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You know the saying, if you don’t know where you are going; any road will take you there. It’s like that sometimes when it comes to article writing. Writing off the cuff just to get content out there because you’re busy is dangerous. You’re writing on one topic, by the end of the article you find your focus has shifted elsewhere.

That’s what busy does. You may be an affiliate marketer spending time posting on social forums. You may also engage in mentoring and training downline members in your affiliate program. You may also spend time keeping up a blog and a website. You’re writing product reviews and e-mail campaigns. You’re time is at a premium.

Now it’s article-marketing time. You know that article promotion via a good article distribution service pays dividends. You need to get those articles written to get your links widespread distribution in cyber land. However, you’re busy, so you decide to sit down and just whip some content off fast.

So that’s what you do and what is the result? The result is meandering text, which is unfocused and rambling. Why is it like this? It’s because you lacked a plan and an outline for that plan. You just wrote to get something onscreen. You did accomplish getting something onscreen. It doesn’t mean it’s suitable for publishers. It probably is not suitable content for readers’ screens either.

That’s when you may want to try outlining. An outline will help you present “writing with a purpose” to content publishers and your audience. An outline will also help you focus on what’s important in an article. It will help you eliminate fluff that your readers do not need. The following tips can help you outline so your articles shine online:

Have a Plan

First, know the purpose of your article. What is the topic you are presenting? How detailed will you be in presenting the topic. For article marketing, you will typically write in the 500 to 700–word range. Focus on a few main points, and then make your point. Don’t try to fit a thesis into a shorter article.

Write Your Headline

Make the headline descriptive, catchy, snappy, interesting, or intriguing. Maybe you have a gift for headline writing and can make it all those things. You want to grab your readers’ attention with a good headline.

Write Your Introduction

In your outline, write a line about what issue, problem, dilemma, or process you will discuss. Write one line so you give your article immediate focus. You can make your actual introduction three or four sentences. However, this is your outline, so make it one line, to get you on track. Make it like a movie synopsis, such as “It’s about a giant shark terrorizing people on an East Coast beachfront.”

Write Your Main Body Points

Don’t try to give all information to all people in a short article. Pick a few main points and present them clearly. Your outline should include one or two line comments about each main point. For your outline three to five main bullet points is a good rule of thumb.

If you want a little more detail, write out a sub-heading under each main point. Make sure your main points expand on your introduction. If they do not, then you are probably off topic.

Conclusion

That’s all folks. Yes, your conclusion is the wrap up. Briefly summarize what you talked about and inspire your reader to act. Ask them to try something, investigate something, or consider something. Encourage them to research elsewhere for more information. You want them to act upon what they have just read.

Consider outlining to help you focus your writing. Your web articles for your article marketing efforts will be that much better. After all, focused content that has a purpose can win you the customers you desire.