Writing a Compelling Resource Box

Now that you’re getting your articles up on some high profile site you need to be able to take advantage of the traffic those sites see. The best way to take advantage of the traffic possibilities is to create a compelling resource box (sometimes known as author’s box)

Right up front I’ll admit, I’m not the best resource box writer in the world. However, I do have some tips you can use to play around and see what you come up with.

The tips I would  share regarding articles posted to article directories are a little different than the resource box you want to write for a high profile content site.  While in article directories your main objective is to just get the click to your site, in a high profile content post you want to also begin to build trust and relationship.

Yes… in a little tiny resource box.

So you want to tell them a little about yourself, so they can connect with you, but you STILL want to make sure there’s something in it for them to get them to click through.

Here’s my resource box from my recent guest post about Making It Mandatory

Jackie Lee is a full time work at home mom who, in between raising a preschooler, chickens, and her own groceries, helps people who are ready to help themselves figure out the steps to really make money online. If you’d like to know more about the book that inspired her ‘aha’ moments you can read more on her Internet Marketing Strategy blog.

Here I’ve told a little about myself, so people can get a feel for who I am, what I do and if they will connect with me on some level.

I also wanted to send them directly to my review of  What’s Holding You Back.

I was asked to create an author’s box for this site that would be my default. I don’t want to use the part about learning more about the book ~ because that won’t make sense on any other post. Here’s more of what I was thinking for my main author’s box.

Jackie Lee is a full time work at home mom who, in between raising a preschooler, chickens, and her own groceries, helps people who are ready to help themselves figure out the steps to really make money online. If you’re ready for something more and have a couple hours a day, grab the FREE 2 Hour Blueprint and get started creating your internet marketing success story.

Let’s break down what I’ve done here:

1. Introduced myself.

2. Given some information (in just a few words) that really describes who I am.

3. Gave information on who I’m talking to, and who I want to work with.

4. Gave a call to action ~ with some specifics.

5. Pointed them to a squeeze page to get them on my list.

6. Pointed them to a post on my blog to get them there. It’s a post that has links to a lot of other places as well. It also is a post that allows new people to see it IS possible to do this and get excited about the process.

So there’s my author’s box for that site. It’s a pretty good one and I would probably use this for all of my high profile content sites ~ of course if space allows and 2 links are allowed.

Should you send people to your squeeze page or to your blog?

If at all possible I would say send them to both. It can be pretty easy to get wrapped up in the content and everything else going on in the sidebars and not sign up to your list.

A person on your list is long term more valuable than someone who just stops by your blog. However, if they don’t sign up for your list, and you’ve sent them to a squeeze page, you’ve pretty much lost them forever. At least on your blog they can look around, get some information, realize how awesome you are, and then sign up for your list.

So if you can ONLY send them to one place, I’d send them to the blog ~ if I can have two links, definitely link to both.

I’d love to brainstorm with you about your resource boxes ~ so feel free to ask questions in the comment section. You can also start a discussion over at the facebook fanpage, and we can work on it together.