Write A Lead Generating Article in 30 Minutes – Step by Step Guide

Are you starting your content marketing campaign in Perth but struggling to find the time to write quality content? Or just wondering how to write an article in 30 minutes?

 

To write an article in 30 minutes is actually a lot easier than you think! All it takes is good research, a little planning and effective structuring. Trust us, stick with this formula and you can create the perfect content for your marketing campaign in half an hour (or less).

 

Can I really create content that fast?

 

Yes indeed you can! In this guide I’m going to run you through the exact way that I use to create effective, informative and original content that you can take to the bank. I’m also going to share some of the little tips, tricks and hacks I’ve found over my years as a content manager and creator that will save you time, get those words flowing and get your phone ringing.

Ready?

 

PART 1: PLAN PLAN PLAN

 

Seems like a fairly obvious starting point, but unfortunately one that is very often overlooked. I’ve been writing content for more than 6 years and I can say that planning what you’re going to do is the most important part of writing.

 

Why is that?

 

It’s what is going to make your life the easiest, your output the fastest and your content the best.

And while I’ve covered planing comprehensively in my guide to creating killer content for your marketing campaign, I’m going to run you through my top 3 go to steps.

 

1. Keyword research.

 

Yes, Keywords again. And even if your sick of hearing about them – take it as a gentle reminder that they are very important. Researching keywords for your article works two fold:

 

a) Doing keyword research gives you an idea of how many people are actively searching in your niche. Having enough people willing to read your article is essential in your content marketing campaign.

 

Example:

 

Say you’re the owner of a pet store, and you feel like you should write an article on the Eastern Grey Squirrel you’ve just got in store. Before you start smashing away at the keyboard you check to see how popular this is is.

 

 

As you can see, there is next to no one searching for the eastern grey squirrel. And you’ll also be competing with the likes of Wikipedia. Meaning should you write the article, there is very little chance of gaining any traffic to it through a Google search (or that there will be many people interested in it).

NOTE – This doesn’t necessarily mean that you shouldn’t write the article, but it does mean that you could potentially spend your time on something that no one is going to read. So why not pick a subject that would garner you more traffic?

For example: Dog Training Perth, which has a much bigger search group.

 

 

b) They are essential for a quality SEO campaign. As you can see, a well researched article should drive quality traffic from interested searchers to your article. As you gain more traffic, Google is more likely to rank your article higher.

 

A higher ranking = more visitors. More visitor = more potential customers.

 

Man cannot believe how easy it is to rank on local SEO when you use a great Marketing and SEO specialist.

 

2. Google-Tube it

 

Yep, sounds ridiculous but it works. Using just Google and Youtube, in less than 10 minutes you can have enough research done to write your article in 30 minutes (or less).

 

How does it help you?

 

Well, because as much as you know – there is always room to learn more. I mean, you’re only one person after all and by spending ten minutes on research you’ll get a much wider and richer perspective on your subject, which will make it easier to write about.

Another thing is that these articles and videos are already ranking – which means people (your potential customers) are consuming them, which makes them ultra valuable.

Plus you might even learn something new.

 

 

A Little Hack…

 

What I feel works is to:

1. Have my keyword(s) locked in.
2. Hit Youtube and watch 2 – 3 videos on that keyword.
3. Move to Google and read the top 3 articles.

 

All the time I have a pad and a pen out to record:

 

a) What I think is useful, interesting and important (ie. what I’ll include in my own article)
b) How I can improve on them.
c) Any good quotes or statistics mentioned.

 

3. CHOOSE YOUR PARTS

 

Now that you have your keyword research done and your research notes next to you it’s time to open a word doc and complete the last stage of planning – segregation.

Frankly no matter what subject you choose, there’s going to be a lot to write on (even Eastern Grey Squirrels). So much in fact that you can’t possibly cover it all in one article.

 

YES I CAN!

 

No, you can’t. But that’s totally fine – it just means you have more content for future articles. It’s also why you need to plan what you are going to write about.

I’ve found that the easiest way of doing this is to divide the article into several sections. Sections work because:

 

a) They keep you (and your content) on track
b) They make writing manageable (if you take it one section at a time)
c) They help your readers navigate your content
d) Google loves them

 

As a general rule of thumb, you want to have between 250 – 500 words per section. Think of sections as the essential bullet points you want to cover in your article.

They are essential because your quick research has shown them to be interesting, important and useful.

 

Example:

 

Our pet store has chosen to write an article on Dog Training in Perth. Their sections look like this:

1. Where To Begin
2. How To Mark Progression
3. The Common Problems
4. Our Solutions

And that’s it. All the planing out of the way! Next up:

 

PART 2: Writing Your 1200 Word Article in 30 minutes.

 

STEP 1 – PART FILLING IN YOUR SECTIONS (20 Minutes)

 

While a title might seem like the first port of call, over time I have found that the easiest starting point is actually just launching into the main sections.

 

Why is that?

 

Mainly because it’s what you know best. You have the knowledge, you’ve done the research; you’re good to go. Thus, you can smash this part out fast.

