Article marketing is the number one source of free traffic on the internet if you get your Resource Box right. If you do it wrong, you will have wasted all your time. Do this right and you’ve got it done!
What really is a resource box
Call it a resource box, author bio, etc., it really is your opportunity to create a compelling call to action for your reader. Even though it’s called the Author Bio, this is not the time for you to tell the reader everything about yourself and convince them that you are an expert. In fact, if you haven’t proven yourself to be an expert in your article, it’s too late to try now.
Although it is an official Call to Action, I like to teach my students and members to use what I call “invitation language” in their Resource Box. Inviting language can be something as simple as “and now I’d like to invite you to …” and then name the next action you’d like them to take. This is as opposed to something like “get this great new product now and all your problems will be solved in the morning and if you don’t, you will be ruined forever!”
I’m sure I’ve exaggerated a bit, but not much.
Here’s how to do it
You want the resource box to flow directly from your article as it is the next paragraph of the article. Starting with “Jim Smith is blah blah blah” is like announcing to the reader that the article is over and that they can stop reading now. Not the result you want at all, is it?
Instead, you can start with a nice transitional phrase that starts with the word “and.” For example, “And now I would like …” or “And now you can …” is a great way to start.
Then back to my notion of invitation language, you simply invite the reader to take the next action that you want them to take. For example, you can say “And now you can claim your free instant access to …” whatever you are offering them. The language of invitation attracts them instead of driving them away.
Then and only then do I mention my name, and only then that the good information you are about to get is linked in your mind to my name and brand.
Here is a complete example:
