How to write an article to boost your profile

Writing articles and sending them to a publication is a great way to get featured in the media and boost your profile.  Many publications will often publish contributed articles if they are well-written, appropriate, interesting, and valuable for their audience.

Getting your article published in the media will increase your credibility and exposure to your target audience. By sharing your professional knowledge, people will start to see you as an expert in your industry. This can give you an edge over your competitors and open the door to more media opportunities. Here are some tips on how to write a great article:

Be objective

Journalists are more interested in articles that provide valuable information to their readers than promotional pieces about your business. When writing an article you need to remain objective and avoid writing in the first person, for instance using the phrases ‘I think’ and ‘my opinion’. Write the article in an informative and entertaining manner and stay on topic.

Know the audience

Before writing the article think about the audience of the publication that will be reading it. Make sure the article is about a topic that would interest them and try to provide valuable, helpful information. Another good point is to avoid using industry-specific jargon if your audience has no knowledge of your industry.

Know the publication

Before writing an article consider the publication you want to send it to. Most publications have a specific format, which you must adhere to, such as a specific word length or structure for the article. Read other articles in the publication to get an idea of what they are looking for.

Proofread it

Always proofread your article and look for spelling and grammar mistakes. Journalists won’t publish an article that is poorly written or has spelling mistakes. Ask a friend or colleague to proofread your article and pick up any mistakes you have missed.  This is also a great way to test if your article is effective in communicating to people who are not experts in your area.

Know the deadline

If a journalist has asked you to write an article by a particular deadline then you must send it to them on or before the deadline. Journalists will need to publish the article by a certain time and most journalists will not wait for you.

Have a photo-ready

Many publications like to include a photo of the author so make sure you have a professional high-resolution headshot of yourself ready to email.

Articles provide you with a great opportunity to share your professional knowledge with your target audience via the media. By getting your articles published in the right media outlets it will increase your exposure and boost your profile. People will also start to see you as an expert in your industry.

Catriona Pollard is the director of specialist PR and social media strategy firm CP Communications.