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The Science of Strong Business Writing

  • Bill Birchard

how to write a business article

Lessons from neurobiology

Brain scans are showing us in new detail exactly what entices readers. Scientists can see a group of midbrain neurons—the “reward circuit”—light up as people respond to everything from a simple metaphor to an unexpected story twist. The big takeaway? Whether you’re crafting an email to a colleague or an important report for the board, you can write in a way that delights readers on a primal level, releasing pleasure chemicals in their brains.

Bill Birchard is an author and writing coach who’s worked with many successful businesspeople. He’s drawn on that experience and his review of the scientific literature to identify eight features of satisfying writing: simplicity, specificity, surprise, stirring language, seductiveness, smart ideas, social content, and storytelling. In this article, he shares tips for using those eight S’s to captivate readers and help your message stick.

Strong writing skills are essential for anyone in business. You need them to effectively communicate with colleagues, employees, and bosses and to sell any ideas, products, or services you’re offering.

how to write a business article

  • Bill Birchard is a business author and book-writing coach. His Writing for Impact: 8 Secrets from Science That Will Fire Up Your Reader’s Brain will be published by HarperCollins Leadership in April 2023. His previous books include Merchants of Virtue, Stairway to Earth, Nature’s Keepers, Counting What Counts, and others. For more writing tactics, see his website .  

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how to write a business article

How to Write a Business Article for Beginners

  • LifeLinguist
  • June 17, 2020

For someone whose core job is anything but writing, getting the directive to write a business article can be pretty daunting. After all, putting your knowledge down in words is nowhere near as easy as just talking about it. In fact, I’d argue that developing a business training module is much easier compared to writing an article down about it, especially if writing is not your forte – which it shouldn’t be, if you’re not a writer.

As a copywriter who has written a wide range of articles for companies, start-ups and NGOs, I understand the struggle faced by companies who want to capture important competitive edges in their areas of expertise into impactful articles. I also appreciate the effort it takes to even write one of those articles. Now I’m not going all fancy with my definition here, so when I say business articles, I mean any kind of article meant for a corporate audience – even ones to be read leisurely.

So if you’re a content expert who wants to put your knowledge down into words, then read on, and I’ll guide you through a very simple process to have your article written down in no time!

Scope, scope, scope

Like it or not, your article needs to have a scope, and the only way you can determine your scope is if you brainstorm the contents first. Brainstorming is not a long or involved process. It’s actually pretty simple once you get the hang of it. The basic idea is that you want to know the area of focus that you want to write about. If possible, try to only have one area of focus.

For example, this article is about how to write business articles. I’m not writing about how to structure sentences or how to create a crafty opening in an article. That is beyond the scope of this article. So if you feel like your area is too broad, try to narrow it down – otherwise, broaden the topic. Whatever it is, make sure that there is only one central idea that you are focusing on.

Start business. Write!

“Seriously? Start writing?”

“But I don’t know how to start!”

I don’t care. Just start.

“I don’t know how to begin!”

Look. I’ll say it now. Usually, when I write a business article, especially narrative articles, the first paragraph I write always end up somewhere in the conclusion. When you write articles, acknowledge that you will go back to edit it. You will. If you won’t, someone (the gatekeeper, maybe), probably will. So the idea is to just write first. Don’t even look at what you’re writing. Put your thoughts down and keep going until it’s done.

Once you’re done putting down all your thoughts, then you can go to the introduction. Leave introduction to last. The introduction only makes sense if you know what will come after it, so work on the body first and then go to the introduction. You can’t expect to suddenly come up with an impactful beginning if you don’t know what the article ultimately is going to be about.

Develop Your “Voice”

What makes a business article “corporate” is usually the language and “voice” that it’s written in. The good news is that if you’ve always worked at the business sector, then you probably already have been using the business “voice” in your work setting. You won’t use, say, a Twitter voice as your business voice. You use a business voice for when you write a business article.

Let me demonstrate with two sentences.

Socmed voice : “Smart people can be pretty annoying to be with. Sometimes, they just don’t get normal jokes and once you explain, the jokes are just, lost.”

Business voice : “There are constant laments when one deals with intellectuals at times. Jokes, for example, often go unnoticed, and the burden falls on the teller to explain his words… which defeats the purpose of it being a joke.”

Of course, I’m exaggerating my voice here, but you get the idea. People sometimes refer to voice as style, but I prefer to use “voice” because it resonates with us more. We don’t consciously use different styles when writing articles or posting on social media, but we do use different voices.

The reason why I put voice as the third step is because once you have your article written, then you can figure out whether the article has been written in the suitable voice or not. If not, it’s only a matter of changing your style, which is easier to do now that you have your content written.

Cut, Add, Edit

A golden myth about editing is to always cut 10% to 20% of what is originally written, but this is of course more of a guide than a hard and fast rule. The basic idea behind cutting down words is to simplify and make your writing concise but effective – this is especially true when writing business articles. Now you’re probably asking why. All those words you’ve written, why cut anything at all?

We’re not interested in the why, but rather the what. What should you cut?

Adverbs, for one, is a huge one. I mean, 80% of the time, you can remove adverbs and replace your verbs with more effective ones to create impact. You don’t need most adverbs. Cut them.

Next are adjectives . If you are using any kind of adjective, my rule of thumb is to always have three main ones and no more.

Finally are intensifiers . Things like very and extremely and much more can all be cut by replacing your verbs with more descriptive ones.

Of course, there are definitely more cuts that you can do, but stick to these first until you’re ready to explore more types of editor cuts.

Read aloud and finalise your article

Yes, you heard me. Read your article aloud . I like to wait a day or two to “forget” the article before re-reading it (ideally, I’d wait two weeks). Reading aloud is important. I always read aloud in the final edit because it just helps me hear what the words would sound like in my readers’ heads.

What’s helpful to know is that your article will never be perfect, and given the chance, you’d probably want to edit it forever. You don’t have this luxury though. Remember – what’s important is content, and as long as you have a readable piece, and your content is clear, then that’s good enough.

Now that you’re done, you can go ahead and write a new article! Or, better yet, let’s get you started on writing your first book instead!

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Step-By-Step Guide To Writing An Engaging and Informative Business Article

Photo of author

Nowadays, content is king. The internet is saturated with information, making it challenging for businesses to capture potential customers’ attention. 

This is particularly true for startups, which often need more brand recognition than established companies. In fact, 81% of marketers view content as a core business strategy. To overcome this challenge, they must create engaging and informative content that captures the audience’s attention and compels them to act.

However, creating such content is more complex than it sounds. It requires understanding the audience’s needs, a clear and concise writing style, and a balance between valuable information and entertainment. 

This guide will provide essential information for writing an article that engages your target and converts lurkers into customers. 

how to write a business article

Source: Reverbico

Study Your Audience’s Needs and Desires

Did you know that only 42% of 1,200 marketers understand their target’s basic demographic information?

Understanding your audience is the key to a content strategy that works. It’s not enough to know who your target is. You need to understand their needs, desires, and motivations. This involves:

  • Researching data. 
  • Including their demographics.
  • Find interests and behaviors.

For example, if your target values sustainability, you can create content highlighting your startup’s practices. Likewise, if they struggle with a specific problem, and your product can solve it, you can create content demonstrating the solution.

You can attract potential customers and increase conversion rates by tailoring your products, services, and content to meet their needs and desires. This is important for startups, which often need more resources and need to maximize their return on investment.

Another aspect to consider is customer motivation. It drives behavior, meaning the reason why customers choose one product or take one action over another. Create appealing content that connects with their motivations and compels your audience to take the desired action.

Following Maslow’s pyramid, a person looking to solve one of their safety needs would react to these sentences:

  • Get your dream job now!
  • Protect your house against fortuitous events!
  • Get the health security your family needs!

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Write Engaging Content

Engaging content captivates the audience’s attention. It keeps them interested and encourages brand-customer interactions. It makes your target read more, share your content, or take other action that benefits your business.

However, engaging content is challenging and requires a clear, concise writing style with persuasive but authentic language.

Here’s what you must consider:

Clear and Concise Writing Style

Good copy is essential for any startup’s growth. This writing style will make your content easier to read, increasing its impact on your audience. It also will help you to communicate your message effectively.

Persuasive Language Without Manipulation

Authenticity in writing is crucial for small businesses. It builds trust with your audience and makes your content more persuasive. 

However, it’s essential to use persuasive language without resorting to manipulation. 

Your audience should feel that they are making decisions based on accurate and reliable information, not being tricked or coerced.

Informative Approach

Using an informative approach will value your content, encouraging your audience to take action.

Informative content educates your customers, provides valuable information, and helps them make informed decisions. This also positions your startup as an authority in your field, building trust with your target. 

When they trust you, they will likely choose your product or service over your competitors.

Evaluation and Data Collection Processes

These days, businesses have access to more information than before. This data gives valuable insights into your audience’s behavior, preferences, and needs, helping you to tailor your content.

Evaluation involves assessing the effectiveness of your content. This can be done through various metrics, such as:

  • Page views.
  • Time spent on page.
  • Social shares.
  • Conversion rates. 

This way, you can identify what’s working and make adjustments to improve your content’s effectiveness.

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Source: SemRush

On the other hand, data collection involves gathering data about your audience and using it to improve your content. 

You can use different methods like:

  • Interviews.
  • Social media listening.
  • Web analytics.

Information and Entertainment Balance

Today’s internet users are bombarded with information daily, and it’s easy for your content to get lost in the noise. A way to capture your audience’s attention and make your content memorable is by entertaining them. 

The key to a balanced article is to weave data and entertainment together to engage and educate your audience. 

Too much information makes your article dry and dull. At the same time, too much enjoyment can make your content seem frivolous and lacking in substance. 

One way to achieve this balance is through storytelling. Stories make complex information more relatable. When you incorporate them into your content, you will entertain your audience while also providing them with valuable information.

Here’s how dull, thin content looks versus an entertaining and engaging one.

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Source: Heartinternet

Accessible Tone

The tone of your content impacts how your audience perceives your message and brand. Therefore, an accessible tone makes your content more relatable, helping to build a connection with your audience.

Avoiding an Aggressive or Salesy Tone

These approach tones can often be counterproductive to your content. Today’s consumers are savvy and can easily see through aggressive sales tactics. An overly salesy tone makes your audience feel like they’re being sold to rather than informed or entertained.

Instead of hard selling, focus on providing value content to your audience by:

  • Educating them about your product.
  • Providing solutions to their problems.
  • Showing them how your product benefits them.

If you avoid these tones, you can build trust with your audience and position your startup as an authority in your field.

Creating a Friendly and Direct Tone

Creating a friendly tone involves using conversational language and addressing your audience directly. 

Use words and phrases your audience uses, and speak to them as if you’re having a one-on-one conversation.

A direct tone, on the other hand, involves getting straight to the point. Avoid fluff and unnecessary jargon, and provide your audience with the information they need clearly and concisely. 

This approach respects your audience’s time and makes your content easier to understand.

Ensure Your Article Resonates with Your Target Audience

Today’s consumers value authenticity and can see through insincere marketing tactics. You should be authentic to ensure the resonation of your content with your audience.

