Generating Great Content vs. Promotional Hype
Staying on the correct side of the line.
Although it can seem a little blurry at times, there’s a fine line separating great content from promotional hype.
Articles that review a product in a fair and unbiased way can provide a ton of value for the reader, so they are allowed and encouraged. However, if the review is coming from someone connected to the product in any way, the review will be considered biased and it won’t be accepted.
In this video, I’m going to focus on the line between great content and promotional hype and give some insights on how you can stay on the correct side of it.*
“DO’s” and “DON’Ts” From the Video
DO:
- Use the article body to give your original tips, techniques and analysis. Get to the point and share quickly to build your own credibility.
- Save any promotional messages for the Resource Box and your own website.
- Give recommendations for products that have worked for you. As long as you aren’t linking to the product, you can give an unbiased review that provides a great deal of value.
- Have a plan of what you want to cover in each article before you write. Stick to that outline and you’ll avoid slipping up and mentioning your product.
DON’T:
- Don’t use sales copy in the article body. The article body is not an infomercial, so don’t treat it that way.
- Don’t name drop in the article body. Your company, your product and your name belong in the Resource Box, not the body.
- Don’t use your company’s links in any context. Even using your company’s website as an example is too promotional.
- Don’t promote your Resource Box before it’s time. Once a reader absorbs the information in your article, they’ll be ready to discover more in your Resource Box.
You’re the expert, so show off that expertise with great content. Injecting promotional hype for a product inside an article is one of the fastest ways to lose credibility as an impartial expert in your field, so don’t do it.
Use this as a quick reference guide to staying on the right side of that line between promotional hype and great content. Then, once you write and submit your next set of high-quality, original articles, share your experiences in the comments sections below.
* Please Note: This post was last updated on April 24, 2014 at 11:48 A.M.
I’m not sure I understand your question. To clarify, are you asking if you should link to the same article in the resource box that you link to in the article?
February 3, 2011 at 10:04 AM[Reply]
I guess….okay…I have never tried to anchor text in any of my articles…if it is possible and I have a related article here or else where and it is non-promotional is that allowed? And also do you think that changing the recourse box with a related article is a good idea.
February 4, 2011 at 7:22 AMI really do not sell anything…yet…but I am building my portfolio and credibility through article writing and publishing and as I write for other places too I use this practice to give weight to my articles in the information I am writing about. I hope that clarifies what i am asking. lol…I can be confusing from time to time…I kill myself sometimes..lol
[Reply]
Scott,
It makes sense :)
We recommend that you use one anchored text link and one valid URL:
Valid URL form:
E.g.: http://Your-Company-Name.com/
Using the full valid URL instead of an anchor text link will ensure that your link remains active when a publisher re-uses your article.
Keep in mind that you don’t want to be promotional and these links are permitted only at the end of your article or in your resource box.
We don’t recommend that you change your existing article resource boxes unless you have to. If what you have in them is no longer useful, the website is no longer active, or you no longer want to be affiliated with the content, then make your changes.
February 4, 2011 at 9:09 AM[Reply]
thank you for your guide do to use one anchored text link and one valid UR
one more thank
February 5, 2011 at 2:08 AM[Reply]