rich quick" solution. It requires dedication and hard work. If you're going to sell a product, know your product! Compare it to a person who goes to work, but doesn't know how to do their job. They won't have a paycheck for long! The Cult Recruiter – This person knows they need to get others on board in order to succeed. He spends hours sending messages to everybody on his friend lists. He tags people in all of his posts about the product. Slowly you start seeing more people you know joining his "cult." He continues to push the "cool factor" and makes it seem like everybody is joining. Ultimately, he dedicates too much time to recruiting his clique and everything falls apart because the product was a failure. He loses friends in the process. Lesson: Don't be a bully. Be sure people join for the right reasons. Running a network marketing business shouldn't be something you lose friends over because of the false promises you made. Make sure you BELIEVE in your product! Miss Insincere – She fills your news feed with product testimonials that were copied from others in her network marketing circle. She posts terrible quality graphics and photographs that she found in an image search of her company name. Her posts are obnoxiously long and you wonder: Does anybody actually read all of this? Lesson: Be genuine in your Facebook posting. People will know if you took the time to compose the post. They will know if you simply plugged in images from others in your niche. Don't write a novel. Do be short, sweet and sincere. To Recap Our Points: 1. Be dedicated and ready to work hard. 2. Know your product inside and out. 3. Believe in your product. 4. Don't make false promises to recruit others. 5. Be genuine in your efforts. 6. Don't SPAM your social circle. Follow these principles and you're on the right track to build a successful affiliate or a network marketing business for the right reasons! Looking for more social media tips? Re-visit these blog posts: - Stop and Listen: A Guide to a Solid Social Media Strategy - 10 Social Media Marketing Mistakes to Avoid - Top 7 Tips to Social Media Holiday Buzz Do you have any tips to share with those who do network or affiliate marketing on social media? Post your thoughts in the comments below. To Your Article Writing/Marketing Success & Passion! Courtney, EzineArticles Member Support Manager http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ P.S. Do you want to be notified when new articles are written on a topic of your choice? You can sign up for the EzineArticles.com New Article Email Alert Service here. EzineArticles Member Endorsement "Giving Me the Exposure That I Need" I am excited about being a part of EzineArticles as an Expert Author. It has been a learning process for me. I am a Christian Author and I will be publishing 2 books in the 2014 year. Publishing some of my articles on EzineArticles is giving me the exposure that I need to market myself to potential customers. I'm grateful for the opportunity to express my message to the world! Meiah Shaun http://ezinearticles.com/endorsements/ EzineArticles Newsletter Information Join EzineArticles | Manage Your Newsletter Subscription EzineArticles RSS Feed | List Support Create Free Membership Account | Login For Members Only To Leave The EzineArticles Newsletter: leave-10554421-4884430.91384863d13c19d33b8fa26a396b13a6@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 1999-2014 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

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[EzineArticles] 5 Ways Reading Can Help Generate Content Ideas

5 Ways Reading Can Help Generate Content Ideas Out of Ideas? Start Reading! Every day we are constantly reading. We read emails, text messages, news articles, street signs, product packages … the list is endless! In all of the reading we do, we can use it to our benefit to see things from a new angle and write about what we read. Recently we published a blog post titled, '5 Ways Reading Can Encourage Better Writing Techniques.' The blog post discussed the value of reading in order to improve your techniques as a writer. In this post, we are going to cover ways that reading can help you generate ideas for your article writing. Use the strategies below to help you develop new and interesting content for your readers. Reading for Ideas 1. Play the Opposite Game: While reading material in your everyday routine, make a conscious effort to take note of the message or point in what you read. Next, consider how you could switch up the angle. If something you read discussed which tools you should use, write an article in your niche that includes which tools to avoid. If you read tips to succeed, your next article could cover areas that are blocking success in your niche. 2. Brainstorm Reading: Challenge yourself to complete a book, magazine, or an article and write down an article idea after each paragraph, page, or chapter. The idea can be anything. It can be based on the events, feelings, struggles, or successes discussed in what you just read. The point is to jot down a quick idea and continue reading. When you're finished reading, you will have a large variety of ideas at your fingertips. 