Be honest and transparent, and don’t be afraid to show your brand’s personality. Authenticity can build trust with your audience and make your content more relatable.

Tips for Building Popularity

In this context, popularity refers to how widely your article is consumed, shared, and recognized. A popular piece of content reaches a broader audience, increases your brand visibility, and attracts more customers.

Use the following tips to increase brand awareness:

Creating Shareable Content

Shareable content means your audience finds it valuable enough to share with their networks. This could be through email or in person. When it is shared, it reaches a wider audience, increasing your visibility and potentially attracting more customers.

These are three keys that you must consider when creating shareable content:

  • It must provide value to your audience. This could be in the form of information, entertainment, or both. 
  • The content should evoke an emotional response. This could be anything from amusement to surprise to inspiration. 
  • Generate easy ways to share your content. For example, creating social share buttons on your blog posts.

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Source: Smartinsights

Leverage Social Media

Social media platforms serve as dynamic spaces where businesses can directly interact with their audience, share content, and promote a community around their brand.

We advise identifying the platforms where your target audience is most active. Different platforms cater to different demographics and have unique content preferences. 

For instance, LinkedIn might be the most suitable platform for sharing your content if your target audience covers professionals’ or industry peers’ topics. In fact, This platform is used by 96% of B2B content marketers.

You can increase your content’s reach and popularity by effectively leveraging social media, helping to attract more potential customers and drive growth for your startup.

A study says interactive content gets 52.6% more engagement than static content. On average, people spend around 8.5 minutes looking at non-interactive content and 13 minutes when it is interactive.

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Source: Chappelldigitalmarketing

SEO Optimization

Search Engine Optimization enhances your content’s online visibility. It’s a strategic process that involves optimizing various elements to improve search engine results page rankings. 

It’s estimated that Google receives around 3.5 billion search queries every day . So When your content ranks higher, it is more accessible to people searching for information related to your topic.

Keyword optimization

They are the words and phrases that people use to search for information online. Adding relevant keywords to your content shows search engines the topic and relevance to a search query, helping them index it appropriately. 

However, keyword optimization is more than using as many keywords as possible. It’s about understanding what your audience is searching for and incorporating those keywords naturally into your content.

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Source: Ahrefs

Meta descriptions

This element improves your content’s visibility. It is a description that appears under your article’s title on search engine results pages, meaning a snapshot of your content, and helps the audience decide whether to click on your link or not. 

Google shows meta descriptions in search results 37.22% of the time. That percentage will increase to 40.35% if you use fat-head keywords.

A well-written meta description intrigues the readers, inviting them to explore your content further. Likewise, it will drive more traffic to your site, leading to higher engagement and conversions.

They help you organize and structure your content, making it easier for readers to navigate it. 

They also act as a guide and break down the data into manageable sections, helping the audience to find the information they’re interested in faster.

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How to Write a Business Article [+Examples]

Let’s delve into a business niche topic and explore how to craft an engaging article around it. 

  • Learn about your audience’s needs and preferences.

Before penning an article on “Effective Time Management for Entrepreneurs,” you conduct a survey among your readers. You discover that 70% of them grapple with efficiently managing their time.

  • Select a topic that your audience finds attractive.

Based on the survey results, you decided to write about “10 Time Management Hacks for Busy Entrepreneurs.”

  • Gather comprehensive information about your chosen topic.

Interview successful entrepreneurs read books on time management, and attend a seminar to gather insights and tips.

  • Plan your article with a clear structure.

Start with an introduction about the importance of time management, followed by the ten hacks, and conclude with the benefits of implementing them.

  • Write using clear, concise, and friendly language.

Instead of typing, “Entrepreneurs should consider using time-tracking software,” write “Entrepreneurs can use time-tracking software to boost productivity.”

  • Use relevant keywords and optimize SEO elements.

Include keywords like “time management,” “productivity hacks,” and “entrepreneur tips” to improve search engine visibility.

  • Ensure your article provides value to your audience.

Add real-life scenarios where each hack has been applied successfully, offering readers actionable and relatable advice.

  • Prompt your audience to take a specific action.

At the end of the article, encourage readers to download a free time-tracking tool and leave comments with their tips.

  • Review and refine it for clarity and correctness.

After writing, ask a colleague to proofread the article. They may suggest replacing jargon with simpler terms to make it more accessible.

  • Share it on your chosen platform and promote it.

Post the article on your business blog and share the link on LinkedIn, Twitter, and entrepreneur-focused Facebook groups.

  • Use analytics tools to measure your article’s performance.

A week after publishing, you use Google Analytics to see that your article has been viewed 5,000 times and has a bounce rate of only 20%, indicating high engagement.

Quick Tips for Writing an Effective Article

Here are seven tips for writing better when preparing an article:

  • Use Visuals : Incorporate relevant images, infographics, or videos in your content. Visuals make your content more appealing and help illustrate your points more effectively.
  • Include a Call-to-Action (CTA) : Encourage your readers to take action after reading your content. This could be anything from signing up for a newsletter, trying a product demo, or sharing your content on social media.
  • Update Regularly : Keep your content updated and evergreen. Regularly updating your content can improve its relevance and show your audience that you’re an active and reliable source of information.
  • Use Real-Life Examples : Incorporate case studies or real-life examples to make them more relatable. Show your points’ practical application.
  • Proofread and Edit : Check and ensure your content is ready before publishing. This helps eliminate errors, improve clarity, and enhance the overall quality of your content.
  • Use a Strong Title : The title is the first thing your audience sees, so make it count. A compelling title can grab your audience’s attention and encourage them to read your content.
  • Incorporate User-Generated Content : If applicable, include testimonials, reviews, or other forms of user-generated content. This can enhance credibility and provide a different perspective on your topic.
  • Use Templates : If it’s your first time writing content and you don’t know where to start, you could use predefined templates to help you find the keys to creating a great piece. Get our template here!

Techniques to Measure an Article’s Success

Measuring the success of your content shows how effective it is. It also identifies improvement areas.

There are various tools and techniques available to help you measure the success of your article.

  • Analytics Tools : Tools like Google Analytics, SEMrush, and Moz provide valuable insights into how your content is performing. These tools track various metrics, like bounce rate, time spent on a page, views, and conversion rates. They provide insights into your audience, such as their demographics, interests, and behavior.
  • Social Media Metrics : 97% of entrepreneurs use social media to boost their articles. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn provide their analytics. These show how many people see your content, engage with it, and share it.

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Source: Shopify

  • SEO Tools : Tools like Ahrefs , Moz, and SEMrush explain how your content performs in search engine rankings. Nowadays, 69% of startups invest in SEO. It shows you which keywords your content ranks for, how many backlinks your content has, and how these factors drive traffic to your content. 
  • User Feedback : Comments, emails, and social media messages have valuable insights into how your audience perceives your content.
  • Conversion Tracking : Conversions are actions you want your target to take after engaging with your content. Tools like Google Analytics help you track them. This could be anything from purchasing, signing up for a newsletter, or downloading a resource.

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Source: Thehoth

Using these tools and techniques, you can understand how your content performs and contributes to your startup’s goals. This information can guide your content strategy, helping you create more effective future content.

Wrapping up

Writing an article is a process that requires understanding your audience, thorough research, and careful crafting of your message. 

It’s about creating a piece that provides value to your readers and resonates with them on a deeper level. 

The goal is always about giving useful information, engaging and inspiring them, and prompt action. 

Learning this process will distinguish between writing a good article and providing value that converts readers into leads. Whether you’re a startup, a small business owner, or an entrepreneur, harnessing the power of well-written articles can significantly enhance your visibility, credibility, and connection with your audience.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the format for a business article.

A business article’s format includes an introduction, body, and conclusion.

  • The introduction has a content overview and captures the reader’s interest. 
  • The main body is divided into several sections, also called headlines, each developing several aspects of the topic. These sections are marked with subheadings to guide the reader through the content. 
  • The article ends with a conclusion that wraps up the main points of the content and may also include a call to action, prompting the reader to engage further with the business.

How Can Entrepreneurs Benefit from Writing Articles?

Writing articles allows entrepreneurs to share their expertise, build their brand, and establish credibility. It attracts potential investors and customers.

What Should a Startup Article Include?

A startup article should provide information about its products or services. Share the company’s story, and highlight its unique selling points. 

It should also engage the target audience and prompt them to take action, such as trying a product demo or making a call.

What is the Importance of a Call to Action in a Business Article?

A call-to-action encourages the reader to do something after reading the article. This could be:

  • Purchasing a product.
  • Signing up for a newsletter.
  • Sharing the article on social media.

It increases engagement and conversions.

Was this helpful?

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About the author: Alberto Araujo

Alberto Araujo is an entrepreneur with an International Business degree and a strong Marketing and editorial background. He's worked for five years with startups to help them grow through content that connects with their audiences and SEO. While curious by nature, he focuses on writing content with first-hand experience that will help other entrepreneurs avoid the mistakes he made while building companies. Alberto has collaborated with multiple brands, including Hakuna, GamerSEO, Moralis, and Alltum.

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Expert Commentary

How to write better business stories

Six tips for writing more compelling business stories

Republish this article

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License .

by Chris Roush, The Journalist's Resource August 22, 2011

This <a target="_blank" href="https://journalistsresource.org/home/writin-better-business-stories/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://journalistsresource.org">The Journalist's Resource</a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<img src="https://journalistsresource.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/cropped-jr-favicon-150x150.png" style="width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;">

Many people don’t read business news, and for good reason. There’s nothing more boring than a story that uses a bunch of numbers in the lead without explaining what’s actually going on. But business news writing doesn’t have to be boring, or laden with numbers.

Like any other news article, the best business journalism tells a good story and entices the reader with a compelling lead. The best business journalists may use numbers in their leads, but they primarily use words to explain what’s going on. They write a story, not a balance sheet. The numbers are only there to support the thesis of the writing.

Here’s my advice to anyone writing business and economics story leads and wanting to make their prose sing:

  • Avoid an overabundance of numbers in one sentence or paragraph . My limit is usually two, but I sometimes will use three if they are simple concepts to understand. And avoid numbers in the lead. Instead, explain what’s happening with the company, or unemployment, in the lead, and then use the numbers in the second paragraph to back up what you wrote.
  • Use short sentences . No more than 35 words should be used in the lead of a business story. When I wrote about the embarrassing typo printed on two million 12-packs of Coca-Cola right before the 1996 Summer Olympics, the lead was, “What a difference one letter makes.” That’s only six words, but it got the point across.
  • Always lead with the “what,” be it a company, executive or product . That strategy forces you to write your lead using an active verb, and results in a direct sentence for the reader to understand. It also lets the reader know up front who or what the story is about.
  • Never put the time element before the verb in the lead . The verb tells the reader what the action is, and that’s what the reader wants. If you tell them when the action happened before the action has taken place in the sentence, then you just confuse them.
  • Avoid using names in the lead unless the person is well known . For example, this works best for the Atlanta media: “Doug Ivester, the chief executive officer of Coca-Cola Co., resigned Sunday amid disagreements with the board about the future direction of the company.” For everyone else, go with something shorter: “Coca-Cola Co.’s CEO resigned Sunday amid disagreements about the future direction of the company.”
  • Don’t use “funky” punctuation . You’re already asking a reader or listener to pay attention to something that may be foreign. A semi-colon, parentheses or a colon might just confuse them enough to make them stop reading and find something else to read. For example, don’t write this: “The CFO of a Fayetteville mining company resigned his job Tuesday; the company did not name a replacement.” Instead, go with this: “The CFO of a Fayetteville mining company resigned Tuesday amid allegations of inflated earnings.”

