Where Entrepreneurs Should Publish Articles

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Every entrepreneur should be publishing articles on a weekly basis.  By forming this habit as part of your weekly routine, you are doing one of the most effective marketing techniques any business can do.

Here is an example: when you want some work done on your house or in your business, you always want to hire a professional, an expert in their respective field.  And the same is true when someone wants to hire a company in your chosen field.  No one likes the thought of hiring a startup or newbie.  And you are not a newbie, but your business may be.  So in order to increase the speed of your flywheel and your prospects, you have to establish yourself as an expert.  There is no better way to do this than writing articles and getting them out there for people to share.

The key to a great article is not to push your products or services.  The key is to create articles that solve specific problems and help people get started.  When I first started writing BLOGs years ago, I would always write them to demonstrate my point and to try and persuade you to purchase my goods.  The problem is, no one cared and I never received one new client from one of my BLOG posts (I did turn one away, but that is a story for another post).  I had to learn that I should educate and not sell.  Give people usable information that they want to share.  An article that simply says why you are the best is not going to get you any traction with growing your audience.  You have to build a tribe around you that will spread the word about you.  The only way to build a tribe is to be a giver, not a taker.  And the tribe doesn’t need to be big, just loyal and dedicated.  So, here are the five places I recommend you start publishing articles right away:

  1. BLOG Posts - If your website doesn’t have a BLOG section today, get it added.  Most websites today have the ability to add this in.  Google and other search engines love BLOGs because it establishes targeted content on a specific topic.  When people find your BLOG, they will read it on your website where they may click around.
  2. LinkedIn - I am a big fan of articles on LinkedIn, as you can reach a wide audience.  Last year at some point, they opened up their publishing platform to everyone and it is still underutilized to this day.  I have made many connections by simply putting my content on that site.
  3. Local Newspapers - Most major city newspapers are not lacking in content.  However, your hyperlocal newspapers would love some great stories and helpful articles.  Make sure to connect with the editors of these papers and send them your articles.  They will print them as well as get them on their websites, giving you even more exposure.
  4. Industry/Vendor Websites - Many industry-specific or vendor websites want guest writers and posts to increase their content.  You may not get every article published, but the ones that make the cut will give you a huge audience.  Submit good, helpful content weekly and you will be surprised at the increased traffic to your website.
  5. Vertical Not-For-Profits - Pretty much every for-profit profession has a not-for-profit counterpart.  For example, an oncologist will have the national cancer foundation, a veterinarian will have the humane society, and an auto mechanic has the NTSB.  These organizations need more than just your money, they need your expertise.  Form a partnership with them and help them get the message out about particular areas of risk consumers face.  You will do the world a lot of good in the process.

Just a couple of additional thoughts on getting this content out there.  Each article you write can be sent out to multiple sources.  For example, publish your BLOG and publish the same article on LinkedIn.  Get that out as a link through Facebook and Twitter and get even more traction.  Make sure to use #hashtags with keywords so people will find their way to you.

Set a goal for once a week.  Some people hate writing, and I get that emotion.  But once you start, it will get easier and easier.  They will become better over time and have a greater impact.  Good luck, I can’t wait to see what you write.