Anatomy of a Successful Knol

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Google Knol has been around for a while now. Knol junkies have wasted no time by putting excellent articles about various topics on Knol. But what is it exactly that sets apart a successful Knol from other? This post covers he anatomy of a successful Knol based on information gathered about the most popular articles currently hosted on Google Knol.

How To Write a Popular Google Knol Article

1. Content: the quality of content goes a long way towards determining how successful your Knol will be. Essentially, you want to write about a topic that intrigues people (see an example here). You also want to avoid the “quick hit” syndrome. In other words, you don’t want to write a Knol that is only 100 words long and doesn’t truly provide any valuable information to readers. You don’t necessarily have to write an extremely long Knol to be successful. But you want to convey information that is verifiable and leave the door open for your readers to explore your topic more after they are done reading your Knol.

2. Research: the best way to burn a Knol down to the ground is by skipping the research process. If you want to be successful in the Knol community, you need to research your topics rigorously. You don’t have to be an absolute expert in the topic of your choosing. But it is important to be right. Don’t make statements that you are not absolutely sure about or you’ll lose your credibility.

3. Start: your introduction piece is extremely important to your Knol’s success. With your introduction piece, you get the chance to write an elevator speech to help potential readers decide if the would want to invest time reading your Knol.

4. Engage: engage your readers and you are half-way through making your Knol successful. Knol is not a blog post, so I am not suggesting that you should specifically ask your readers for comments, but you can engage them and make them want to comment by setting the right tone for your Knol. If the topic that you choose is controversial or leaves the door open for argument, then you can expect your readers to comment on your work. Engaging your users and getting their feedback not only will help to get votes, it will help you to improve your work in the future.

5. Presentation: everyone likes an article that is brilliantly presented. So don’t forget to cite your work, and add graphics and visual aids to your work to give your audience the chance to better understand and appreciate your work. Tip:  use bullet points to drive your point(s) home.

6. Finish: your Knol’s finish is almost as important as your start. Your finale should not only summarize what you have talked about in your Knol but also leave the door open for argument. I am not suggesting that you should have a cliffhanger, but don’t cover your topic from A to Z. Leave some space for your readers to participate and contribute with their comments.

7. Reputation: once you start writing Knols, you are going to get rated by the community. The better your Knols are, the better reputation you will have in the community. If you are a marketer and you have spammed Digg or other sites to push your message, keep in mind that the strategy won’t work on Knol. You will need to provide value to your readers, and if you don’t, your reputation takes a hit. If you drop the ball enough times, your articles may get ignored or even voted down by the community so make sure you behave properly.