You can be the greatest business reporter of all time and find all kinds of amazing facts about companies or the economy. But unless you know how to put those facts together in a compelling series of words and sentences, your work will have gone to waste.

Chris Roush is the Walter E. Hussman Sr. Distinguished Scholar in business journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill. He can be reached at [email protected] .

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Chris Roush

How to Write an Article: A Proven Step-by-Step Guide

Tom Winter

Are you dreaming of becoming a notable writer or looking to enhance your content writing skills? Whatever your reasons for stepping into the writing world, crafting compelling articles can open numerous opportunities. Writing, when viewed as a skill rather than an innate talent, is something anyone can master with persistence, practice, and the proper guidance.

That’s precisely why I’ve created this comprehensive guide on ‘how to write an article.’ Whether you’re pursuing writing as a hobby or eyeing it as a potential career path, understanding the basics will lead you to higher levels of expertise. This step-by-step guide has been painstakingly designed based on my content creation experience. Let’s embark on this captivating journey toward becoming an accomplished article writer!

What is an Article?

what is an article

An article is more than words stitched together cohesively; it’s a carefully crafted medium expressing thoughts, presenting facts, sharing knowledge, or narrating stories. Essentially encapsulating any topic under the sun (or beyond!), an article is a versatile format meant to inform, entertain, or persuade readers.

Articles are ubiquitous; they grace your morning newspaper (or digital equivalents), illuminate blogs across various platforms, inhabit scholarly journals, and embellish magazines. Irrespective of their varying lengths and formats, which range from news reports and features to opinion pieces and how-to guides, all articles share some common objectives. Learning how to write this type of content involves mastering the ability to meet these underlying goals effectively.

Objectives of Article Writing

Objectives of Article Writing

The primary goal behind learning how to write an article is not merely putting words on paper. Instead, you’re trying to communicate ideas effectively. Each piece of writing carries unique objectives intricately tailored according to the creator’s intent and the target audience’s interests. Generally speaking, when you immerse yourself in writing an article, you should aim to achieve several fundamental goals.

First, deliver value to your readers. An engaging and informative article provides insightful information or tackles a problem your audience faces. You’re not merely filling up pages; you must offer solutions, present new perspectives, or provide educational material.

Next comes advancing knowledge within a specific field or subject matter. Especially relevant for academic or industry-focused writings, articles are often used to spread original research findings and innovative concepts that strengthen our collective understanding and drive progress.

Another vital objective for those mastering how to write an article is persuasion. This can come in various forms: convincing people about a particular viewpoint or motivating them to make a specific choice. Articles don’t always have to be neutral; they can be powerful tools for shifting public opinion.

Finally, let’s not forget entertainment – because who said only fictional work can entertain? Articles can stir our emotions or pique our interest with captivating storytelling techniques. It bridges the gap between reader and writer using shared experiences or universal truths.

Remember that high-quality content remains common across all boundaries despite these distinct objectives. No matter what type of writer you aspire to become—informative, persuasive, educational, or entertaining—strive for clarity, accuracy, and stimulation in every sentence you craft.

What is the Format of an Article?

What is the Format of an Article?

When considering how to write an article, understanding its foundation – in this case, the format – should be at the top of your list. A proper structure is like a blueprint, providing a direction for your creative construction.

First and foremost, let’s clarify one essential point: articles aren’t just homogenous chunks of text. A well-crafted article embodies different elements that merge to form an engaging, informative body of work. Here are those elements in order:

  • The Intriguing Title

At the top sits the title or heading; it’s your first chance to engage with a reader. This element requires serious consideration since it can determine whether someone will continue reading your material.

  • Engaging Introduction

Next comes the introduction, where you set expectations and hint at what’s to come. An artfully written introduction generates intrigue and gives readers a compelling reason to stick around.

  • Informative Body

The main body entails a detailed exploration of your topic, often broken down into subtopics or points for more manageable consumption and better flow of information.

  • Impactful Conclusion

Lastly, you have the conclusion, where you tie everything neatly together by revisiting key points and offering final thoughts.

While these components might appear straightforward on paper, mastering them requires practice, experimentation with writing styles, and a good understanding of your target audience. 

By putting in the work to familiarize yourself with how to create articles and how they’re structured, you’ll soon discover new ways to develop engaging content each time you put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard!). Translating complex concepts into digestible content doesn’t need to feel daunting anymore! Now that we’ve tackled the format, our focus can shift to what should be included in an article.

What Should Be in an Article?

What Should Be in an Article?

Understanding that specific items should be featured in your writing is crucial. A well-crafted article resembles a neatly packed suitcase – everything has its place and purpose.

Key Information

First and foremost, you need essential information. Start by presenting the topic plainly so readers can grasp its relevance immediately. This sets the tone of why you are writing the article. The degree of depth at this point will depend on your audience; be mindful not to overwhelm beginners with too much jargon or over-simplify things for experts.

Introduction

Secondly, every article must have an engaging introduction—this acts as the hook that reels your audience. Think of it as a movie trailer—it offers a taste of what’s to come without giving away all the details.

Third is the body, wherein you get into the crux of your argument or discussion. This is the point at which you present your ideas sequentially, along with supporting evidence or examples. Depending on the nature of your topic and personal style, this may vary from storytelling forms to more analytical breakdowns.

Lastly, you’ll need a fitting conclusion that wraps up all previously discussed points, effectively tying together every loose thread at the end. This helps cement your main ideas within the reader’s mind even after they’ve finished reading.

To summarize:  

  • Critical Information: Provides context for understanding
  • Introduction: Sheds further light on what will follow while piquing interest  
  • Body: Discusses topic intricacies using narratives or case studies
  • Conclusion: Ties up loose ends and reemphasizes important takeaways

In my experience writing articles for beginners and experts alike, I found these elements indispensable when conveying complex topics articulately and professionally. Always keep them at hand when looking to produce written material.

How should you structure an article?

How should you structure an article?

Crafting a well-structured article is akin to assembling a puzzle – every piece has its place and purpose. Let’s look at how to create the perfect skeleton for your content.

The introduction is your article’s welcome mat. It should be inviting and informative, briefly outlining what a reader can expect from your writing. Additionally, it must instantly grab the readers’ attention so they feel compelled to continue reading. To master the art of creating effective introductions, remember these key points:

  • Keep it short and precise.
  • Use compelling hooks like quotes or intriguing facts.
  • State clearly what the article will cover without revealing everything upfront.

Moving on, you encounter the body of your piece. This segment expands on the ideas outlined in the introduction while presenting fresh subtopics related to your core story. If we compare article writing to crossing a bridge, each paragraph represents a step toward the other side (the conclusion). Here are some tips for maintaining orderliness within your body:

  • Stick closely to one idea per paragraph as it enhances readability.
  • Ensure paragraphs flow logically by utilizing transitional words or sentences.
  • Offer evidence or examples supporting your claims and reinforce credibility.

As you approach the far side of our imaginary bridge, we reach an equally essential section of the article known as the conclusion. At this point, you should be looking to wrap your message up neatly while delivering on what was initially promised during the introduction. This section summarizes the main points, providing closure and ensuring readers feel satisfied.

Remember this golden rule when writing the conclusion: follow the  “Describe what you’re going to tell them (Introduction), tell them (Body), and then summarize what you told them (Conclusion).”  It’s a proven formula for delivering informative, engaging, and well-structured articles. 

One final tip before moving on: maintaining an active voice significantly enhances clarity for your readers. It makes them feel like they’re participating actively in the story unfolding within your article. In addition, it helps ensure easy readability, which is vital for keeping your audience engaged.

Tips for Writing a Good Article

Tips for Writing a Good Article

A persuasive, engaging, and insightful article requires careful thought and planning. Half the battle won is by knowing how to start writing and make content captivating. Below are vital tips that can enhance your article writing skills.

Heading or Title

An audience’s first impression hinges on the quality of your title. A good heading should be clear, attention-grabbing, and give an accurate snapshot of what’s contained in the piece’s body. Here are a few guidelines on how to create an impactful title:

  • Make it Compelling: Your title needs to spark interest and motivate readers to delve further into your work.
  • Keep it concise: You want to have a manageable heading. Aim for brevity yet inclusiveness.
  • Optimize with keywords: To boost search engine visibility, sprinkle relevant keywords naturally throughout your title.

By applying these techniques, you can increase reader engagement right from the get-go.

Body of the Article

After winning over potential readers with your catchy title, it’s time to provide substantial content in the form of the body text. Here’s how articles are typically structured:

Introduction:  Begin by providing an appealing overview that hooks your audience and baits them to read more. You can ask poignant questions or share interesting facts about your topic here.

Main Content:  Build on the groundwork set by your introduction. Lay out detailed information in a logical sequence with clear articulation.

Conclusion:  This reemphasizes the critical points discussed in the body while delivering a lasting impression of why those points matter.

Remember that clarity is critical when drafting each part because our objective here is to share information and communicate effectively. Properly understanding this approach ensures that the writing experience becomes creative and productive.

Step By Step Guide for Article Writing

Step By Step Guide for Article Writing

How do you write an article that engages your readers from the first line until the last? That’s what most writers, whether beginners or seasoned pros are trying to achieve. I’ll describe a step-by-step process for crafting such gripping articles in this guide.

Step 1: Find Your Target Audience

First and foremost, identify your target readers. Speaking directly to a specific group improves engagement and helps you craft messages that resonate deeply. To pinpoint your audience:

  • Take note of demographic attributes like age, gender, and profession.
  • Consider their preferences and needs.
  • Look into how much knowledge they are likely to possess concerning your topic.

Knowing this will help you decide what tone, language, and style best suits your readers. Remember, by understanding your audience better, you make it much easier to provide them with engaging content.

Step 2: Select a Topic and an Attractive Heading

Having understood your audience, select a relevant topic based on their interests and questions. Be sure it’s one you can competently discuss. When deciding how to start writing an article, ensure it begins with a captivating title.

A title should hint at what readers will gain from the article without revealing everything. Maintain some element of intrigue or provocation. For example, ‘6 Essentials You Probably Don’t Know About Gardening’ instead of just ‘Gardening Tips’.

Step 3: Research is Key

Good research is crucial to building credibility for beginners and experts alike. It prevents errors that could tarnish your piece immensely.

Thoroughly explore relevant books, scholarly articles, or reputable online resources. Find facts that build authenticity while debunking misconceptions that relate to your topic. Take notes on critical points discovered during this process—it’ll save you time when creating your first draft.

Step 4: Write a Comprehensive Brief

Having done your research, it’s time to write an outline or a brief—a roadmap for your article. This conveys how articles are written systematically without losing track of the main points.

