Consider Writing an Online Article Series

Niche online writers seem to have it much easier than those of us whose online articles tend to be about various topics. Niche writers have found a way to tap into specific topics. However, as a "non-niche" writer, I have found a way to get take advantage of certain topics; I write a series of online articles pertaining to that specific topic.

Writing a series can be quite simple. Write a broad online article that includes all the information you have on the topic. Write it as if it will be the online article you will publish. Include the all the details; leave nothing out. Then break the long and detailed article down to several smaller articles. Use the detailed information to write those articles. Depending on the topic, you may be able to get several online articles out of the one.

Of course, you must be wondering how this will benefit you. There are many reasons for writing an online article series. These are just a few of them:

• Links - When you write an online article series, you will be able to link all of articles in the series together. Links will help you get indexed by search engines quickly. For more information about lists, see my previous post about using links to our advantage.

• Quality and Quantity - By writing an online article series, you will be producing both quality and quantity. Stretching one online article into several online articles will add to your online portfolio. As an online writer, you can never have enough quality articles. Of course, online writers need as many articles available to readers as possible.

• Becoming an Authority - Writing a series of online articles gives online writers a more authoritative voice. Instead of giving readers a single "shot in the dark," it provides a foundation for online writers. Even though the same amount of information could have been used in one online article, by writing a series it amplifies that information and causes the reader to believe they are getting even more information.

• Attracting Readers -An online series will attract more readers. The more readers you have, the more likely it is that you will get ad clicks. This will increase your earnings. If you are writing for an online writing sites that pays you for page views, your earnings will also increase.

Whenever possible, write your online article series on different writing websites. When you do this and link your online articles together, it will give you exposure on all the different writing sites. You want your readers to know where to find you and all of your work.

Online articles series are easy to write and will be a great benefit to all online writers. Take advantage of this - using it to increase your visibility online, your readership and your earnings. It is a win/win situation and can make a huge difference in your success as a writer.

Branding Yourself as an Online Writer

When you look around, you will see brands everywhere. From the shoes on your feet to the light bulbs that you use, brands are everywhere. As an online writer, you should also have a brand. It will make you more recognizable which, in turn, will get more readers to your online work.

Branding yourself can be challenging, but is isn't as difficult as you might think. This is especially true if your are a niche writer. When your online articles falls into a niche, that niche can take on the role of your brand. For those of us who are not niche writers, it may take a little time to come up with a brand that suits us, our online writing and our writing style.

I have worked hard at branding myself. Once I realized that "online writing gigs" were profitable, I knew I had to brand myself and my work. By that time, I had established myself as a "non-niche writer" and there was no turning back. I had to find a way to make myself stand out from the millions of other online writers my readers could turn to.

I had to figure out what made me different from all other online writers and use that to my advantage. I had a few things going for me from the start - an unusual name, a cute little dog as an avatar and a nickname I had for years. I knew I had to make those three things work together as my individual brand as an online writer.

• Emma Riley Sutton - When I first started writing, I was simply Emma Sutton. I did a Google search and learned there was an English actress that shared my name. I knew that even if I could compete with her and her career, I would get lost in all her acting credits when it came to online searches. I added my middle name and the rest is history. 

• Maisie -  Because of my personal safety issues, I never use a photograph of myself. I started using a photo of my service dog, Maisie, instead. I was constantly getting "oh, what a cute dog" comments and emails from all over the world. Maisie now served a new purpose - the face to my work. It also helped that I was doing a lot of writing about animals and animal issues. This was working well for me.

• The Queen of Useless Information -  I've been known for years as "The Queen of Useless Information" by friends and family members. Because I am not a niche writer and really have no interest in pigeon holing myself into one or two categories, I began using this nickname. This is working great. If my readers do not remember my name or Maisie's photo, they know my nickname. As my online portfolio grows and covers more and more unrelated topics, The Queen of Useless Information suits me better and better.

I played to my strengths when began branding myself. You should do the same. Consider all the things that you do well as an online writer and find a brand for yourself that encompasses as many of them as possible. Take a look at your online writing style and create a brand that will complement your unique style.

Another important key, perhaps the most important key, to branding yourself is using one name and one name only. You want your readers, your fan base, to be able to easily access all of your online articles. When you use more than one name, it is difficult for them to find your body of work in one place - such as search engines like Google and Bing. Keep in mind that many readers do not understand that writers often use pen names and those who do will not understand why you would use more than one name.

Discovering your brand can take some time. Work on it daily and find the brand that will work best for you. By creating a brand for yourself, you will see much more profitable your online writing can be.