Writers - Times change

Mayan calendar (public domain)

Your online article writing career is going along smoothly. You've discovered your niche. You know all the rules. You follow them to the letter. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the rules have changed. The methods you have always used aren't working. It's time for a change. If your popularity or page views have taken a turn for the worse, don't be afraid to make timely changes. Those old rules served you well. Now it's time to move on. Savvy online article writers go with the flow, not against it.

Search engine optimization

The definition of SEO hasn't changed much over the years. Still, the methods of using SEO have definitely changed. While keywords play a major role in search engine optimization, we no longer have to keyword stuff articles in order to get them picked up by search engines. Most online article writers have learned to shun this practice. It's now possible to use keywords sparingly and include related words instead. Next year, that may change too. Who knows? Times change. The wise online article writer changes with it.

Your niche

Most online article writers have an area of expertise, or niche. While this can certainly build readership, it can also drive readers away. Writing on the same subject for a long period of time can have the effect of making your articles too much alike. If you have said all you have to say on a subject, don't be afraid to move on. Times change. Be flexible enough to recognize when it's time to move on.

Format and style

As online article writers, we tend to favor certain formats and writing styles. I know most of my readers are aware of the format and style I favor. After all, it's staring you right in the face. While a structured format is appealing to search engines, your readers might think of it as stale or boring. Why not change things up occasionally? Crack a joke or two. Surprise your readers with your many talents. Surprise yourself with the ability to do something new. Change with the times or just for the moment. Your online articles will be better for it. So will you.

This article was previously published by this author on a now closed Yahoo property.