Begin by starting the introduction with a punchy opener that draws readers in and a summary of what they’ll glean from reading. Section out specific points and ideas as separate headings and bullet points under each section to form the body. A conclusion rounds things up by restating key takeaways.

Step 5: Write and Proofread

Now comes the bulk of the work—writing. Respect the brief created earlier to ensure consistency and structure while drafting content. Use short, clear sentences while largely avoiding jargon unless absolutely necessary.

Post-writing, proofread ardently to check for typographical errors, inconsistent tenses, and poor sentence structures—and don’t forget factual correctness! It helps to read aloud, which can reveal awkward phrases that slipped through initial edits.

Step 6: Add Images and Infographics

To break text monotony and increase comprehension, introduce visuals such as images, infographics, or videos into your piece. They provide aesthetic relief while supporting the main ideas, increasing overall engagement.

Remember to source royalty-free images or get permission for copyrighted ones—you don’t want legal battles later!

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Article Writing

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Article Writing

Regarding article writing, a few pitfalls can compromise the quality of your content. Knowing these and how to avoid them will enhance your work’s clarity, depth, and impact.

The first mistake often made is skimping on research. An article without solid underpinnings won’t merely be bland – it might mislead readers. Therefore, prioritize comprehensive investigation before penning down anything. Understanding common misconceptions or misinterpretations about your topic will strengthen your case. 

Next, sidestep unnecessary jargon or excessively complex language. While showcasing an impressive vocabulary might seem appealing, remember that your primary objective is imparting information efficiently and effectively.

Moreover, failing to structure articles effectively represents another standard error. A structured piece aids in delivering complex ideas coherently. Maintaining a logical sequence facilitates reader comprehension, whether explaining a detailed concept or narrating an incident.

A piece lacking aesthetic allure can fail its purpose regardless of the value of its text. That’s where images come into play. Neglecting them is an all-too-common mistake among beginners. Relevant pictures inserted at appropriate junctures serve as visual breaks from texts and stimulate interest among readers.

Lastly, proofreading is vital in determining whether you can deliver a well-written article. Typos and grammatical errors can significantly undermine professional credibility while disrupting a smooth reading experience.

So, when pondering how articles are written, avoiding these mistakes goes a long way toward producing high-quality content that embodies both substance and style. Remember: practice is paramount when learning how to write excellent material!

How to Write an Article with SEOwind AI Writer?

How to Write an Article with SEOwind AI Writer

Harnessing the power of artificial intelligence has been a major step in many industries. One such significant tool is SEOwind AI Writer, which is critical for those curious about how to write an article leveraging AI. In this section, I’ll cover how you can effectively use SEOwind AI writer to create compelling articles.

Step 1: Create a Brief and Outline

The first step in writing an article revolves around understanding your audience’s interests and then articulating them in a comprehensive brief that outlines the content’s framework.

  • Decide on the topic: What ideas will you share via your article?
  • Define your audience: Knowing who will read your text significantly influences your tone, style, and content depth.
  • Establish main points: Highlight the key points or arguments you wish to exhibit in your drafted piece. This helps create a skeleton for your work and maintain a logical flow of information.

With SEOwind:

  • you get all the content and keyword research for top-performing content in one place,
  • you can generate a comprehensive AI outline with one click,
  • users can quickly create a title, description, and keywords that match the topic you’re writing about.

As insightful as it might seem, having a roadmap doubles as a guide throughout the creative process. SEOwind offers a user-friendly interface that allows the easy input of essential elements like keywords, title suggestions, content length, etc. These provide an insightful outline, saving time with an indispensable tool that demonstrates the practicality of article writing.

Step 2: Write an AI Article using SEOwind

Once you have a brief ready, you can write an AI article with a single click. It will consider all the data you provided and much more, such as copywriting and SEO best practices , to deliver content that ranks.

Step 3: Give it a Human Touch

Finally, SEOwind’s intuitive platform delivers impeccably constructed content to dispel any confusion about writing an article. The result is inevitably exceptional, with well-structured sentences and logically sequenced sections that meet your demands.

However, artificial intelligence can sometimes miss the unique personal touch that enhances relatability in communication—making articles more compelling. Let’s master adding individualistic charm to personalize articles so that they resonate with audiences.

Tailoring the AI-generated piece with personal anecdotes or custom inputs helps to break the monotony and bolster engagement rates. Always remember to tweak essential SEO elements like meta descriptions and relevant backlinks.

So, whether it’s enhancing casual language flow or eliminating robotic consistency, the slightest modifications can breathe life into the text and transform your article into a harmonious man-machine effort. Remember – it’s not just about technology making life easy but also how effectively we utilize this emerging trend!

Common Questions on how to write an article

Delving into the writing world, especially regarding articles, can often lead to a swarm of questions. Let’s tackle some common queries that newbies and seasoned writers frequently stumble upon to make your journey more comfortable and rewarding.

What is the easiest way to write an article?

The easiest way to write an article begins with a clear structure. Here are five simple steps you can follow:

  • Identify your audience: The first thing you should consider while planning your article is who will read it? Identifying your target audience helps shape the article’s content, style, and purpose.
  • Decide on a topic and outline: Determining what to write about can sometimes be a formidable task. Try to ensure you cover a topic you can cover effectively or for which you feel great passion. Next, outline the main points you want to present throughout your piece.
  • Do the research: Dig deep into resources for pertinent information regarding your topic and gather as much knowledge as possible. An informed writer paves the way for a knowledgeable reader.
  • Drafting phase: Begin with an engaging introduction followed by systematically fleshing out each point from your outline in body paragraphs before ending with conclusive remarks tying together all the earlier arguments.
  • Fine-tune through editing and proofreading: Errors happen no matter how qualified or experienced a writer may be! So make sure to edit and proofread before publishing.

Keep these keys in mind and remain patient and persistent. There’s no easier alternative for writing an article.

How can I write an article without knowing about the topic?

We sometimes need to write about less familiar subjects – but do not fret! Here’s my approach:

  • First off, start by thoroughly researching subject-centric reliable sources. The more information you have, the better poised you are to write confidently about it.
  • While researching, take notes and highlight the most essential points.
  • Create an outline by organizing these points logically – this essentially becomes your article’s backbone.
  • Start writing based on your research and outlined structure. If certain aspects remain unclear, keep investigating until clarity prevails.

Getting outside your comfort zone can be daunting, but is also a thrilling chance to expand your horizons.

What is your process for writing an article quickly?

In terms of speed versus quality in writing an article – strikingly enough, they aren’t mutually exclusive. To produce a high-quality piece swiftly, adhere to the following steps:

  • Establish purpose and audience: Before cogs start turning on phrase-spinning, be clear on why you’re writing and who will likely read it.
  • Brainstorm broadly, then refine: Cast a wide net initially regarding ideas around your topic. Then, narrow down those areas that amplify your core message or meet objectives.
  • Create a robust outline: A detailed roadmap prevents meandering during actual writing and saves time!
  • Ignore perfection in the first draft: Speed up initial drafting by prioritizing getting your thoughts on paper over perfect grammar or sentence compositions.
  • Be disciplined with edits and revisions: Try adopting a cut, shorten, and replace mantra while trimming fluff without mercy!

Writing quickly requires practice and strategic planning – but rest assured, it’s entirely possible!

Tom Winter

Seasoned SaaS and agency growth expert with deep expertise in AI, content marketing, and SEO. With SEOwind, he crafts AI-powered content that tops Google searches and magnetizes clicks. With a track record of rocketing startups to global reach and coaching teams to smash growth, Tom's all about sharing his rich arsenal of strategies through engaging podcasts and webinars. He's your go-to guy for transforming organic traffic, supercharging content creation, and driving sales through the roof.

Table of Contents

  • 1 What is an Article?
  • 2 Objectives of Article Writing
  • 3 What is the Format of an Article?
  • 4 What Should Be in an Article?
  • 5 How should you structure an article?
  • 6 Tips for Writing a Good Article
  • 7 Step By Step Guide for Article Writing
  • 8 Common Mistakes to Avoid in Article Writing
  • 9 How to Write an Article with SEOwind AI Writer?
  • 10 Common Questions on how to write an article

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How to Write a How-to Article Step-by-Step (+Free Template)

How to Write a How-to Article Step-by-Step (+Free Template)

Have you ever had to explain how Zoom video calls work to family-members or how to get from point A to point B to someone visiting your neighborhood?

If so, you’re already halfway to being able to write a helpful how-to article. But to get that extra bit of structure, flair, and inspiration you’ll need to hold your reader’s attention, keep reading.

Below, I’ve put together an eight-step guide to writing the perfect how-to article online, along with some additional tips on writing and optimizing ​eye-catching Informational articles for search engines and readers alike.

I’ve even included a free-to-download how-to article template – the end result of years of testing and trials using Similarweb Digital Marketing Intelligence – to get you started.

Remember, you can skip around this article to the parts that are most useful from your point of view. First, we’re starting with the what behind the how.

What is a how-to article?

Refreshingly, the name doesn’t leave much to the imagination.

A how-to article lays out exactly how to do something. A how-to ​blogger might walk readers through how to buy, use, or troubleshoot a product, or focus on a wider, more general topic instead, like how to bake a chocolate cake.

What sets a how-to ​article apart from the rest of the content on the internet is user intent . People clicking on how-to guides aren’t necessarily looking for info around what a topic is, or why they should be interested. They already know, and they already are – your job is to show them how.

How to write a how-to article in 8 simple steps

A good article should provide practical and clear takeaways that the reader can put into practice. They should avoid jargon, and be made up of a list with easy-to-follow steps and bullet points in chronological order.

  • Choose a Topic
  • Put yourself in the audience’s shoes
  • Research keywords
  • Plan your article’s structure
  • Keep your steps snappy and straightforward
  • Give your guide a unique selling point
  • Set your page up for SEO success
  • Monitor your page’s metrics – and keep optimizing

Let’s start with step one.

1. Choose a topic

The logic’s infallible – you can’t begin writing a how-to article if you don’t know what you’re going to be writing about. So first, you’ll need to select a topic .

The topic you pick will depend on what you want to achieve, your industry, and target audience .

You might, for instance, be a company that sells a fairly technical product, so you’d want to publish an article that offers honed, specific advice as to how to use it. In this case, the how-to guide services a specific business need – educating the customer. In this case, the topic will be dictated by your product catalog, for example:

  • How to Assemble an IKEA Kallax
  • How to Set Up a Samsung Neo TV
  • How to Use an Amazon Echo

At the opposite end of the spectrum, you could be publishing a how-to content offering additional tips around a more general subject, such as:

  • How to Blow Up a Balloon
  • How to Defrost a Chicken
  • How to Change a Lightbulb

In the case of these examples, you’re probably writing the content either to build your brand, or make money via display ads or affiliate marketing .

But still – that doesn’t mean your choice of topic for your how-to article should be random. Y ou should always pick topics that fit within your particular niche or industry. ‘How to Blow Up a Balloon,’ for instance, is a great choice of topic for a party supplies website – but not for one specializing in digital marketing.

