• By Bob Sommers
• Published 03/25/2009
• Article Writing

Your article summary is your first chance to catch the reader’s attention. It’s your 10-second commercial to sell your content. Here are some of the many reasons you want to write your article summary with care. Shows up with your title. When readers input search terms related to your article topic, your article summary comes up, along with your title, in the search engine results. Your summary becomes a quick biography of your article. It is here that your reader will make a decision to jump to the next title, or read your article. Required by search engines. Your article summary is a keyword magnet for the search engines. Your title and summary are key to landing your article at the top of internet searches. Required by article marketing sites. Any of the article submission sites that you might use for article distribution will require an article summary. Your summary helps article publishers and readers alike determine the validity of your article. 2. What makes a good article summary? Create urgency. Descriptive sentences for your summary need to create such curiosity that the reader can’t wait to continue reading. Think of your summary as the quick read on the back of a book cover. Reveal a bit of the plot, but don’t give away the ending. Extend an invitation. Your article summary will serve as an open invitation to read further, to come into your article, to gather knowledge and to find a benefit. Make it a critic’s review. One way to construct your article summary is to think of it like a book critic. Critics can describe the contents of a book in just enough words to either convince you to read it, or to put it back on the shelf. Keep your reader hooked with an article summary containing a few well constructed, descriptive sentences. Sales and marketing tool. Your article summary sells your reader on the benefits of your article and your own expertise. Your summary will not only sell your content, but your knowledge and ultimately, as your reader gets to the end of your article, your resource box pitch and your website. 3. What isn’t an article summary? It’s not a title.

Your article has a title, there’s no need to repeat it in your

summary. The reader has read your title and it’s leading him into your summary. It’s not a URL or email. Do not include your website URL or your email address. Those addresses belong only in your resource box. It’s not long. An article summary that’s two paragraphs and 14 sentences becomes part of your article, not a playful tease to entice your reader. It’s not self-promoting. Your article summary content is no different than your article itself. At no time should you self promote you or your business. Your article should always provide benefit to the reader. Include self-promotion in your resource box at the bottom of your article. 4. How do I write an article summary? Compose keyword sentences. Use the same rules that you apply for article writing. Develop short, concise, easy to understand sentences. And, be sure to include keywords related to your article topic. Using your industry buzzwords and lingo will help your reader know you understand the topic. Keep it brief. Describe your article and hook your reader with just 2 to 4 sentences. After all, your article is only a few paragraphs long itself. Make it original. The same rules apply in your article summary as in your article content. Make it your own words. Original summaries best represent your own original content and will be better accepted by article publishers. Write for the reader. Even though search engines are looking at your summary, write your article summary for your reader. Your summary gives insight into reader benefits and reflects your expertise prompting the reader to continue into your article. Add an emotional hook. Your article summary is your marketing and sales tool for your article content. The best way to entice your reader is to include an emotional tie. Whether you’re solving a problem, easing a painful situation or making your reader happy or their life easier, an emotional tie will keep your viewer reading.

A well-written article summary will separate your article from the thousands of articles available to readers and article submission sites. Your article summary provides your only “sales pitch” to get your reader to continue down the page to your content. Construct your article summary to provide enticing insight into an interesting article and your expertise. This is the way to boost your readership and generate traffic to your website.