Chapter 7: Publishing Articles, White Papers, and

E-Books

By Michelle Raymondi, Steve Garcia, Jazmin Brooks, Julian Melahn, &

Sylvester Wright

Learning Objectives •Understand what an article directory is•Understand an article submission•Learn how to publish and issue articles•Learn the steps to creating e-books and white papers•Learn how to use article directories, e-books, and white papers to market

Key Terms •An article directory- is a website where people can submit original articles for approval•This is a way of having free distribution to other websites with also getting credit for it.•An article submission-generally runs 400 to 500 words in length with a 2–3% keyword density•The 2-3% is the percentage of the amount of times a word appears in an article

Publishing and Distributing Articles •The length of the piece and the profundity of the content is the difference between an article and a blog.

•In an article’s readers expect them to have more research and it to be more factual than blogs.

•Having an interesting title can help an article’s distribution success

•The article itself should have content that reflects the title

•Marketers prefer article directories without the no-follow requirement

Ten popular Article Directories, as of November 2011

Case Study: Using Ezine Articles for Math Education

- Shirley Slick used Ezine Articles to raise awareness of how math is being taught in the US

- Suggested possible solutions

- Ability to reach and educate anyone from everywhere

- Achieved Diamond-level status with Ezine Articles

Case Study Cont.

- Slick’s Article Tips:- Read and re-read Editorial Guidelines- Decide on initially important niches and write

either title ideas or potential topics- Research top authors on the subjects and

analyze their titles- Research tips on writing article titles

Creating White Papers and E-Books

•A good white paper is written for a business audience, defines a problem, and offers a solution, but it does not pitch a particular product or company

•A white paper is expected to have at least six pages of text and to provide useful information about a business or technical issue

•White papers are typically intended for the reader to review before making a purchase

Nine-step Process For Writing White Papers from Al Kemp

1.Assess Needs

2.Plan

3.Acquire Information

4.Organize Content

5.Design the Look and Feel

6.Write

7.Illustrate

8.Review, Revise, and Approve

9.Publish

White paper vs eBook: Which One to Choose

Before making a decision between eBook vs white paper, ask yourself the following questions:

Do you want to look like an expert or an engaging conversation starter?

Who are you targeting?

Does it require great detail? Charts? Numbers?

Is the topic visual?

When to Choose a White Paper

If you want to look like an expert in your field, a white paper may be a better fit for your organization.

This will give you a chance to exhibit the depth of your knowledge in a more formal voice. Additionally, the longer style is better suited to discuss complex and detailed subjects.

When to Choose an eBook

● An eBook allows your organization to showcase knowledge, but in a more conversational tone appealing to your target market.

● The shorter style with highly visual content will be more intriguing to a consumer than formal copy, charts, and graphs.

White Papers and E Books Cont

After choosing a topic, it’s time to start writing. Whether it is a white paper or eBook, you’ll include these same basic elements:

Title page

Table of contents

Introduction

Body — the bulk of your content; several chapters or sections depending on your topic

Conclusion

Call to action

Marketing with Articles, E-Books, and White Papers•Ultimate goal: draw attention and develop a company’s reputation for thought leadership and then use that expertise to generate sales•Do not include the product name in the description or title•Do not miss the larger opportunity to advance a brand’s image and reputation by making the mistake of treating these publications as purely a marketing platform•E-books and White Papers is that they have high-perceived value to the recipients

Case Study: The Mises Institute

The Mises Institute is an educational institution devoted to advancing Austrian economics, freedom, and peace in the classical-liberal tradition. The teachings of the school are radically libertarian, but initially only reached 15% of the United States population. However, through community forums, blogs, chat rooms, and e-books the institute now reaches students from over twenty countries.

As time goes on, the institute’s online library continues to grow and more influential in the world of ideas.

Case Study-(SIA) using white papers to raise awareness about issues affecting women/girls worldwide

Soroptimist has been researching and publishing white papers on issues important to women and girls for several years.

Specific uses include:

Case Study (SIA)

Educating Club MembersPromoting Soroptimist ProgramsEducating the CommunityInteresting the MediaStrengthening Advocacy EffortsRaising Funds

Case Study (SIA)

Soroptimist programs, along with numerous other awards, grants, and programs, have made SIA club members an important part of the international effort to improve the lives of girls and women with more than $2 million distributed through federation programs, helping more than 10,000 women and girls live their dreams of a better life.

Review Questions

1. What are some of the ways SIA uses white papers to raise awareness about issues affecting girls and women?

2. Does the article's title make or break its distribution success?

3. What distinguishes an article from a blog?4. When using marketing with Articles, E-Books and

White Papers what is the ultimate goal?