So, think carefully about what you want to write about. If it ties into your brand’s sector and niche, it’s good. If it addresses a direct business or customer need, it’s great. And if you have experience with the topic – and are passionate about writing it – it’s even better! Tweet this

2. Put yourself in the audience’s shoes

Now you’ve chosen what you’re going to write about, you’ll need to figure out who you’re writing for . You’ll have to start thinking like your target audience – that is, the people who will read your how-to guide – and tailor the content accordingly.

To craft quality content, ask yourself a few questions:

  • What are their pain points?
  • What do they already know?
  • What new information can I offer?
  • What knowledge gaps are they expecting this article to plug?

Even better, you can use audience analysis tools, like Similarweb Research Intelligence to dig into the data. On this foundation, you can start building up a comprehensive ‘user profile’ of your article’s intended audience. This’ll then lead to more advanced considerations, like:

  • What other sites do they frequent?
  • What topics or products do they search for online?
  • What is the best channel to promote this content for my audience? (i.e. social media, email, PPC, organic, etc .)
  • What demographics are my readers (location, age, etc.)

Knowing your audience is crucial for striking the right balance when it comes to your article’s tone, content, and technicality.

An article entitled ‘How to Build a Model Airplane,’ for instance, shouldn’t alienate the beginners among its readership with overly complicated terminology. Similarly, ‘How to Deal With a Breakup’ should adopt a more compassionate, conciliatory tone.

3. Research keywords

Now that you know your topic and your audience, you’ll need to find the right keywords – particularly if you have any aspirations to get said audience’s eyes on your how-to article organically.

Keywords are words and phrases that people enter into search engines like Google and YouTube to find what they’re looking for online. Here’s an example, using Similarweb Keyword Research Tool  found related keywords to ‘How to blow up a balloon’:

Similarweb Keyword Generator shows the top related keywords to “how to blow up a balloon”.

Now you can see what are the related keywords and questions to get more ideas while brainstorming the sections to include in your piece. You can also select secondary keywords to rank using the “Trending” keywords filter.

In this case, the root keyword “Balloons” shows that “birthday balloons” and “balloons online” are both very strong terms to include.

Similarweb Keyword Generator shows the top trending keywords related to the term “balloons”.

Once you’ve identified the primary and secondary keywords you’re hoping to rank for, you are ready to create your outline.

4. Plan your article structure

The order in which you write your article is completely up to you. You can start with the first paragraph, or fill out your steps and main points before tackling the introduction and FAQs.

But whichever angle you come at your how-to article from, there’s one thing you’ll need in place before your first draft – a structure!

Here’s what we recommend:

Similarweb template detailing how to plan your article structure

For a more detailed deep dive into what content, headings, tips, FAQs, and CTAs you need to include in your piece, I recommend downloading our how-to article template.

It’s free to download, and will get you on the fast-track to how-to article success.

Pro tip : To take your how-to article to the next level, create a short video covering the main steps you go over. Not only can this increase engagement with your article, but it can help more people find you on YouTube.

5. Keep your steps snappy and straightforward

Remember, no one’s here for an essay. So make sure that each step of your article says what it needs to, without ever becoming overlong or bogged down in detail. Less is more, being clear and concise and engaging is key to keeping your target audience engaged (and coming back for more). Moving on…

6. Give your how-to guide a unique selling point

Remember, people learn in different ways. Some will be readers, while others will prefer to absorb information via watching, listening, or engaging in hands-on interaction.

With that in mind, be sure not to load your how-to article up with too much copy. Break up those text walls with videos, infographics, tables, music, or quizzes, instead. Trust us – it’s not just the visual learners in your audience that’ll thank us.

Plus, there are plenty of other ways to bestow a unique selling point upon your content. You can, for instance, give your article a special angle, or hook. For instance:

  • Is your guide ‘step-by-step’ or ‘no-nonsense’?
  • Does it offer ‘everything you need to know,’ or is it simply the ‘ultimate guide’ to the subject matter?
  • Would you brand it for beginners, or for those with a more advanced understanding?

Case studies, ‘top tips,’ and expert comments – which you can source from PR databases such as Response Source or Help a Reporter Out – are also great ways of infusing your how-to article with unique, value-adding (and original!) quality content.

7. Set your page up for SEO success

You wouldn’t spend a night out on the snowy tundras of Alaska without bundling up warm.

So before you push your article out into the unforgiving wilderness of Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs) , you’ll need to arm it with all the gear it needs to survive – and thrive – in an online environment.

Now, you already started equipping your how-to article for SEO survival when you researched relevant SEO keywords using our keyword research tool and integrated them naturally into your copy. But before you hit ‘Publish,’ you’ll want to make sure you’ve got the rest of the basics downpat, too:

  • Include the keywords you found in the page content
  • Ensure your page has value-driven titles and meta descriptions (with the right character count – about 60 for the title and 160 for the description)
  • Link to other, thematically relevant pages on your site, as well as external sources that will elevate user experience
  • Compress any images on your page to reduce their file size, and drive down the amount of time your how-to article takes to load

And that’s just the on-page stuff. There are so many more factors – from the layout and speed of your website to its linking structure and backlink profile – that’ll affect how your page performs.

For more SEO tips, skip down to the dedicated section on it below, or check out our comprehensive guide to creating an SEO strategy .

And please don’t forget to proofread before you press publish.

8. Monitor your page metrics – and keep optimizing

Congratulations – your page is live. All that planning, research, penmanship, and SEO-ing has furnished you with a how-to article worthy of top-tier SERP real estate.

But alas – the work doesn’t stop there.

Now begins the perpetual process of study, evaluation, and iteration that comes with being the proud author of web content.

Among the metrics you’ll want to keep tabs on are:

  • Session duration (can you increase this with a video or infographic?)
  • Bounce rate (can you reduce this with a more engaging introduction?)
  • Page views (can you boost these organically , or with paid advertising?)

Ultimately, there’s always something you can do to make a page better. So test, tinker, and never be afraid to experiment – that’s how breakthroughs are made.

How to optimize your how-to page for SEO

We touched on the basics in Step 7, but – for your how-to article to really get a tune out of Google’s rankings – you’ll want to dabble in the following:

Marking up your page with how-to schema

In the words of Google, “structured data is a standardized format for providing information about a page and classifying the page content.”

In the words of the layman: it’s code that makes it explicitly clear to Google that your article is a how-to guide, specifically – and not some other piece of content with a contrasting intent.

Adding this schema to your page will also help optimize it for voice searches – such as those made through Apple Siri or Amazon Alexa – and assist Google in extracting your article’s rich media and showcasing it in the SERPs (pictured).

An image showing the page schema and related video content for the term “how to blow up a balloon”.

Structured data can be added with code or a programming language, such as JavaScript, or – if you use a content management system – via a plugin. Head to Google’s guide to adding structured data for more info.

Write conversationally

This piece of advice is to help you avoid one of the most common mistakes: too much jargon. You won’t find the key to writing good web copy in the thesaurus – so drop the big words, the long sentences, and the unnecessary wordiness.

Instead, write conversationally – that is, in a way that reflects how you actually speak, and how your readers will read and interpret your content. Address your readers as “you,” ask questions, use the active voice, and use analogies and storytelling to forge a connection with your audience.

In addition to helping your reader empathize with you – and understand your content – conversational copy and specifically copy that is readable is thought to be preferred by users (and Google), and will also help your article rank for voice searches. After all, when people are saying their inquiries to Google – rather than typing them out – they tend to search as they’d speak.

E-A-T: Why the author matters

E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness. It’s one of the factors Google uses to rate the overall quality of a how-to article and is tied specifically to the content’s creator – in this case, you!

E-A-T content is a high level of expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness.

Here, Google’s looking to understand three core elements about you as an author:

  • Expertise : Are you an established expert in the topic? What kind of experience do you have in the field?
  • Authority : Do you – and the site you’re publishing on – have recognized authority in the space? Is the content you’re writing original?
  • Trustworthiness: Are you trustworthy? Have you checked your sources? Do you rely on expert knowledge? Why should Google rank your content?

So if you have all the right credentials to be talking about your topic, don’t hold back. Include a bio of yourself with your how-to article, explaining your experience and motivations, and reaffirming why Joe Public and Google alike should trust you.

Equally – if you don’t have that standing just yet – don’t fret. You can build up your E-A-T by:

  • Accruing (and responding to) user reviews
  • Collecting quotes from expert sources (see Step 6 above for more!), then getting those expert sources to mention you
  • Regularly reviewing and updating your content
  • Building up your website’s backlink profile

How to write a how-to article: conclusion

“ Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality”

The Dalai Lama

With these eight steps, you have everything you need to share your knowledge with the world; to turn an idea into a fully-fledged how-to article, and achieve SERP immortality.

Now, all that’s left is to… get started. To commit to an idea, use your expertise to develop it, and – through your passion for the content and subject matter – share it with the world.

So go show ‘em how it’s done!

Enjoy 360 Visibility 24/7

Get the data you need to adapt to market changes and industry trends in an instant.

A how-to article explains exactly how to do something and assumes they already know the what.

How should I structure my how-to article?

Always try to format your how-to article in a step-by-step format (Google loves it, as will your reader), with an introduction, conclusion, and FAQ section. If you have room, you can also include additional content – such as a ‘What Is,’ or ‘Top Tips for’ sections – to add value.

How can I download a free how-to article template?

Simply download Similarweb’s free, no-strings-attached template to walk you through structuring and formatting your how-to guide, with helpful hints around writing CTAs and FAQs, too.

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how to write a business article

Updating a Classic: Writing a Great Business Plan

  • A business plan can't be a tightly crafted prediction of the future but rather a depiction of how events might unfold and a road map for change.
  • The people making the forecasts are more important than the numbers themselves.
  • What matters is having all the required ingredients (or a road map for getting them), not the exact form of communication.
  • The best money comes from customers, not external investors.

Sean Silverthorne: " How to Write a Great Business Plan " has been one of the most downloaded articles on Harvard Business Publishing since you wrote it in 1997. Why do you think you hit a nerve?

Bill Sahlman: Writing a business plan is a seminal moment in the life of a new venture. Doing so entails committing to paper a vision of the factors that will affect the success or failure of the enterprise. People take the exercise very seriously and get emotionally invested in what they produce.

In that context, the article was written to give insights into how to think about the role of a business plan and its relation to new venture formation. I tried to explain that a business plan can't be a tightly crafted prediction of the future but rather a depiction of how events might unfold and a road map for change. I emphasized the notion that successful entrepreneurs constantly seek the right mixture of people, opportunity, context, and deal. They anticipate what can go wrong, what can go right, and they try to balance risk and reward.

Over the years, I have received many e-mails from folks trying to craft a business plan. They want feedback. Actually, they really want me to say that they are on the right track. I explain that I would need to get to know them and their opportunity much better than what is possible in an e-mail and that the written document is not as important as the people writing it. It's not science—it's art and craft.

Q: In the decade since the original article came out, business conditions have changed. If you were writing this piece today, would you change it much?

A: I don't think the world has changed materially. Successful ventures still have competent people pursuing sensible opportunities, using resources that help, in a favorable context. Yes, the context is very challenging today. But challenges create opportunities.

