How To Write An Editors' Choice Article
Being an author in the eLearning industry is a tough, demanding job by itself. Producing articles and sharing your useful knowledge around the eLearning niche requires expertise. You need to be able to conduct research, deliver SEO value, and much more. However, establishing yourself as an authority and a thought leader requires more than just carrying a rabbit’s foot around and hoping for the best. You must rise above the rest of the talented authors in a structured, well-planned manner. If you manage to gain leadership in the eLearning community, you can raise awareness and intrigue your readers anytime with the articles you publish. The road to influencing the eLearning niche can start with a simple kick-off. Here are 8 tips on how you can be featured and highlighted in the Editors' Choice section of eLearning Industry.
1. Do Your Research
Would you ever start baking a cake without checking the ingredients you need or the preparation method? If the answer is no, then why would you begin producing a piece of content without having done some field research on the eLearning niche? It is crucial to do your homework before deciding what you’ll write about. Clarify the topics already discussed, pinpoint the main eLearning trends, question the other authorities’ perspectives.
Ensure your arguments are not like a blank shot in the eLearning field. Use solid points to support your content and back them up with reliable facts. It is important to make sure you include references from valid sources to support any arguments. Base your original ideas on the already conducted research on the subject you are developing. Discussing a topic that another author has argued about by simply paraphrasing their own words brings no value to your writing. Open your mind and generate new ideas by keeping up-to-date with the eLearning niche.
2. Aim For Interesting Articles
Fresh, new ideas, eLearning trends, and opinions from a variety of perspectives are the go-to for standing out in the industry. Intrigue your target audience by providing current topics that bring new value to the readers. Avoid pieces of content that have already been over-saturated in the past. Or discuss an older issue from another viewpoint. AI, gamification, and video-based learning are among the hottest eLearning topics of 2019, so why not exchange views on these subjects in your next article?
You want your readers to keep reading and expand their knowledge. If you demonstrate that you’re genuinely interested in the eLearning niche, your passion will spread among readers, and hopefully fans. Make the subject matter fascinating and exciting—liven it up! Opt for the active voice for a more direct and energetic tone.
3. Be An Out-Of-The-Box Thinker
Thinking out of the box is something we hear daily, but what does it really mean? What is it anyway, why is everyone asking for it, and what is so remarkable about it? The truth is that thinking inside the box means conforming to following the patterns of the business model. For example, analyzing and interpreting issues in a very sterile and old-fashioned-structured form. This is not necessarily wrong, but definitely, in a fast-paced world, it is neither captivating nor engaging.
Being an out-of-the-box thinker doesn’t mean exaggerating in terms of creativity. Do go wild, produce unique ideas, but maintain your knowledge level and authority at all times. Provide readers with innovative solutions when facing obstacles and initiate conversations around the topic in the field. Smart ways of solving complex issues are much-needed in the eLearning industry and will help you claim a spot in the Editors' Choice section.
4. Write In A Clear And Simple Manner
Being transparent and straightforward in your writing is one of the most robust requirements of a successful author. The level of expertise is high, so the jargon may be a bit too much for your readers to digest. Not all of the readers are eLearning or L&D professionals. Produce a comprehensive article that reflects knowledge stemming from personal experience.
It is critical to define your target audience and write in a manner that matches their characteristics. Your readers are smart, but this doesn’t automatically mean you can determine the level of subject matter expertise. Keep a helpful and explanatory tone throughout and avoid using buzzwords.
5. Less Is More
When it comes to styling, the new trend is to keep it simple. Prettify your article and make it easy to read by focusing on its readability score. This will bring in more readers who can take advantage of your content and find value in your ideas.
Your audience must be able to understand your main points easily and feel the need to read more from you. Even though it can be tricky, boost your eLearning content with a few simple tricks. Use shorter sentences for a more authoritative tone. Wrap up complex notions in memorable phrases that stick. Break down your writing with shorter paragraphs, and use headlines for each section for readers to skim through. Finally, don’t forget to select a fresh image for your article that makes an impression and reflects your topic.
6. Grammar Matters
You’re aspiring for your article to be highlighted in the Editors' Choice section, yet you have submitted an article full of grammatical and syntax errors. Even if your viewpoint, ideas, and creativity are top-notch, an article full of mistakes is most probably going to give your readers a hard time. Thus, they are not likely to keep on reading your article. They might go for another article, maybe lower in content quality, but well-written.
Before submitting an article, run a readability test and use tools that can check your grammar, syntax, and plagiarism percentage. This is the first step to make sure your text is error-free. Nonetheless, it is not sufficient on its own. Review, correct, and revise. Have another person read your writing. Does it make sense? Is it clear, concise, and proper? If yes, you’re good to go!
7. Create Engaging Content
One of the essential features of your article is the level of engagement the content provides. Anyone can produce a piece of writing, but what is it without a purpose and no results? Keep in mind that as an eLearning expert author, you should be well aware of your target audience. Your readers will consume and retain the information you give them only if the content is engaging.
Being original is a good starting point. Write in your own voice and style. Include bits of your personality in your writing—experiences and examples can be of great help too. Focus on publishing accurate, well-researched, and useful information for your audience. Mastering the eLearning field is also about communicating any features, benefits, how-to’s, and why’s. Those who love valuable educational content always strive to find new material online.
8. SEOptimize With Keywords
Of course, you want to attract more readers to your article, but you need to make sure they are the correct audience. That’s what defines you as an eLearning author. Enrich your eLearning content by using targeted keywords to make it easy for readers to identify your niche. Use the keywords as a tool to help build engaging SEO optimized content.
Building your content around a specific keyword is one way to succeed in this. However, it needs to be natural, so don’t just force keywords throughout your article. Otherwise, it will look like your valuable content has been written by a bot, and it will lack cohesion. Moreover, using high volume keywords will not only make your article rank higher in the eLearning niche, but it will also make readers spend more time on your article and turn them into prospects.
In the eLearning niche, you can write stories, share divergent or controversial opinions, or even present your insights. Become an authority by creating thought leadership content that's valuable to the eLearning audience. Putting together in-depth research, engaging content, and remarkable writing style will make you stand out in the eLearning community by all means. Benefit from all the perks of publishing your article on a platform that always provides eLearning professionals with top-notch content.
By following these tips, you will manage to produce an excellent piece of content that is worth sharing and discussing in the eLearning niche, and at the same time boost your expertise. eLearning Industry will reward the authors who are a part of this “knowledge sharing” journey and give them the chance to claim a spot in the Editors' Choice section. Becoming an authority in the eLearning niche does require a commitment. Look up all the best guest blogging tips in our free eBook How To Become An Authority In The eLearning Industry By Guest Blogging, and stay on top of trends and find a platform that suits your style and target audience.
