As a small business owner, you know that you should have different Internet marketing strategies. By using a combination of free and paid marketing efforts like social media and pay per click ads you can increase the effectiveness of your marketing efforts. One of the many Internet marketing strategies that you may be overlooking is e-zine articles.
What Is An E-Zine? 
The term e-zine is simply short for electronic magazine. They are usually narrowly focused on one topic and are used to distribute information to a targeted audience. There are currently over 300,000 e-zines on the web, each one with a specific topic and an engaged audience. No matter what industry you are in there is probably an e-zine dedicated to it.
How Can An E-Zine Help? 
A targeted, engaged audience is every business owners dream. Because of this narrow focus, e-zine articles should be part of your Internet marketing strategies.
Using e-zines is one of the most effective internet marketing strategies because it cost nothing to implement. As long as you, or someone on your staff, can write about your product or service in an interesting way you can start your e-zine marketing campaign immediately.
How to Get Started
If you decide to use e-zine articles as part of your Internet marketing strategies the first thing you want to do is find a topic that focuses on your industry. You can find these e-zines with a simple Internet search for “e-zine directory” and then drill down to your specific industry.
Once you find an e-zine that covers your industry contact the editor and introduce yourself. Explain that you would like to contribute to the e-zine and let the editor know about your credentials. Pitch the editor a few story ideas until one is accepted. By using e-zine articles as part of your Internet marketing strategies, you are presenting yourself as an expert in your field which will lead to readers trusting your opinion and they will be more inclined to patronize your business.
Writing the Article
Like all other Internet marketing strategies content is the most important factor when using e-zine articles to promote your company. There are a few steps to writing an engaging article.
- Be Yourself. Use your unique voice. Don’t try to sound like some other writer that may be popular. What makes your story interesting is that you are in this industry every day. You know the ins and outs of a particular product or service. Your years of experience should come through in your article.
- Storytelling. Readers do not want to read a sales pitch, they want a good story. Capture their interest and give them good information. You are in a unique position to really let the readers know what your industry is really like. Keep them engaged with a good story and they will become loyal fans and, hopefully, customers.
- Keep It Brief. Most people do not have the time to spend reading 2,000 words on any topic. Keep your article between 400-600 words. This is the ideal length for the web. Use short paragraphs and use lists whenever possible.
By adding e-zine articles to the rest of your Internet marketing strategies you will ensure that your business gets in front of qualified leads.
Cultura Interactive Web Design offers a variety of services including Internet Marketing for small businesses in Miami and Fort Lauderdale. You can learn more about our services or contact us for a personal interview.