If gaining access to capital is hard, sometimes that means there will be fewer competitors. This period is almost the antithesis of the Internet bubble when everyone could raise money and start a company regardless of how lamebrained the idea. Also, we have difficult factor markets like energy, but that simply means that there are great opportunities for people with ideas for alternative energy.

Were I rewriting the article today, I might emphasize the importance of controlling your destiny by being conservative about access to capital. Many great ventures in the Internet era (pre-1999) ended up failing because they assumed they would have continued access to cheap capital. Many of those businesses failed, though the underlying idea was sensible. Similarly, we have seen a period when capital markets got ugly, which has a negative effect on all ventures, sensible and nonsensical.

I would also reinforce the idea that entrepreneurship is critical around the world. We are confronted with many crises from health care to the environment to global poverty. Solutions are likely to come from talented private sector and social entrepreneurs.

Q: You wrote in the original article that most business plans "waste too much ink on numbers and devote too little to the information that really matters to intelligent investors." Still true today? What really matters to investors?

A: When there is great uncertainty in the market, investors become quite risk averse. They will only back proven entrepreneurs with truly compelling ideas. People make the numbers, not conversely. So, I still think the people making the forecasts are more important than the numbers themselves.

Q: More and more entrepreneurial ventures are "born global": They seek to address a global market and attract funding from global investors. Should a business plan be tailored in some way for a global audience?

A: We live in a world of democratized access to ideas, human capital, and money. There are fabulous global ventures being started in every corner of the globe. These ventures can raise money locally or globally. They can disperse talent in many countries.

Take a company like Skype. When I visited Skype several years ago, it had 125 employees from 23 countries. The development team was in Estonia, and its headquarters in Europe. Skype had raised seed capital in Europe and in the United States. That's the new model.

Q: On the technology front, software applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint have added many charting, graphing, and visualizing capabilities. Some business plans are even written as Web pages. Should entrepreneurs avail themselves of these tools for business plans, or do they clutter the message too much?

A: On the first floor of the Rock Center at HBS there is a copy of the original business plan that Arthur Rock wrote for Intel some 40 years ago. It's only a few pages long, but it describes an outstanding team pursuing a new technology. I have seen compelling business plans in the form of a few PowerPoint slides, a couple of scribbled pages, and a brief video. What matters is having all the required ingredients (or a road map for getting them), not the exact form of communication.

Q: If you were to update your "Glossary of Business Plan Terms" and what they really mean ("We seek a value-added investor" really means "We are looking for a passive, dumb-as-rocks investor"), what current terms would you include?

A: The glossary holds today. I think entrepreneurs, investors, and employees need to be suitably skeptical about what they read in business plans. I have read perhaps 5,000 plans and have only seen three companies really meet their plan. That sounds like a pattern to me. If anyone makes a bet based on the company doing exactly as written, he or she will be sadly disappointed.

At the same time, every player has to be somewhat optimistic about the possibility of overcoming inevitable setbacks. I think of ventures as roller coasters, not rocket ships.

Q: Any general advice to entrepreneurs seeking funding in the uncertain capital markets of today?

A: The best money comes from customers, not external investors. I think entrepreneurs need ideas that are so compelling they can get early money from customers. I also believe that great teams with great ideas can continue to access capital on quite attractive terms from outstanding investors. If the short term looks unsettled, that often means that focusing on the long term has a big potential payoff.

  • 16 Feb 2024
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More Proof That Money Can Buy Happiness (or a Life with Less Stress)

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Why Boeing’s Problems with the 737 MAX Began More Than 25 Years Ago

William A. Sahlman

  • Entrepreneurship
  • Business Model
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  • Forecasting and Prediction

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When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.

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How to use Copilot Pro to write, edit, and analyze your Word documents

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Microsoft's Copilot Pro AI offers a few benefits for $20 per month. But the most helpful one is the AI-powered integration with the different Microsoft 365 apps. For those of you who use Microsoft Word, for instance, Copilot Pro can help you write and revise your text, provide summaries of your documents, and answer questions about any document.

First, you'll need a subscription to either Microsoft 365 Personal or Family . Priced at $70 per year, the Personal edition is geared for one individual signed into as many as five devices. At $100 per year, the Family edition is aimed at up to six people on as many as five devices. The core apps in the suite include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote.

Also: Microsoft Copilot vs. Copilot Pro: Is the subscription fee worth it?

Second, you'll need the subscription to Copilot Pro if you don't already have one. To sign up, head to the Copilot Pro website . Click the Get Copilot Pro button. Confirm the subscription and the payment. The next time you use Copilot on the website, in Windows, or with the mobile apps, the Pro version will be in effect.

How to use Copilot Pro in Word

1. open word.

Launch Microsoft Word and open a blank document. Let's say you need help writing a particular type of document and want Copilot to create a draft. 

Also: Microsoft Copilot Pro vs. OpenAI's ChatGPT Plus: Which is worth your $20 a month?

A small "Draft with Copilot" window appears on the screen. If you don't see it, click the tiny "Draft with Copilot icon in the left margin."

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2. Submit your request

At the text field in the window, type a description of the text you need and click the "Generate" button.

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Submit your request.

3. Review the response and your options

Copilot generates and displays its response. After reading the response, you're presented with a few different options.

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Review the response and your options.

4. Keep, regenerate, or remove the draft

If you like the draft, click "Keep it." The draft is then inserted into your document where you can work with it. If you don't like the draft, click the "Regenerate" button, and a new draft is created. 

Also: What is Copilot (formerly Bing Chat)? Here's everything you need to know

If you'd prefer to throw out the entire draft and start from scratch, click the trash can icon.

 width=

Keep, regenerate, or remove the draft.

5. Alter the draft

Alternatively, you can try to modify the draft by typing a specific request in the text field, such as "Make it more formal," "Make it shorter," or "Make it more casual."

 width=

Alter the draft.

6. Review the different versions

If you opt to regenerate the draft, you can switch between the different versions by clicking the left or right arrow next to the number. You can then choose to keep the draft you prefer.

 width=

7. Revise existing text

Copilot will also help you fine-tune existing text. Select the text you want to revise. Click the Copilot icon in the left margin and select "Rewrite with Copilot."

 width=

Revise existing text.

8. Review the different versions

Copilot creates a few different versions of the text. Click the arrow keys to view each version.

 width=

Review the different versions.

9. Replace or Insert

If you find one you like, click "Replace" to replace the text you selected. 

Also: ChatGPT vs. Microsoft Copilot vs. Gemini: Which is the best AI chatbot?

Click "Insert below" to insert the new draft below the existing words so you can compare the two.

 width=

Replace or Insert.

10. Adjust the tone

Click "Regenerate" to ask Copilot to try again. Click the "Adjust Tone" button and select a different tone to generate another draft.

 width=

Adjust the tone.

11. Turn text into a table

Sometimes you have text that would look and work better as a table. Copilot can help. Select the text you wish to turn into a table. Click the Copilot icon and select "Visualize as a Table."

 width=

Turn text into a table.

12. Respond to the table

In response, click "Keep it" to retain the table. Click "Regenerate" to try again. Click the trash can icon to delete it. Otherwise, type a request in the text field, such as "remove the second row" or "make the last column wider."

 width=

Respond to the table.

13. Summarize a document

Copilot Pro can provide a summary of a document with its key points. To try this, open the document you want to summarize and then click the Copilot icon on the Ribbon. 

Also: The best AI chatbots

The right sidebar displays several prompts you can use to start your question. Click the one for "Summarize this doc."

 width=

Summarize a document.

14. Review the summary

View the generated summary in the sidebar. If you like it as is, click the "Copy" button to copy the summary and paste it elsewhere.

 width=

Review the summary.

15. Revise the summary

Otherwise, choose one of the suggested questions or ask your own question to revise the summary. For example, you could tell Copilot to make the summary longer, shorter, more formal, or less formal. 

Also: The best AI image generators

You could also ask it to expand on one of the points in the summary or provide more details on a certain point. A specific response is then generated based on your request.

 width=

Revise the summary.

16. Ask questions about a document

Next, you can ask specific questions about any of the content in a document. Again, click the Copilot icon to display the sidebar. In the prompt area, type and submit your question. Copilot displays the response in the sidebar. You can then ask follow-up questions as needed.

 width=

Ask questions about a document.

More how-tos

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The best TVs of 2024: Expert tested

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$7 Million for 30 Seconds? To Advertisers, the Super Bowl Is Worth It.

In a time of fragmentation, advertising during the game’s broadcast is still a reliable way to boost company revenue and familiarize viewers with a brand.

A cat wearing a bow tie.

By Santul Nerkar

A cat meowing for Hellmann’s mayonnaise, Peyton Manning chucking Bud Light beers to patrons in a bar and Kris Jenner stacking Oreo cookies. They all have one thing in common: Those companies paid seven figures to get their products in front of viewers during this year’s Super Bowl.

For the second consecutive year, the average cost of a 30-second ad spot during the Super Bowl was $7 million. Even as many businesses are being more disciplined with the money they have for marketing, and with spending on advertising slowing in recent years, the cost of a Super Bowl ad continues to go up.

The reason is simple: There is no opportunity guaranteed to reach more people than the Super Bowl, and the slice of every other pie keeps shrinking.

“It’s a throwback in terms of reaching everyone all at once,” said Charles Taylor, a professor of marketing at the Villanova School of Business.

In an increasingly fragmented media landscape, the number of opportunities for companies to reach a mass audience through advertising on network television has dwindled. Popular shows have increasingly moved to streaming platforms, along with audiences. More and more, networks find themselves relying on live events, like award shows and sports, to draw viewers.

“Live events are still huge for advertisers, and those are the ones that draw the highest attention,” said Frank Maguire, a vice president at Sharethrough, an advertising integration platform.

Not all live events are created equal, though. A record-low audience watched the Emmy Awards in January . Leagues like the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League have struggled to retain and increase viewership, and ratings for the N.C.A.A. men’s basketball final have fallen in recent years.

But the National Football League has continued its strong upward march , both in terms of viewership and media deals. In 2021, television networks committed $110 billion for the rights to broadcast the league for a decade, and the N.F.L. has continued to set record viewership numbers. More than 115 million people watched last year’s championship game.

The Super Bowl stands alone as a mass-marketing opportunity on television. A decade ago, the average cost of a 30-second spot was $4 million; a decade before that, it was $2.4 million. Analysts say the rise is a result of supply and demand: With a fixed amount of time and advertising spots for each Super Bowl broadcast, the competition is fierce. CBS, which will broadcast Sunday’s game, sold out its ad spots in a matter of weeks in November. Paramount, which owns CBS, will reportedly run nearly a dozen spots to promote its films.

“In this era of fragmentation, the Super Bowl is what television used to be,” said Brad Adgate, a veteran media analyst.

For many years, Super Bowl ads were kept closely guarded until the day of the game. Now, companies employ marketing campaigns that often start in mid-January.

“It’s about building a long-running narrative,” said Kofi Amoo-Gottfried, the chief marketing officer at DoorDash, whose Super Bowl ad this year is pushing a promotional deal.

Many viewers now turn on the Super Bowl broadcast with an idea of what to expect for the ads. A January preview of a Pringles ad, for instance, featured the mustache of an unknown man, prompting many fans to guess it belonged to the Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce. (In fact, it belonged to the actor Chris Pratt.)

