6 Simple Tips for Writing a Feature Article

Feature articles are a smart addition to your website and marketing strategy.This compelling content makes you an expert…makes your website more “sticky”…and makes your prospect want to take action.

With these 5 simple tips, writing a feature article couldn’t be easier. I use these steps every day for my clients and my own marketing as well, and I’ve found it makes the whole process absolutely painless.

1. Know your reader
Decide whom you’re targeting. Picture the reader in your mind, not just as a broad category but as a real, living, breathing person. What do you know about that person? Where does he work? Where does he live? What is he worried about? What information is he looking for?
Be as specific as you can, to the point where you can imagine that person is sitting down right in front of you.
2. Know your end goal
When the person has read your article, what do you want him to feel? Do you want him to feel confident? Insecure? Warm and fuzzy?
Even more than feeling, what action do you want him to take? Do you want him to go to a product page on your website? To forward the article to his boss? To call you?
Know what you want to happen as a result of your article.
3. Explain why the reader should care
This is the classic “benefits over features” marketing rule. Why should the reader bother with your article? What’s in it for him?
Don’t make the article all about you. Make it relevant to the reader, too. And tell him why.
4. Share your information
This is the nuts and bolts of what you want to say. What information is important for you to share? What is important for the reader to know?
Create a bulleted list of topic points.
5. Anticipate questions
Imagine you’re having a face-to-face conversation with your reader, where you’re sharing your information. What additional questions might come up?
Be proactive. Anticipate and answer those questions.
So here’s the great part. Once you’ve gone through these steps, you’ll find that the article is essentially written for you. Here’s how it works:
Numbers one and two set the tone and style you’ll use in the article. They tell you if you’ll be writing with a professional voice, or light and conversational, or even wry and humorous. Tone and style sets the stage for everything that follows.
Number three grabs your reader’s attention…which makes it a perfect introduction. Even better, it makes for a perfect way to wrap up the article, that is, a perfect conclusion as well. So now you’ve got your first and last paragraphs written. Moving right along!
Numbers four and five are your body, the bulk of your content. But now you know what you want to say, so it’s just a matter of organizing those bullet points and writing them out into complete sentences and paragraphs.
And voila! You’ve got great, compelling content that establishes you as an authority, holds your prospect’s attention, and helps to convert prospects into buyers.
In marketing, content counts. Now that you’ve got these 5 simple tips for writing a feature article, it’s never been easier

TIPS FOR WRITING FEATURES

A feature article is an article that is about “softer” news. A feature may be a profile of a person who does a lot of volunteer work in the community or a preview of a movie about to hit the theaters. Like news writing, strong feature writing is simple, clear and orderly. But, unlike news stories, feature stories don’t have to be written about events that just happened. Instead, they focus on human interest, mood, atmosphere, emotion, irony and humor. Here are some steps to follow to help you write a good feature story:

Get the reader’s attention quickly.
- Start with a well thought-out first paragraph touching on some aspect of the person’s life that you are writing about or the event if it is not a person.
- Good feature stories have a beginning that draws in readers, a transition that might repeat it in the middle and an ending that refers to the beginning.
Organize your story carefully.
- Feature stories can be told in narrative fashion or by sliding from event to event even though not in chronological order. Use careful transitions to maintain the flow of the story if you’re not going to follow chronological order.
Use short paragraphs and vary the lengths of sentences for effect.
- Reading sentences and paragraphs that are always the same length gets boring.
Write with strong verbs and nouns, but go easy on adjectives.
- Try to draw a picture of your subject or event through your writing. Read the sentences below and think about which paints a better picture for your reader:
The man was tall.
The man’s head almost brushed against the eight foot ceiling in the room. The ship sank in 1900.
The ship sank just as the first intercontinental railroad was nearing completion.
Don’t be afraid to use offbeat quotes.
- Not profanity, but rather witty things the person may say in response to a question about their success, life or family.
Write tightly.
- You do not need to tell the reader everything you know on a subject or event. Tell only the most important things. It’s better to write shorter than longer. A good feature can be done in 500-750 words.