How to Recognize a High Quality Article
When you build a site using content that you did not create, it is
imperative that you use only high quality content. This page aims to define how to judge good quality
articles and to explain why it will matter.
Some people have the idea that lousy content will drive more ad
clicks. While that may be true in the short term, in the long term it is deadly, because your site will NOT
gain popularity. Organic search engine traffic, and referral traffic from satisfied users is very important
to the success of an AdSense site, because the cost of driving clicks to your site is almost never less than
the amount that you can earn from clicks off your site, even when you do resort to sleezy tactics. So getting
free traffic is very important, and that happens when you build a truly useful site, that people like, and
want to come back to, or send other people to..
So, quality becomes the criteria for articles on your site. And
quality can sometimes be hard to define because it can be very subjective. It has some common elements
though:
- It is always relevant. That means, it pertains to your site
topic, or to the category topic within the site.
- It has a minimum of spelling and grammar errors. You can
really tell when someone is a professional writer, and when they are not. Accuracy counts. Bad spelling
and grammar make articles hard to read, and people don't like that.
- It is aimed at the target reader. That means, if it is aimed
at seniors, it uses language they can understand. If it is aimed at academics, the language is precise.
If it is aimed at casual markets, the language is informal and fun. You get the
idea.
- It contains the "wow" factor, or an "ah-ha" moment. That
means, it has something unique, and desirable, that is not available just anywhere. It is NOT vanilla! It
is chocolate raspberry creme, with lemon curls. The "wow" factor is writing that makes it enjoyable to
read, or informative. The "ah-ha" factor is a bit of information that is the key to understanding
something that is otherwise difficult to understand. Something that makes them think, "OH... NOW I get
it!", or "Hey! I can DO that!".
- It has character, unique information, and appeal. This is
similar to the above element, only permeates through the article. Many articles out there are
substantially identical to hundreds of others. The writer did not think to expand on an idea, or they
wrote a basic piece because they were starting out and did not have enough knowledge to write anything
better. A good article though, will contain something unique, either in how it is written, or in the
informational content.
- It may only entertain. Articles may be other than
informational. Sometimes they are just to enjoy. If it is a story, or an anecdote, it should be written
with a sense of fun, or nostalgia, or some other technique that really does carry the reader away for a
moment. If the article has no educational or informational purpose, then it should clearly be
recognizable that it is intended to entertain, and it should do that
effectively.
- It is NEVER just a glorified ad. It does not make direct
reference to the owner's business, or products, unless it is in an off-hand way, such as saying, "one of
my clients had this kind of situation", as an example of what you are talking about. "Why my services are
better than everyone else's" is not a viable article topic. "Choosing a service provider for (name it)"
is valid, IF the focus is on generally applicable principles that apply to any provider of that
service.
Ok, some of that may have sounded redundant, but it is difficult
to articulate some aspects of quality. Good quality is described in many terms: relevant, professional,
interesting, etc. But defining what those terms mean in a way that you can apply to an article is more
difficult!
Don't be afraid to trash an article. If you read one and think, "I
could do better than that!" then do so. If you read one that has some valid points, but too many errors, then
make a list of the good points (do not copy their words exactly, use your own), and then expand that into an
article of your own. If you cannot do it yourself, then find a writer who is skilled enough to do it for you
(it is worth paying for a good article, because it can be used for many things).
When you use content from other writers, they will write about
things you never thought of. But they may NOT write about things in a logical way that you can relate to -
you may find that your site has sort of a hodge-podge of articles on a specific topic rather than a logical
progression of instruction. You may find that one writer covers one aspect, and another covers another, but
that there is overlap in between. You'll never get as clean a site as if you wrote it yourself, but you can
assemble a site with meaning, value, and appeal, that will earn you good income over the long
term.
Written by Laura Wheeler
Owner, Firelight Web
Studio
http://www.firelightwebstudio.com
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