manortor: [EzineArticles] 8 Tips to Writing Instructional Articles Readers Love

8 Tips to Writing Instructional Articles Readers Love

Put the "I" in Unique!

Dozens of niches provide how-to instructional articles. Why? They're easy to write and they target most audience's sweet spots: informative content that helps them achieve what they want (whether it's an emergency or to achieve a goal).

Due to the popularity of this type of content, it's easy to let your quality slip. When was the last time you took a step back and really looked deep into the instructional content you're writing? Look closely: Do your instructional articles offer detailed original tips, insights, case studies, or analysis? Or do your article submissions beat around the bush by providing regurgitated or vague content in order to build backlinks?

If it's the latter or you're unsure, then rein it in. Use these tips to write productive instructional articles that benefit readers and your exposure.

Provide Quality Content - If your intention is to provide readers with helpful, quality, and detailed information that provides them with solutions to their needs and wants, then you're on the right path. Don't stray from this path by regurgitating existing content on the Internet or stating the obvious (e.g., "Find a great XYZ by searching online"). In writing, quality is much more important than quantity.
Explain in Detail - Organize your thoughts into well-designed, detailed articles. Bear in mind readers will mainly want the "need to know" details relevant to achieving their needs or wants. Avoid complex industry jargon to ensure you will benefit your most basic readers. Include specific steps, guidelines, precautions, and your best tips to ensure you've asserted your authority and your unique content is clear.
Instruct Patiently - Guide your readers through each corresponding step so they may follow along without having to revert back to a previous step or click away for more information. First, outline the fundamental steps in a sequential order, and then provide helpful hints or best practices for your audience.
Include an Exercise - Get your readers involved by providing an exercise for them to do on their own. This can be a problem to solve, a fun activity, a survey, or steps to follow to achieve a desired end result. Whatever you do, light the way for them with clear directions (that's format and language) so they don't get through your article and have no direction on where to start.
Restrain Yourself - Limit the amount of ideas or concepts in your articles by focusing on 1 or 2 main points. It's tough, but it requires you to drill down a topic to consider all of the intricate details that make it whole (or work!). This allows you to separate ideas into a series of articles without overloading the reader with multiple concepts in one article. Aim for 1 detailed idea per article.
Share Experience - Don't hesitate to use your own experience when describing an instructional process. Think about the best ways you would follow through with your plan and be precise in your directions. You can separate your ideas from the standard "industry ideas" if you wish, so your unique content makes an impact.
Follow up on Your Website - Your instructional article should stand on its own; however, you can entice the reader to visit your website for even more in-depth information in the form of images, diagrams, videos, etc. in the call-to-action of your Resource Box. The key is to deliver in the article and then over-deliver on your website to provide a great user experience.
Include References - Your content needs to be unique and the star of the article, but you're certainly entitled to include helpful references that paved the way for your strategies. The instructions you give can be your own spin on a basic principle and having that backup to reference will give your readers some assurance of your credibility.

An instructional article's primary purpose is to educate readers in a short and concise document that conveys useful information to support concepts and procedures. A common misconception of instructional articles is that they should be written solely using technical language. While acceptable, cut and dry technical writing can be incredibly boring for both the reader and the author. Use the above list to deliver unique instructional content that's engaging and never leaves your audience hanging.

How do you ensure your instructional articles are engaging, unique, and assert your credibility? Click here to share your feedback in the comments section!