As a nice bonus, it’s the bulk of your article – so by powering through it you’ll be pretty much done in no time.

 

Example:

Our pet store has 4 sections. Each of them is going to be about 250 words long. So they’re going to take 5 minutes to write each section. I know what you’re thinking:

 

 

But don’t worry – it is very possible.

 

Insider Tips:

 

  • Don’t sweat the small stuff. No article is perfect. Just get what you want to say down. Over (many) years, I’ve found that you can always edit – as long as there are words there. Being transfixed over minute details (ie. grammar, word choice etc) will only serve to waste you’re precious time.

 

  • Use short sentences and accessible words. Maybe it’s this age of instant gratification we’re living in but I’ve found people hate long sentences and jargon. Make them short. Make them count. Don’t use big words just because you can.

 

  • Don’t be afraid of using lists and bullet points. People love them. Just look at Buzzfeed. A site made entirely of lists which gets 141 million hits per month! They also speed up the writing process as you’re able to attack even smaller manageable sub-sections.

 

STRUGGLING WITH LENGTH?

 

Here are my three best hacks for increasing your word count quickly:

Use Quotes – take the most poignant quotes from your research and add them to your article (remember to credit the author). Heck, even link them to article and reach out to the author; you might be able to get a link in return.

Use Statistics – Readers love stats. Well chosen statistics are convincing and motivating and make you article (and your business) look credible. Bonus, they also add to your word count.

Use Examples – People love seeing how what your saying works with real life examples. Again it proves your credibility and it increases your word count – plus they’re (relatively) easy to write. Win win win!

 

STEP 2 – FOCUS ON THE INTRO (NOT THE TITLE) (7 Minutes)

 

Next up is to spend some time on your introduction. As a general measure, you want it be about 150 – 200 words long. That’s NOT that many words.

A good intro can be broken down into 3 parts:

 

Part 1

The opening sentence (or two sentences). Here you want to speak directly to your reader and their problem or query. This works to hook them into the article. It also shows that you’re going to answer this query.

 

Example:

 

“Is your puppy amaaazing but driving you a little nuts? Think it’s time you knew a little more about Dog Training here in Perth?”

 

Part 2

 

Next you want to answer the question or query in just a couple of easily understandable sentences.

 

Example:

 

“Training a puppy is hard. And getting your dog to be able to respond to even the most basic commands (sit, stay and heel) takes a lot of work on your part. At XXX we’ve found that what works best for training even the most rambunctious pup is a combination of time, repetition and rewards.”

 

Part 3

 

Finally you want to outline exactly what you’re going to cover in the article and begin to take your readers (and potential customers) on your journey.

I highly recommend adding a couple of rock solid reasons to make people read. Things like “tips” or “cheats” etc. work well here.

 

Example:

 

“In this little guide, our team of well trained pet lovers have come up with a full proof list of everything you need to know to start your training process. We’ve also put together the best time saving hacks and little tricks we’ve picked up through our years of experience with dogs of all kinds. Trust us, when you’re done with this article you’ll be ready to tame even the most unruly of pooches.”

 

And there you go. All up 149 words. Bring us to 1149 with 3 minutes left on the clock.

 

PART 3 – COME HOME STRONG (3 Minutes)

 

The last step is to finish off strong. Be careful. A lot of people tend to falter here.

And it’s easy to imagine why. I mean, you’ve just written pretty much all of your article. Your ready to upload and get your content marketing rolling through the waves of Perth.

Unfortunately, a conclusion is a necessary part of article writing.

 

How it can help your business…

 

If someone has read your article to its conclusion they’re pretty much hooked. So hooked, in fact, that it’s a perfect time to pitch your business.

A good conclusion should include something about your business, how you can help further and how to contact you.

 

Example:

 

“But of course, if you’re still struggling with your beloved baby, or can’t wrangle your four legged buddy feel free to give the guys at World’s Best Pet Shop a call – we’ve got a load more tips we didn’t have time for and are happy to help fellow animal lovers like us! Pop in for a chat today or give us a call and learn how we can help you create the perfect relationship with your furry friends.”

 

And voula!! Your done. 1228 words of well researched, well structured and very helpful content for your readers in just half an hour!!

 

Still struggling??

 

Yeah we know, content writing isn’t for everyone. And it can be extremely difficult to even find half an hour to get this stuff done. But if that is the case – don’t worry! We have a load more tips and time saving hacks on our blog.

Or just give us a call and have a chat – our content and SEO team are passionate about Perth business and are always open to talking with you about how we can help you succeed in digital.

Get in touch today

Contact us today to learn how we can help with your project.

Sean (Winston) Mann

Sean (Winston) Mann

Sean is a digital marketing coach and content designer at Summit Web. He started his career as a journalist but soon found his passion lay with helping businesses grow online. With extensive experience designing and managing successful digital campaigns, he is a go-to for businesses that want to maximise their leads online. Never one to rest, you'll catch him taking in music around town or even in the airport lounge.

Send us a message

Prefer to call? Reach us at 08 6102 5146