Lisa Mason – Author Spotlight
Expert Author Lisa A. Mason is in today’s Author Spotlight.
Lisa is a diverse freelance writer, editor and marketer with many years of experience. In addition to her extensive online credits she has also written for publications like American Fitness, Atlanta Business Magazine, and Manhattan’s Parentguide and published three books.
What sets Lisa apart from many copywriters who specialize in SEO, is that she concentrates on the quality of the content she produces for her many clients.
We asked Lisa to share her thoughts on writing, particularly for EzineArticles, and how article marketing has impacted her business.
- Lisa, we were attracted to you because you not only write on interesting topics, but actively participate in the EzineArticles.com blog with helpful comments. How have you found that participating in online discussions has helped your own article marketing campaign?
It helps in multiple ways. For one, I can learn from other people who have “been there, done that”. It’s also helpful because people recognize my name and face (now with the new Gravatars) and they associate my brand with someone who is helpful, responsive and friendly. This makes people more likely to read my articles, follow my links, etc.
- You currently have over 700 active articles. That’s impressive! How do you decide what to write about?
I am inspired by the world around me- literally. I write on gaming and parenting a lot because I am an avid gamer and owner of a game guide company. I write about parenting because I have four children of my own and I write about writing because that is both my hobby and my career. However, I don’t limit myself to those topics. I write eco-friendly articles because that interests me. I write about crafts and home decorating for the same reason. Sometimes I get an idea from a doctor’s office waiting room or from a question someone asks me on Twitter or even something I saw on the news. Literally anything that captures my interest for even a moment can become an article.
- What first attracted you to submitting to EzineArticles.com?
I actually came into the game a bit late. I didn’t really think a writer needed an article marketing campaign. However, I saw the great results my clients were getting with EzineArticles and I thought, “I bet I could do the same!” What better way to show clients I know my stuff than to launch my own article marketing campaign and prove that it can work (and it has).
- What tools or services do you find the most beneficial?
I love the user-friendliness of the author interface and my favorite tools are the website tools (author badges, widgets, etc), the auto-Tweeting and the author reports. I like to be able to see which articles are doing well, what keywords are bringing in the most traffic and the most click-thrus and other statistics.
- How has using EzineArticles affected your traffic?
My traffic has increased a great deal since using EzineArticles. I get more requests for work and I’ve even made sales of my books because of traffic that came from EzineArticles.
- How do you balance writing for quality and quantity?
This is a skill that comes with much practice and being a professional, I have a head-up on other EzineArticles authors but it’s like I always tell people, anyone can learn to do it. Quality is important because when you have spelling and grammatical errors or other problems, your writing loses credibility. However, at the same time, you’re not trying for a Pulitzer with every article you submit. I try to keep my articles short and sweet- focused on one tight point that I want to make. (If there are multiple points, I write multiple articles) and I try to keep it engaging for the reader. This allows me to write more [articles] faster without losing quality.
- Any tips you have found particularly helpful since signing up with EzineArticles?
Yes. I’ve learned that the less editing your articles require, the faster they will get through the system. It pays to read all the help tools and look over all the help videos provided by EzineArticles to make sure you’re not making common mistakes. Then when you do have a Problem article, learn from it and remember not to make the same mistake in the future.
- Has writing for EzineArticles helped you find clients for your copywriting business?
Yes, actually. I get anywhere from 5-15 requests each week for new work who say they found me from EzineArticles. Not all of them pan out but in my line of work, that’s a great influx without me having to visit bid sites or hunt job boards. I have several regulars now who originally found me from my articles on EzineArticles and they continue to be great to work with and a great source of monthly income for me.
- What do you think is the most important thing about an article marketing campaign?
It establishes you as an expert in your field. This is especially true in any Internet business. When someone can Google your name (or company name) and find hundreds or even thousands of articles by you, it shows them that you know your stuff. The fact that you care enough or took the time enough to write that many articles on your topic is a good start. It also builds trust as you are giving away useful information for free. The free advertising pays off but an article with a bio link is much more credible than a “buy now” ad on the side of someone’s website so the credibility is worth even more than the free traffic.
- Any tips to lend to other writers?
Time management is very important. You need to snag every opportunity you can to get an article idea or a quick article out. If you don’t make time every day for writing something, you’ll be sitting there months (or even years) later with a bunch of ideas and nothing to show for it. Use article templates and other tools to help you write faster when you do have time to write. Look for article ideas all around you and don’t forget to write them down or record them instantly so you don’t lose them. Inspiration can come at any time (literally) so you have to snag it when it’s there.
Success like Lisa’s is not reserved for only a few select members. It’s available to all of our members! EzineArticles membership is FREE, as are all of the tools and training materials. Take advantage of all we have to offer and you too can reap the benefits of added traffic, increased credibility and more sales!
Hey Kathy, I was so happy to see your post announcing your return. You have been missed and I hope you are happy and well! <3
March 22, 2010 at 11:45 AM[Reply]