“You’re not just paying for that 30-second spot; it is a four- to six-week buzz that you’re creating,” said Mary Scott, a professor of strategic communications at Montclair State University and a former president at United Entertainment Group, a sports and entertainment marketing agency.

The rise in female viewership for N.F.L. games this season, made even more prominent by Taylor Swift’s relationship with Mr. Kelce, is another potential marketing opportunity for companies.

The news that Kansas City made the Super Bowl was welcomed by health-and-beauty companies, which disproportionately target young women. That demographic has tuned into more football games this season, thanks in large part to Ms. Swift’s appearances at Kansas City games.

NYX Makeup, a subsidiary of L’Oreal, has bought its first Super Bowl ad spot, while Dove is returning with an ad spot for the first time since 2015. E.L.F. cosmetics is advertising for the second straight year.

Kory Marchisotto, E.L.F.’s chief marketing officer, acknowledged that Kansas City’s playing in the Super Bowl was good for business. Ms. Marchisotto said her company kept different versions of ads in the days leading up to the game, a departure from how Super Bowl ads used to be prepared. Companies want to stay as nimble as possible, staying responsive to the specific interests of the audience watching the game.

“It was way easier when you would create a spot, spend a year on it, put it in market, and sit back and let it fly,” she said.

At the same time, companies are investing more heavily into making sure they’re getting the most for their $7 million. More ads this year are expected to feature interactive components like QR codes, which help companies track engagement with their brands in real time.

The technology debuted at the Super Bowl in 2022 with a floating code for Coinbase, a cryptocurrency company. The concept was used in more ads in last year’s Super Bowl — including one for avocados from Mexico and one for a public service announcement from a religious organization. The strategy also featured prominently during the N.F.L.’s first Black Friday broadcast in November.

Together, the Super Bowl’s ads are an annual snapshot of the economic and social moment in the country, said Ethan Heftman, a vice president of agency sales at Ampersand, an ad consortium owned by Comcast, Charter and Cox.

“As long as you have new industries — auto, cellular, tech companies,” Mr. Heftman said, “there’ll always be brands seeking that broad awareness.”

Santul Nerkar is a reporter covering business and sports. More about Santul Nerkar

Inside the World of Sports

Dive deeper into the people, issues and trends shaping professional, collegiate and amateur athletics..

Gone Wild: Most defunct golf courses get paved over. But a number are getting transformed into ecological life rafts for wildlife, plants and people .

The Gift of Soccer: Sheffield, England, gave soccer to the world , according to local amateur historians. Now the English city wants credit.

Stadiums in Africa: This year’s Africa Cup of Nations, like several previous editions, played out in Chinese-built arenas. It will end with familiar questions about their legacy .

Discovered at a Pickup Game: Arthur Dukes Jr. had made three false starts at college before becoming the star player  for LaGuardia Community College’s scrappy new team.

Embracing Politics: Come for the draft analysis, stay for the anti-Biden rant. A growing class of commentators is blending sports and conservative politics .

Caitlin Clark Is Different: Her fiery competitiveness, no-look passes and 3-point bombs have made her the biggest star in college basketball. What happens when she leaves Iowa ?

  • Search for: Toggle Search

Say What? Chat With RTX Brings Custom Chatbot to NVIDIA RTX AI PCs

Chatbots are used by millions of people around the world every day, powered by NVIDIA GPU-based cloud servers. Now, these groundbreaking tools are coming to Windows PCs powered by NVIDIA RTX for local, fast, custom generative AI .

Chat with RTX , now free to download , is a tech demo that lets users personalize a chatbot with their own content, accelerated by a local NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series GPU or higher with at least 8GB of video random access memory, or VRAM.

Ask Me Anything

Chat with RTX uses retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), NVIDIA TensorRT-LLM software and NVIDIA RTX acceleration to bring generative AI capabilities to local, GeForce-powered Windows PCs. Users can quickly, easily connect local files on a PC as a dataset to an open-source large language model like Mistral or Llama 2, enabling queries for quick, contextually relevant answers.

Rather than searching through notes or saved content, users can simply type queries. For example, one could ask, “What was the restaurant my partner recommended while in Las Vegas?” and Chat with RTX will scan local files the user points it to and provide the answer with context.

The tool supports various file formats, including .txt, .pdf, .doc/.docx and .xml. Point the application at the folder containing these files, and the tool will load them into its library in just seconds.

Users can also include information from YouTube videos and playlists. Adding a video URL to Chat with RTX allows users to integrate this knowledge into their chatbot for contextual queries. For example, ask for travel recommendations based on content from favorite influencer videos, or get quick tutorials and how-tos based on top educational resources.

how to write a business article

Since Chat with RTX runs locally on Windows RTX PCs and workstations, the provided results are fast — and the user’s data stays on the device. Rather than relying on cloud-based LLM services, Chat with RTX lets users process sensitive data on a local PC without the need to share it with a third party or have an internet connection.

In addition to a GeForce RTX 30 Series GPU or higher with a minimum 8GB of VRAM, Chat with RTX requires Windows 10 or 11, and the latest NVIDIA GPU drivers.

Editor’s note: We have identified an issue in Chat with RTX that causes installation to fail when the user selects a different installation directory. This will be fixed in a future release. For the time being, users should use the default installation directory (“C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\NVIDIA\ChatWithRTX”).

Develop LLM-Based Applications With RTX

Chat with RTX shows the potential of accelerating LLMs with RTX GPUs. The app is built from the TensorRT-LLM RAG developer reference project, available on GitHub . Developers can use the reference project to develop and deploy their own RAG-based applications for RTX, accelerated by TensorRT-LLM. Learn more about building LLM-based applications .

Enter a generative AI-powered Windows app or plug-in to the NVIDIA Generative AI on NVIDIA RTX developer contest, running through Friday, Feb. 23, for a chance to win prizes such as a GeForce RTX 4090 GPU, a full, in-person conference pass to NVIDIA GTC and more.

Learn more about Chat with RTX .

NVIDIA websites use cookies to deliver and improve the website experience. See our cookie policy for further details on how we use cookies and how to change your cookie settings.

IRS to Pursue Business Private Jet Usage in New Round of Audits on High-Wealth Taxpayers

First, there were trackers on Taylor Swift and other celebrities’ private jet usage

Ross D. Franklin

Ross D. Franklin

FILE - Private jets sit parked at Scottsdale Airport Jan. 27, 2015, in Scottsdale, Ariz. IRS leadership said Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, that the agency will start up dozens of audits on businesses' private jets and how they are used personally by executives and written off as a tax deduction — as part of the agency's ongoing mission of going after high-wealth tax cheats who game the tax system at the expense of American taxpayers. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — First, there were trackers on Taylor Swift and other celebrities' private jet usage. Now, there will be more scrutiny on executives' personal use of business aircraft who write it off as a tax expense.

IRS leadership said Wednesday that the agency will start conducting dozens of audits on businesses' private jets and how they are used personally by executives and written off as a tax deduction — as part of the agency's ongoing mission of going after high-wealth tax cheats who game the tax system at the expense of American taxpayers.

The audits will focus on aircraft used by large corporations and high-income taxpayers and whether the tax purpose of the jet use is being properly allocated, the IRS says.

“At this time of year, when millions of hardworking taxpayers are working on their taxes, we want them to feel confident that everyone is playing by the same rules,” IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel said on a call with reporters to preview the announcement. Tax season began Jan. 29 .

“These aircraft audits will help ensure high-income groups aren’t flying under the radar with their tax responsibilities,” he said.

Photos You Should See

A member of the Seattle Mariners tosses a ball against a wall during drills at spring training baseball workouts, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Peoria, Ariz. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

There are more than 10,000 corporate jets in the US., according to the IRS, valued at tens of millions of dollars and many can be fully deducted.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, passed during the Trump administration, allowed for 100% bonus depreciation and expensing of private jets — which allowed taxpayers to write off the cost of aircraft purchased and put into service between September 2017 and January 2023.

Werfel said the federal tax collector will use resources from Democrats' Inflation Reduction Act to more closely examine private jet usage — which has not been closely scrutinized during the past decade as funding fell sharply in the last decade.

“Our audit rates have been anemic,” he said on the call. An April 2023 IRS report on tax audit data states that “continued resource constraints have limited the agency’s ability to address high-end noncompliance" stating that in tax year 2018, audit rates for people making more than $10 million were 9.2%, down from 13.6% in 2012. And in the same time period, overall corporate audit rates fell from 1.3% to .6%.

Mike Kaercher, senior attorney advisor at the Tax Law Center at NYU said in a statement that the IRS should also revisit how it values personal use of corporate aircraft, beyond just how flights are reported.

“The current rules allow these flights to be significantly undervalued, enabling wealthy filers to pay much less in taxes than fair market value would dictate, and it’s within the IRS’ authority to revise these rules,” Kaercher said.

Werfel said audits related to aircraft usage could increase in the future depending on the results of the initial audits and as the IRS continues hiring more examiners.

“To be clear, that doesn’t mean everyone in a high-income category partnership or corporation is evading or avoiding their tax responsibility,” Werfel said. “But it does mean that there’s more work to do for the IRS to make sure people are paying what they owe.”

Copyright 2024 The  Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Tags: Associated Press , business , taxes

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How To Post a Job on Craigslist (2024 Guide)

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Gabbie Rhodes is a creative content writer with over eight years of experience. Before freelancing, she worked at content marketing agencies and helped multiple brands—from startups to Fortune 500 companies—find and showcase their unique voice and thought leadership.

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Katie is a Chicago-based editor. She started her career writing and editing content about home warranty, renters insurance, homeowners insurance and other home services topics before transitioning to home improvement products. She has spent the last year and a half working at a software company, managing content about CRMs, project management tools and other tech topics.

You may think of Indeed, ZipRecruiter or LinkedIn for job posting, but Craigslist is another website to consider. It attracts over 170 million visitors per month , with thousands of classified ads to appeal to its massive audience. 

Undoubtedly, you can attract candidates by posting your job on Craigslist, but you’ll need to follow concrete steps to attract the right talent. Keep reading for an outline of these steps.

How To Post Jobs on Craigslist

Posting on Craigslist looks the same regardless of the role. Here is the process :

1. Create an Account

Create an account on Craigslist by providing your email address. Craigslist will then send an email to that address to verify that it’s yours. After verification, you can choose your password and accept the terms and conditions.

2. Create a Post

Once you have a Craigslist account, you can start drafting your job ad. There are two buttons for this on the home page — one in the top left corner that says “post an ad” and one in the top right corner that says “post.” You can choose either one; they both lead to a page asking for your ZIP code or city. This information will help ensure that your gig goes on your local Craigslist page. 

Next, you’ll need to indicate the type of post you’re publishing. Do this by clicking “job offered.” Afterward, choose the best job category for your position. You can select as many categories as you want, but it’ll cost you between $10 and $75 per category depending on your area. 

