Despite suggestions that panda and penguin updates stomped all over ezinearticles, the article directory is still doing well
In the previous instalment of this series, we made a study of eHow.com in terms of its usefulness to an online entrepreneur. Now, we will look to do a SWOT analysis on another one of the stalwarts of the article marketing world, ezinearticles.com. Much like our previously reviewed website, Ezinearticles.com too is a prominent article directory and chances are that professional writers in the SEO world are well acquainted with the site’s popularity.
The Strengths of ezinearticles.com for Professional Writers
Quite unsurprisingly, ezine boasts of an Alexa rating of 316. Even though it lags slightly behind e-how’s redoubtable page rank of 7 at 6, the website still commands a fiefdom of online contributors that few other article directories manage to muster. Posting an article on ezine assures that, with the right heading (and a few other embellishments), you will not take much time in amassing a respectable number of readers and becoming one of the more popular professional writers.
It is also worth mentioning that merely labelling each group of articles as ‘categories’ would be greatly belittling the strength in depth that the site displays. All the headings (Arts and Entertainment, Business etc.) yield further sub-categories when you hover over them with the classification being as meticulous and diverse as is logically possible.
Another benefit of posting on ezinearticles.com is that the site helps promote authors. Authors are often rated and promptly occupy a merit list at display on the homepage of the site (The quality of your content writing skills will propel you there). This is exactly what bloggers and content writers should be looking for.
The Weaknesses of ezinearticles.com
We, at the WordsManShip, often wonder, how ornate a page needs to be in order to attract readers. Going by Ezine standards, your homepage might as well look like a dictionary. This hasn’t been its undoing of course, and to tell the truth, such a stand would veer close to nitpicking. Besides, this characteristic actually compels readers to actually ‘read’. Unfortunately, it also means that you do not easily stand out of the vast plethora of articles that may follow or precede yours in the vast list of posts that the site provides.
There are two things to keep in mind here for professional writers. The first is that words alone will not help you trounce your competitors and second is that first impressions do matter. What is needed is professional quality to stand out in the ocean of words that the website boasts of. Either you acquire professional level skills for this, or you buy content to ensure this.
Ezine, incidentally, was also, purportedly one of the victims of the Penguin-Panda onslaught. These claims, of course, are yet to be confirmed and going by the site’s performance, are probably untrue.
The Opportunities With ezinearticles.com
Ezinearticles much like eHow offers great opportunities for professional writers to tap into their target audience and convert them to prospective clients. However, there is a difference between these two sites. eHow with its varied uses of multimedia may command a vast audience, but ezinearticles will have readers who are methodical and meticulous in looking for what they need. Thus, at ezinearticles, you will catch the attention of a greater percentage of your niche audience. Ergo, the site does offer prospects of an increased conversion rate.
Along with this, the authors are also prominently promoted in the homepage. With significant contributions, you will be on your way up and will exponentially multiply your readers. A very big benefit of the site is that links are overtly visible in articles. Your page can also feature other links and pages and vice versa.
The Threats (Problems) with ezinearticles.com
Ezine may help you tap into the niche section of the audience but then again, you are not exactly expanding your base. You will not grab the attention of the internet gadfly; the kind of user who habitually checks out random posts and videos. The reason is simply that the attention span of such an individual is next to zero and a verbose page can make such a person yawn. Furthermore, when your page is just too wordy, you forego most opportunities to go viral.
In addition to this, let’s not forget the competition you will face with a legion of professional writers. The only way to counter these threats is to ensure that the content that you submit to ezinearticles is exceptional in its own right and sourced from a good content writing service.
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