3. Critique the Critic: There are thousands, if not millions of critics on every subject matter. They spend their time glued to screens, testing countless products and writing reviews about each and every experience in order to deliver the most honest and effective review for their audiences. Read reviews from all different sources and learn how their content is formed. Take notes on what was done right, then think about how you can use those strategies in your future articles! 4. Scour the Headlines: Go to your favorite print or electronic news outlet and read the headlines. Look for descriptive verbs and nouns that could be written about from the perspective of your niche. For example, a headline reading, "A Crisis in a Small Town," could generate an idea to write about a crisis from the angle of your niche. Or, you could write about how your niche fits in to small town life. Get creative! 5. Tell a Backstory: Next time you're reading, think of the story behind what you read. With just a bit of research you can discuss the way something came to be as it is today. Share the history of a product, brand, or cultural occurrence. Think beyond what you read and write a piece for somebody who wants to know more about the backstory. P.S. If you enjoy storytelling, I suggest checking out our Tell Your Story Article Template Package for great storytelling ideas. You can find it at the bottom of the page here. Reading benefits our skills as a writer in more ways than we realize. Next time you're reading, whether for pleasure or simply in your daily routine, take a step back and consider how you can turn a piece of content into an article of your own. Ideas are everywhere! Do you have any strategies to generate new content ideas? Please share in the comments below! To Your Article Writing/Marketing Success & Passion! Courtney, EzineArticles Member Support Manager http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ P.S. If you're stuck on ideas, we highly recommend trying our 'Build Your Own Article Template Packages' to ease the writing process. For as low as $6.14, you can purchase 15 article templates! Make your purchase here. EzineArticles Member Endorsement "EzineArticles.com Has Offered a Professional and Credible Platform for Building My Brand and Expertise" I have been a member and submitting articles with EzineArticles.com for 6 years ago to the day (December 17)! As a business entrepreneur, speaker and instructor, EzineArticles.com has offered a professional and credible platform for building my brand and expertise. Many freelance writers have been able to find my online articles, request interviews, feature me in their publications and offer paid speaking engagements. I also use the articles to further connect with potential clients and add value. My second published book, through my company, is a compilation of 16 articles that I published through EzineArticles.com. I have been able to sell and promote the book through various business events. Chi Chi Okezie http://ezinearticles.com/endorsements/ EzineArticles Newsletter Information Join EzineArticles | Manage Your Newsletter Subscription EzineArticles RSS Feed | List Support Create Free Membership Account | Login For Members Only To Leave The EzineArticles Newsletter: leave-10533703-4884430.91384863d13c19d33b8fa26a396b13a6@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 1999-2014 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

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[EzineArticles] Trick or Treat! Quit Tricking Your Audience into a Bad Experience!

Trick or Treat! Quit Tricking Your Audience into a Bad Experience! Are You Scaring Your Readers? October 31st is Halloween in the United States. It's a time of year that's fun to scare unsuspecting friends or "trick or treaters" with frightening masks, creepy costumes and spooky decorations. Let's pretend it's Halloween in the world of article writing. Can you think of things that would turn away readers? Perhaps it's terrifyingly long, never-ending articles, bone-chilling topics, or maybe an in-your-face startling approach. As an Expert Author, you should avoid any alarming tactics that will disturb your audience. It's crucial to practice pleasant communication so your readers don't end up running for their lives! Listed below are 15 tips on etiquette to stop scaring away your audience. Follow along closely, you may be guilty of some of these without realizing! Article Writing: Does it Need a Makeover? 1. A Never-Ending Terror: Be thorough when you present the information that you've collected, however, don't take forever to unravel content and then trail off without making a point. Don't exhaust your readers, keep it short and sweet, and get to the point! 2. Fear-Provoking Conspiracy Theories: Not every topic is entangled in a conspiracy or global cover-up. While these theories can be interesting and will create chatter, it is difficult to maintain truth. It also takes a lot of effort to keep up with the reaction from readers! Stay optimistic and write about improving conditions, not just unleashing negative opinions. 