3. Write the Post

This is where you fill in the details of the role. There are text boxes for:

  • Posting title*: You want your job to stand out in a sea of other jobs, so craft a captivating headline. State the job title, and end with a perk or two in parentheses. For example, if you want to highlight that it’s a remote role, you can put that in parentheses.
  • City or neighborhood: This field is a bit redundant because there are ZIP code and location info fields already on this page. However, you can fill this out if you want to highlight that the job is in a particular neighborhood or part of the city.
  • ZIP code*: This is the ZIP code for where the job or company is located.
  • Description*: Write a job description that outlines the main duties, required skills and preferred skills. You can also list a few fun facts about your company to attract interest. 
  • Posting details*: On the left side of this field, there is a drop-down menu to choose if the job is full-time, part-time, contract or employee’s choice. You must select one of these options. There are also boxes on the right side of the field that are optional to check if they apply to the job.
  • Job title*: This can be a modified version of your posting title. For instance, maybe you use the title without the text in the parentheses.
  • Compensation*: If this is a part-time position, include the hourly rate. If this is a full-time role, put the annual salary. You can also include any bonuses in this field.
  • Company name: Provide the name of your company so that potential candidates can look you up. Company culture has become important for job seekers, so give them an opportunity to see if your culture aligns with what they’re looking for.
  • Contact info*: You may not be comfortable making your email address public information, in which case you can use the Mail Relay feature. This feature creates an intermediary email address containing random numbers and letters to forward candidate responses to. At the very least, you must set up this email, but you also have the option to add your phone number. There is no intermediary for phone numbers, so if you choose to add yours, it gets publicly displayed on the job posting. 
  • Location info: Craigslist fills in this information for you once you input the ZIP code, city and/or neighborhood at the top.

*The starred text boxes indicate the fields that are required to fill out. 

4. Zoom In on Location

Once you fill in the text boxes and press the “continue” button, you get taken to a page to add more location details. You can stick with just the ZIP code or add the street and city.

5. Add Images

Pressing “continue” again takes you to a page to add images. It’s not mandatory, but it can help your job stand out. We recommend images of your logo, office or team to showcase your company culture. 

6. Publish the Ad

After clicking “done with images,” you go to the final page. Here, you will:

  • Preview and approve the ad
  • Submit your payment information

Within 15 minutes of completing these two steps, Craigslist will push your ad live. If you don’t get many applications in the coming days, you can go back and modify the post.

How Much Does It Cost To Post Jobs on Craigslist?

There is no way to publish a free job posting on Craigslist in the United States. As previously mentioned, it costs $10 to $75 per category. The price varies by location. Posting a job in Chicago, for example, costs $45 per category. This price drops to $25 per category for a job in Memphis, Tenn. 

It is important to note that your job posting expires 30 days after you publish it. If you want to keep it up, you have to pay the same amount per category to repost it.  

How To Attract Quality Job Candidates on Craigslist

Craigslist’s massive audience gives you access to a big pool of potential candidates. However, you need to craft a compelling ad to attract them. Here are some tips on how to do this: 

  • Highlight your benefits and company culture.
  • Be specific but concise when describing the job duties.
  • Use a positive tone in your copy.
  • Make the compensation clear.
  • Post your job early in the week .

After initially attracting talent, you need to keep them interested with a well-designed interview and hiring process. Here are some best practices to foster a smooth process: 

  • Prepare questions ahead of interviews.
  • Give candidates a summary of each step in the interview process.
  • Leave time in interviews for candidates to ask questions.
  • Schedule the next interview shortly after the previous one to keep candidates moving through the process.
  • Pay candidates for any work they complete as part of skills assessments.

Frequently Asked Questions About Craigslist Job Postings

Is posting a job on craigslist a good idea.

Craigslist has more than 170 million visitors per month. Having access to this many potential candidates is a good reason to consider posting a job on Craigslist. 

Can I automate job posts on Craigslist?

No, you can’t automate job posts on Craigslist. You have to manually create and post each job yourself. 

Is Craigslist good for hiring?

As Craigslist isn’t a dedicated job board like LinkedIn or Indeed, it’s probably not the best way to hire. However, it can be a good resource with all of its users. 

What kind of jobs can you post on Craigslist?

You can post any type of job on Craigslist. Some of your options include contract, freelance, full-time and part-time. 

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how to write a business article

Google quietly launches internal AI model named 'Goose' to help employees write code faster, leaked documents show

  • Google has an internal large language model named Goose, designed to make employees more productive.
  • Goose is trained on "25 years of engineering expertise at Google."
  • The company is leveraging AI as part of a bigger efficiency push.

As Google injects artificial intelligence into every product it possibly can, it’s also turning to AI to make its business more efficient.

The company has launched a large language model named Goose that's just for employees. It is designed to assist with building new products, according to internal documents reviewed by Business Insider.

The documents describe Goose as a “descendant of Gemini,” its big new large language model . Goose is “trained on the sum total of 25 years of engineering expertise at Google,” one of the documents states.

“It can answer questions around Google-specific technologies, write code using internal tech stacks and supports novel capabilities such as editing code based on natural language prompts,” an internal summary of Goose reads.

Leveraging AI internally could be a key factor in Google’s new efficiency drive, which has resulted in leadership cutting thousands of jobs over the past 13 months and a number of team re-orgs. Google finance chief Ruth Porat hinted at initiatives like this during the company’s recent earnings call , telling analysts that Google was working to “slow expense growth” through a variety of tactics including “streamlining operations across Alphabet through the use of AI.” 

One internal document notes that Goose is part of a plan to “bring AI to every stage of the product development process.” 

A Google spokesperson didn't respond to a request for comment.

Goose appears to be available for at least some employees to use right now, however, it’s not clear if it’s fully functional in terms of its abilities. One document notes that Goose “is also planned to be the first general-purpose LLM approved for internal coding use at Google.”

“Goose has a 28k token context window, which makes it particularly valuable for development tasks,” it adds. Token context windows refer to the amount of text, numbers, and other information a language model can take into account when processing a query. That's especially important for coding, which can include hundreds of thousands of lines of code.

The documents note that the creation of Goose was a collaborative effort between Google Brain, DeepMind, and Google's internal infrastructure teams. The company merged Brain and DeepMind last year to build Gemini, which was in turn named after the twin teams that created it.

Duck, Duck, Goose

Google isn't the only tech company using its own AI models and products to boost productivity. Microsoft recently rolled out its Copilot tool to internal teams , Business Insider reported.

And Goose isn't the only example of Google using AI to be more efficient.

The company uses AI to try to reduce the amount of energy required to cool its data centers, for example. It is also increasingly pushing advertisers to use AI automated products for deciding where their money should be spent across Google's products.

For now at least, Google insists that AI is not taking away employees’ jobs.

“We’re not restructuring because AI is taking away any jobs,” said Google’s chief business officer Philipp Schindler, after Business Insider’s reported layoffs in Google’s ad sales team as part of a re-org .

Goose could become increasingly useful for employees. The tool was designed with a "focus on new engineering-related capabilities," one of the documents reads, suggesting it could go well beyond the existing development tools offered to staff.

And if Googlers have specific development questions while using Goose, they're encouraged to turn to the company's internal chatbot, named Duckie.

Are you a current or former Google employee? Got something to share??

You can reach reporter Hugh Langley via encrypted messaging app Signal (+1 628-228-1836) or email ( [email protected] )

how to write a business article

Watch: Google's DeepMind AI just taught itself to walk

how to write a business article

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HSBC posts record annual profit but misses estimates on China write-down, shares tumble 7%

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  • HSBC pre-tax profit climbed about 78% to $30.3 billion in 2023 from a year earlier, but missed median estimates of $34.06 billion from analysts tracked by LSEG.
  • Chief Executive Noel Quinn also announced an additional share buyback of up to $2 billion to be completed by the bank's next quarterly report.

In this article

HSBC 's full-year 2023 pretax profit missed analysts' estimates on Wednesday, hit by impairment costs linked to the lender's stake in a Chinese bank, sinking its London-listed shares as much as 7%.

Europe's largest bank by assets saw its pre-tax profit climb about 78% to a record $30.3 billion in 2023 from a year ago, according to its statement released Wednesday during the mid-day trading break in Hong Kong. That missed median estimates of $34.06 billion from analysts tracked by LSEG.

Chief Executive Noel Quinn also announced an additional share buyback of up to $2 billion to be completed ahead of the bank's next quarterly earnings report. HSBC also said it would consider offering a special dividend of 21 cents per share in the first half of 2024 after it completes the sale of its Canada business.

With the highest full-year dividend per share since 2008 and three share buy-backs in 2023 totaling $7 billion, Quinn said the bank returned $19 billion to shareholders last year.

Quinn's remuneration doubled to $10.6 million in 2023 from $5.6 million the year before, boosted in part by variable long-term incentives since his appointment in 2020.

HSBC suffered a "valuation adjustment" of $3 billion on its 19% stake in China's Bank of Communications, Quinn said. In an interview with CNBC following the earnings release, he said this is "a technical accounting adjustment" and "not a reflection" on BoComm.

This write-down was among the items that plunged the bank's fourth-quarter pretax profit by 80% to $1 billion from a year earlier.

HSBC's Hong Kong shares reversed gains of about 1% after trading resumed, falling as much as 5%. The benchmark Hang Seng Index was up about 2%. Shares in London were down around 7% in early deals, set for their biggest one-day drop since 2020, according to Reuters.

Here are the other highlights of the bank's full year 2023 financial report card:

  • Revenue for 2023 increased by 30% to $66.1 billion, compared with the median LSEG forecast for about $66 billion.
  • Net interest margin, a measure of lending profitability, was 1.66% — compared with 1.48% in 2022.
  • Common equity tier 1 ratio — which measures the bank's capital in relation to its assets — was 14.8%, compared with 14.2% in 2022.
  • Basic earnings per share was $1.15, compared with the median LSEG forecast for $1.28 in 2023 and 75 cents for 2022.
  • Dividend per ordinary share was 61 cents — the highest since 2008 — compared with 32 cents in 2022.

Outlook 2024

HSBC, which has a second home in Hong Kong, said it was focusing on the fastest growing parts of Asia, a continent where the bank makes most of its profits.

In an earnings briefing to investors and analysts, the bank said it has completed the sale of its businesses in France, Oman, Greece and New Zealand, and was in the process of exiting Russia, Canada, Mauritius and Armenia.

HSBC CEO says it's 'still very confident' about China's economy

The bank flagged two key macroeconomic trends: declining interest rates as inflation ebbs — a development that could eat into its interest income; and a continued reconfiguration of global supply chains and trade.

"International expansion remains a core strategy for corporates and institutions seeking to develop and expand, especially the mid-market corporates that HSBC is very well-positioned to serve. Rather than de-globalizing, we are seeing the world re-globalize, as supply chains change and intraregional trade flows increase," Quinn said in the earnings statement.

The bank is targeting a mid-teens return on tangible equity for 2024, which was about 14.5% last year.

HSBC said it will be focusing on an expansion of non-interest income revenue sources via its wealth and transaction banking business. It is expecting banking non interest income of at least $41 billion in financial year 2024.

HSBC said it's cautious about the loan growth outlook for the first half of 2024 amid economic uncertainty, expecting a mid-single digit annual percentage growth over the medium to long term.

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