I used to run a website for writers: HerCorner. The site included articles about writing, in fact those were the main content. So, I read a lot of what other people are writing about writing. Well, ok, I skim it. Anyway, most of the contributed content (free to reprint in ezines and newsletters) is full of the same thing over and over and over again: web promotion and selling.
I think it’s great that people are writing articles and then contributing them to sites like mine in exchange for their own promotion, it’s self syndication. It seems like such a great win – win situation. I just love those.
But, it’s not working as well as it could be. Unless you can find a source for articles geared to the content you are looking for (writing, space travel, parenting, etc) you will end up wading through endless articles and only find one which you really, strongly feel you want to use. It’s not that the articles are not well written, they just cover the same old stuff all too well.
Most of the articles I come across (on several email lists for contributing content) are geared to web promotion/ selling. I don’t think many of the people looking for content are looking for that kind of content. There are so many sites covering that and each of them seem to write their own articles as a way of promoting themselves as an authority on the subject.
The original writer of the article isn’t creating anything unique that could be used by most of the ezines and sites out here. I bet a lot of writers decide this form of promotion isn’t workable. But, it is, if they would just look at the ezines out here. There are so many different topics covered with endless angles and styles. Look around, find a topic you really have an interest in or want to become known for writing about.
In a perfect world this self syndication would be one of the best things about the Internet for a writer. Until then, we just have to work with what we have or write our own content. Which I do.
However, I really like publishing another writer’s work. Mainly because this way it’s not just me talking. My readers get another point of view and my site looks healthier. A site with just one writer does lose something. To grow, a site manager needs to keep exploring, developing, creating and searching for fresh content and points of view. It really helps if you can find an article someone else wrote to reprint on your site.
So, that is my point in all this: writers looking for that self promotion/ syndication from contributing content need to work outside of the box. Find out what web publishers are really looking for. Take a chance and try something new, something uniquely you!