Writing Articles: Your Style and the Effects on Your Traffic

What should you consider when you are writing an article? Well, it depends upon what you want to convey to your reader. Do you want to inform, present the issues, or complain? How do these writing styles, and the words you use, affect your readers and traffic?

Information for your Reader

On the Internet, the most prevalent article is the informative article. Readers on the Internet connect to your essay because they want to learn or resolve an issue they are currently facing. The "How To" or "factual" piece should present viable facts and possible solutions to the reader. These articles can increase your creditability on the Internet as an Expert.

Pro and Con Article

With this type of article, you can slant the article either for or against. Or, you can present both sides and let your reader draw their conclusions. In either case, back it with facts, whether for or against the issue. Why? As always, your creditability is on the line.

To Complain

Okay, this article isn't a type, but one I felt I had to address. In this case, the writer uses the article as a pulpit to express his complaints. If it is presented tastefully, you will get people to listen. However, if it is more of an "I'm mad at the whole world" scenario – then this writing, I feel, should be reserved for a blog – your own.

Example of my own experience with a complainer.
It has been my habit to read several articles of a writer to get a feel for the author and see if a little of his personality may seep into the paper.

I came across this website and read several of these individuals' articles. To my dismay, I found the pieces I read biting and uninformative. I wondered if this person had anything good to say about anything or anyone. So to give the individual the benefit of the doubt, I read several more articles. To my dismay, the complaining and criticism continued. I found it distasteful and uninformative, and all the negativity that flowed through the person's words gave me a headache. The individual lost my vote, and I clicked away. Lesson learned, if you complain – make sure you can support your claims – and don't do it too often, or over time you will lose your readers.

There are positive and negative ways of presenting your words to your reader. The choice is yours regarding how you want to give them (words). But remember, the click of the mouse is still the reader's choice.