3. Dismembered Grammar: Complex sentences that are disjointed and confusing to understand will turn your readers away in the first paragraph. Write in simple terms. Many times "more is less" when it comes to wording. Reread your material and get an extra set of eyes to look it over before it's finalized. 4. Ghostly Knowledge: You've no doubt come across a "dull" article. The author claims to be an expert and the only real tip is to purchase a product or look online for more information. Be specific and provide informative detail so your readers can see the benefit! 5. The Monstrous Paragraph: Bulleted lists, clear headings and short paragraphs are the key to presenting an exceptional article. If you are accustomed to only using one or 2 paragraphs, you're not utilizing the full power of article layout. Make your article pop by perfecting the design. Web Design: Is it in Style? 6. Decrepit Technology: If you use a smartphone or tablet, doesn't it annoy you when the website is horrible to read? Responsive web design is top priority, as it will scare away potential customers if not implemented. You can read more information on responsive design by visiting here. 7. Eternal Loading Pages: One of the quickest ways to lose readers is to test their patience by allowing links to load at a snail's pace. Be persistent and check your load times to solve broken or slow links before you're the only one waiting ... for anyone to look at your site. 8. Complete Darkness: If a reader clicks your link and is required to give their contact details for any substantial amount of content, they will exit your page! Don't leave your readers in the dark. Turn on the light and build their trust by providing the content they came to find. 9. Horrifying Maze: Intuitive navigation can be tricky to display and implement on a website. Your goal should be to make any topic easily found within a click or two. If a simple topic takes too long to figure out, your readers will be on your competitor's site having a much better experience. 10. Sensory Overload: An unorganized and flashy website will make your readers' heads spin. Your site should be structured professionally, with the most important pieces featured. You don't want your audience to go blind trying to digest everything. Video Marketing: Have You Looked in the Mirror? 11. Spine-Chilling Speed: There's a difference between displaying confidence and talking too fast. When you're creating videos, quality is still preferred over quantity. Relay your best tips in a short and concise way, and always speak clearly. Unless you're an auctioneer, you're not required to speed talk your way through a video. 12. Mysterious Message: Even if you have a million ideas to share with your readers, you shouldn't share them all at once! Before finalizing your video, seek a friend's advice on how easily they understand your tips. If you see them scratching their head, keep working at it. 13. Sucking the Life Out of Valued Customers: When you have valued customers who continue purchasing from you, the worst thing you can do is suck the life out of them by pressuring them even more. Give them space and offer something for free that will relieve the tension. Recurring customers are key! 14. Devilish Intimidation: When you're marketing with videos, it can be a habit to push products with "limited time offers" or bundles to help your customers save money. However, this can be intimidating and you may come out as the bully. Rethink your marketing efforts and refrain from sly, pushing language. 15. Bad Disguise: While it can be a good change to step out of your comfort zone, it's not always a good game plan to completely alter your appearance or personality. This relates to videos because you are seen in the flesh, and your audience will judge you. Be yourself and smile! You'll win them over this way. If you're able to avoid all of the scary tricks above, your audience is sure to be treated by your articles and website material. If you do find you've been guilty of some of these spooky tactics, it's not too late to meet the needs of your readers. Check out our related post by reading 7 Keys to Repair a Severed Connection with Your Audience. Keep in mind, the only people you should be scaring away is your competition! Happy Halloween to all of you! To Your Article Writing/Marketing Success & Passion! Courtney, EzineArticles Member Support Manager http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ P.S. Read last year's Halloween blog post titled 'What Writers Can Learn From Zombies, Werewolves, and Vampires' here! EzineArticles Member Endorsement "I have identified article submission to EzineArticles as one of my prime marketing strategies." I just want to express my thanks for the opportunity that your site EzineArticles has presented to me and the results of that opportunity. Since April of 2005, I have been submitting articles and now have 231 articles. As I continually managed to revise the site to make it more search engine friendly and I continued to submit articles, amazing results began to happen. Without the opportunity to use article marketing and specifically EzineArticles.com, I know that these measurable results would not have been