Writing an Effective Tutorial to Increase Customer Traffic

Tutorials are a great method to increase the customer traffic to your website, but many people are daunted by the work and research involved. Creating a tutorial for marketing purposes isn't as hard as it sounds; here are some tips on how to write an effective tutorial.

First, as always, do some market research. Once you have an idea of what you want to write about, browse the Internet to see if it hasn't already been done before. Why write a tutorial that will never be read because the information is already out there? Read the tutorials that are popular, and write down what you think is attention-grabbing about them. On the other side of the coin, look at tutorials that no one seems to be interested in and try to dissect them to figure out why.

Write an introduction to the tutorial that lets the reader know exactly what it's about. If the material you're covering is advanced, say so and state the minimum level of understanding the reader will need to comprehend the subject. Let them know how long it will take to read the tutorial, so they don't start reading with the expectation that it will be short and wind up frustrated when they're at page 100 and there's no end in sight.

Also include in your introduction the offer to give you feedback about the tutorial, no matter how much you think it's a moot point. You can try to have them include comments at the end of the tutorial, or invite them to click a link that directs them to a place on your website to leave feedback. Remember that comments are only as helpful as the person who posts them, though, and determine if what they're saying (positive or negative) is warranted.

Write the tutorial in a step-by-step format. It doesn't mean you treat the reader like a complete idiot, of course, but include enough information so your directions are easy to follow. Write with the audience in mind; for example, if you're writing to an audience with a clear grasp of the basics, it's okay to skip those basics in the tutorial and go right to the advanced material. If the intended audience isn't very familiar with the subject, write a bit more simply so they can follow it.

This goes without saying, but make sure your spelling and grammar are correct. Nothing destroys a well detailed tutorial faster than a few "your"s instead of "you're"s. This is off-putting to your potential customers, especially if English isn't their first language. Spell-check your entire tutorial before going live with it, or ask a friend or family member to proofread it for you.
When planning your tutorial, don't just think of it in terms of text. These days you can include pictures, tables, charts and more. You can even embed audio and video files into them now, so use your creativity. Even if your subject matter doesn't entirely warrant the added extravagance, most users will welcome the short break in routine.

When choosing a name for your tutorial, make sure it's specific. The best tutorial in the world will never be read if people can't find it, and the best way to ensure they don't find it is by giving it an obscure name. "How To Synchronize Every PDA in Your Workplace" is a far better choice than "PDA Uses". Search engines will use whatever title you give the tutorial, so make sure it's something that's actually searchable.

Make sure the tutorial directories you want to submit to will only link to your tutorial and not host it entirely. No matter how good your tutorial is, it won't generate any traffic on your website if it's being hosted on another. Search engines also take care not to produce results where the content is the same, so your site may never end up on Google if your tutorial is being hosted elsewhere. That having been said, try to submit your work to as many directories as you can (without them hosting it). The owners of tutorial directory websites will often affiliate or create a link exchange, spreading your name even further across the Internet and creating more traffic for you than you could do on your own.

Finally, keep a log of which tutorial directory sites you've submitted to. A bookkeeper's log will do this well, or a MS Excel spreadsheet. This way you can track your tutorial's progress through cyberspace and help you remember where you've submitted your work so you don't accidentally do it a second time.

Writing a tutorial for marketing purposes may seem difficult, but with some thought and effort put into it, it could easily become one of the best business plans you've ever put into action.