Article Writing Tips: How To Write An Article That Solves A Small Problem (And Makes A Big Difference!)

Your first order of business when writing an article is to select a topic. All of the articles that you write will be related to the topic of your website. For example, if you’re an accountant, then the general topic of your website is “accounting” and all of your articles will be about some aspect of accounting. If your website is a collection of chocolate recipes, then all of your articles will be about chocolate in some way. You get the idea…

But how can you figure out a specific topic to cover in your article?

There are tons of things you could write about, so how do you choose?
A great article marketing strategy is to use your article to teach your reader how to do something very simple related to your niche. Another idea is to write an article that solves a very small problem.
Both of these ideas are along the same vein–they result in a really focused article that provides specific and detailed information on one simple thing. This is usually the type of information that readers are looking for anyway.
Not sure about covering a very small topic in your article? Here are some benefits:

• You’ll be providing much needed information, and you probably won’t have much competition. Many other writers in your niche will overlook articles that solve really small, elementary problems, which actually works out great for you.
• A small problem usually has a relatively easy solution. If the reader feels like your article has created a “simple fix” for something in his life, then you leave him with a positive impression of you and your business, and he is much more likely to turn to you when he needs something in the future.
• You make the reader feel smart. Your article is simple and to the point. The information that you provide addresses a practical need. The reader spends a few minutes digesting the contents of your article and comes away thinking, “I can do that!”. We like people who make us feel smart.

Step 1: Here are some questions to help you generate some ideas:

1 – If you could have a 10 minute conversation with a reader interested in your niche, what crucial advice would you give him or her?
2 – What one common mistake do you see people in your niche making on a regular basis?
3 – What is one simple thing that your readers need to know how to do in order to have success in your niche?
Think about your answers to these questions and write down some ideas for either simple things you could teach your readers how to do or some simple problems that you could solve through your articles.

Step 2: Develop A Laser Beam Focus.

The reason why articles that solve small problems (or teach simple things) are so effective is that the narrow focus of the article allows you to provide very detailed information.
You may think that the problem is so small that the answer is elementary. You may feel foolish breaking your answer down into such obvious chunks of information.
If that’s what you think, remember how you feel when you’re looking for information online. Most of the time there is some very simple thing that you’re clueless about, and you’re looking for quick information. Most of your readers are in the same situation, and it just so happens that the topic that they’re clueless about falls under your niche.

Step 3: Break The Article Into Obvious Steps (and number them). 

Your readers will likely be skimming your article (that’s how most online readers gather information), so it’s crucial to your article’s success that you format it in an easy-to-read way. By breaking your article into steps and then clearly numbering them, you’re giving the reader obvious visual clues that guide him or her through the article.

4 – Answer the question “Why?”.

Tell the reader why the small issue you’re covering in your article is important and clearly explain the benefits of making the small changes that you’re recommending. Sometimes when an issue is tiny or taken for granted, people really don’t realize how making such a small change can have any impact in their experience in your niche.
In a lot of niches though, it’s the small things that make the biggest impact. When I think back on my education, one thing that made a huge difference in my life was learning how to type quickly. That seems like such a simple thing that people who are ambitious and hungry for knowledge wouldn’t trouble themselves with, but that tiny thing makes every day of my life so much easier.
If you’re a baseball fan, think about all the tiny things that go into hitting a baseball. Professional teams hire batting coaches who analyze the tiniest mechanics of a player’s swing to help him hit better. It’s the same with golf–you think it looks so simple, but there is a huge difference in the swing of an amateur and a professional. Tiny things make a big difference.

Your Homework:

For your next article, write an article that solves a small problem or teaches the reader how to do something really simple What small problem will you cover? What simple thing will you teach?

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