achieved. The quality of your site draws thousands of readers as well as allowing submitted articles to be reproduced globally. Making a web site search engine friendly is one step in Internet marketing but having traffic and spreading credibility as a subject matter expert of business related topics are two other critical steps. Leanne Hoagland-Smith http://ezinearticles.com/endorsements/ EzineArticles Newsletter Information Join EzineArticles | Manage Your Newsletter Subscription EzineArticles RSS Feed | List Support Create Free Membership Account | Login For Members Only To Leave The EzineArticles Newsletter: leave-10493427-4884430.91384863d13c19d33b8fa26a396b13a6@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 1999-2014 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

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[EzineArticles] The Rules of Capitalization

The Rules of Capitalization Uppercase or Lowercase? Learn the Case! The definition of capitalization is fairly simple. It's the practice of making certain letters uppercase, or capitalized, when needed. Knowing when to use proper capitalization isn't as simple, especially for non-native English writers. When it comes to capitalization, it's important to use the correct case because it lends to your credibility as a writer. If an article contains excessive capitalized words in unnecessary situations, it will send a message of inexperience to the reader. If a brand or proper name isn't capitalized, it could send a message of disregard for the lack of attention to detail. Bottom line, it's essential to use the correct case! If you're unsure of when to use capitalization in your writing, review the rules and examples below to give you a better idea. Staple Rules #1: Beginning of a Sentence Always capitalize the first letter of a word in the beginning of a sentence. #2: The Pronoun "I" Always capitalize the pronoun "I" and its variations: I'll, I'm, I've, I'd. Rules of Proper Nouns A proper noun is different from a common noun in that it refers to a specific, distinctive person, place or thing, rather than a generic person, place or thing. These include: #3: Names of People Capitalize public figures, specific people, and specific nicknames. Uppercase: Mother Theresa, Stephen King, my sister Amanda, my friend Scooter Lowercase: charity worker, writer, sister or friend (when used generically) #4: Names of Places Capitalize landmarks, buildings, geographical regions, cities, states, countries, and continents. Uppercase: Central Park, Willis Tower, North West, Los Angeles, Florida, Canada, Europe Lowercase: the park, the building, left, city, state, country, continent #5: Names of Organizations Capitalize political, government, national, racial, social, civil, religious, and athletic groups. Uppercase: American Red Cross, Peace Corps, New York Yankees, Chinese, Democrats Lowercase: community, charity, the baseball team, politicians #6: Brands Capitalize specific product names, names of companies, names of websites, and trademarked words. Uppercase: Kleenex, Apple, iPad, Yahoo!, McDonald's Lowercase: tissues, cola, tablet, cheeseburger #7: Dates Capitalize days of the week, months of the year, and holidays. Uppercase: Monday, December, Halloween Lowercase: today, next month, the party #8: Family Members Capitalize the names of family members when you're using the family title in place of their real name; and capitalize their family title when it's part of their name. Uppercase: I love Mother. / My Aunt Mary is funny. Lowercase: I love my mother. / My aunt is funny. #9: Professional Titles Capitalize professional titles when they precede a name, but not following the name. Uppercase: You should call Mayor Jones. Lowercase: I called John Jones, mayor of Rockville. #10: Acronyms An acronym is an abbreviation of a longer phrase represented by a series of letters. Acronyms should be capitalized. Uppercase: SEO, MLM, JPEG, MLB, ATM Lowercase: Very few exceptions because acronyms often abbreviate proper nouns. Ultimately, the rules of capitalization include many more scenarios depending on the unique situation. In this list, we included the most crucial rules in order to ensure everybody has a grasp on the case of capitalization. Always do your best to use correct capitalization and to avoid using capitalization when it isn't needed. We realize it can be tricky; if you're not sure, do your research and don't hesitate to ask! Do you have any questions about capitalization in specific instances? Comment below! To Your Article Writing/Marketing Success & Passion! Courtney, EzineArticles Member Support Manager http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ P.S. We share more writing tips on the EzineArticles Facebook Page. EzineArticles Member Endorsement "Keeps Me Doing What I Love So Much ... Writing" Writing for EzineArticles keeps me involved in life and learning. I've written articles on topics I never thought I would write about and enjoyed the challenge. My articles have been published thousands of times and translated into Spanish, Japanese, Arabic, and many other languages. EzineArticles keeps my name on the Internet and this helps me market my books. Most of all, writing for EzineArticles.com keeps me doing what I love so much - writing. Harriet Hodgson http://ezinearticles.com/endorsements/ 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-10486339-4884430.91384863d13c19d33b8fa26a396b13a6@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 1999-2014 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

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[EzineArticles] Writing Tips to Overcome Aspects of Failure

Writing Tips to Overcome Aspects of Failure Success is Often Served with a Side of Failure. Hold the Failure. It's not unusual for writers to chase success only to keep falling short of their goals. Failure is part of the process, and it should never force a confident author to give up. The feeling of defeat should be motivation to take on a challenge; it should be a learning experience to try a different approach. Here are a few examples of unsuccessful authors who became impatient and lost momentum with their writing. If you can see yourself experiencing the same frustration, pay attention to the tips that follow each example. Bill – A Daily Habit of Excuses: If Bill had time to write, he made excuses not to write. When he had excellent ideas for a new article, he convinced himself that the topic had been covered by someone else. He was no longer driven and passionate about his work. He had a barrel full of excuses and a bad case of procrastination. Tips: • Becoming an expert author will not happen overnight, but each night of some progress is a win. • Making excuses to postpone writing will trickle down into your personal life. Stay motivated and battle through procrastination! • The saying "practice makes perfect" is simply a line of encouragement. You don't have to be perfect; you just have to want it. Kathy – Too Many Fish in the Sea: Kathy was a motivated self-starter who never paid attention to the success of other authors. Over time, she lost focus and developed a habit of checking out the competition. Her work ethic began to decline at the sheer sight of all of the successful writers out there. How could she possibly stand a chance? Tips: • Keep your eye on the big picture and don't worry about the other guy. • Everyone has struggles of their own; learn to overcome yours just as others have done. • No one knows what you have up your sleeve. Think big and leave a strong impression! Jim – Public Eye Jitters: Jim was on the top of his game with his writing skills, but was too shy to get his name out there. He wanted to establish his credibility and showcase his niche without looking desperate. He just didn't feel comfortable or confident on the right approach to article marketing. He ended up turning his writing into a hobby and no one has heard from him since. Tips: • It takes passion, hard work and effective strategies to get the word out, not a background in marketing & sales. • Publish your work under a pen name if you're not ready to put your name out there. • Take to social media to see how other writers are finding success. It doesn't hurt to ask for advice! Robert – Loss of Creativity: Writer's block took its toll on Robert, an author just starting out. There were so many niches to write about that he became overwhelmed. What's the hot topic? What information did the readers crave? These questions continued to bug Robert, so he stayed on the couch and sulked, postponing his potential to break out. His creative juices were not flowing and he gave up. Tips: • Revisit old pieces of your writing and reflect on the inspiration you felt at the time you wrote it. • Step outside. Visit a place out of your ordinary routine and reflect on your experiences. • Re-read an article, short story, or book that left you feeling inspired. Your creativity is there, it just needs to be re-ignited. Sarah – Zero Time to Write: Finding time to write can be like searching for a pin at the bottom of a pool. If there's one thing that Sarah didn't have, it was a moment to herself. Long work hours, appointments, and kids to look after sucked up all of her energy. It seemed like her only escape was in the bathroom! It was hopeless; she just wasn't cut out to be a writer. Tips: • Be vocal about your time constraints. Stick to them. Others will understand. • Get your own space for your writing. You will find peace when you're locked away from your distractions. • Practice time-saving techniques. Check out these 30 Time-Saving Tips for ideas. It may seem success comes easier for others, but realize that successful writers have their own obstacles to overcome. Continue making progress with your writing and don't lose hope. Put on your apron and get creative. It's OK to break a couple of eggs on your way to the main course. As long as you think positive and keep trying, you will overcome failure! To Your Article Writing/Marketing Success & Passion! Courtney, EzineArticles Member Support Manager http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ P.S. Stuck on article ideas? Try our Build Your Own Article Template Packages for extra help! EzineArticles Member Endorsement "Thank you EzineArticles for your support!" I am delighted with the success I am experiencing by contributing to EzineArticles. Being able to place the Expert Author icon on my blog has earned me priceless credibility, attracted thousands of article clicks and inquiries and promoted me prominently in the search engine lists. But that's not all. I believe I have become a better writer because of the high standards set by this service. In addition, I have learned so much from other EzineArticles Expert Authors. The valuable community that EzineArticles has built is an educational resource that no writer can do without. Sunny Nash http://ezinearticles.com/endorsements/ EzineArticles Newsletter Information Join EzineArticles | Manage Your Newsletter Subscription EzineArticles RSS Feed | List Support Create Free Membership Account | Login For Members Only To Leave The EzineArticles Newsletter: leave-10470911-4884430.91384863d13c19d33b8fa26a396b13a6@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 1999-2014 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

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[EzineArticles] Responsive Web Design is KEY in a Quality Browsing Experience

Responsive Web Design is KEY in a Quality Browsing Experience Rate Your Browsing Have you ever viewed a website on your smartphone or tablet and found it difficult to read because it required extensive resizing and scrolling? This occurred because the website didn't have responsive web design. Is your website or blog responsive? If it isn't, we highly recommend taking the necessary measures to provide a quality browsing experience for your readers. Wait, What is Responsive Web Design? A website with responsive design is built to provide an optimal viewing experience on all devices. In other words, the website is easy to read and navigate on desktop monitors, smartphones, tablets, etc. Why is it Important? Responsive design is necessary because people now access the web on a multitude of devices. Smartphone and tablet web browsing already accounts for a large percentage of web traffic and will continue to increase. In fact, almost half of the traffic on EzineArticles.com comes from a non-desktop device. We recommend making your site mobile-friendly for these reasons: Traffic: You don't want to lose traffic because your site is difficult to read and navigate. SEO: Responsive websites tend to rank higher in search results. Competition: If your site isn't easy to navigate, it's possible users will go to your competitors. Credibility: If you have a good-looking site, users will be more likely to spend time browsing and trust your products or services. How it's Done First, determine if this is a job that can be done by you or if you need to outsource it to a professional. If you have a blog, such as WordPress, you can select a WordPress Theme that is already responsive. Refer to the 'help' section of your blog provider's website if you're unsure how to do this. If you have an HTML/static website, you can edit your design by adding media queries to your code. If you're not experienced in coding, you can choose to outsource the work. However, you will want to use caution in any sort of outsourcing process. Buyer Beware. Before hiring a programmer to code your responsive design, ensure you're using a credible site and that the person or business has a solid reputation. If you post an ad on a freelance project website, use caution if the reply to your ad reads pre-scripted as these are typically not services you want to use. Confirm the person you hire is genuine in their work and able to communicate in regard to your needs. Also, be sure to ask for examples of their work. As a side note, the price will fluctuate depending on whether your website needs to be completely re-coded or if it can simply be edited by adding media queries. Keep this in mind when you discuss pricing. Bottom line: Use caution and shop around. Additional Thoughts Regardless if you do-it-yourself or if you outsource, here are some additional things to consider before you begin the project. Content. Many times you can't fit everything on a mobile site. Make a list of what should be included on the mobile version and what can be left out. Be specific. Design. Look around at other mobile-friendly sites. Do you see any designs you especially like? Take note. Think about what kind of layout would work best with the type of content you feature. As we mentioned, mobile browsing is on the rise. Phones are getting bigger, tablets are getting less expensive, and everybody wants to be connected on-the-go. Whether or not you decide to make your website responsive is ultimately your decision. However, we can say, it WILL improve the user experience, which largely impacts your bottom line. User experience is key! Have you already made your website responsive? We'd love for you to share your tips with others in the comments below! To Your Article Writing/Marketing Success & Passion! Courtney, EzineArticles Member Support http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ P.S. You can check out some of our top members here. 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. 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