I write almost all the content for my own sites – only because I’m a control freak. If I were smarter, I would outsource most of my writing and take more holidays! ? So, don’t worry if you are not a writer. There are 6 options for content development, 4 that don’t involve writing. Each is discussed in greater detail in this section.

1. Create Your Own Content
2. Hire a Ghostwriter
3. Buy Resale & Private Label Rights
4. Source Copyright-Free (Public Domain) Work
5. Use Other Authors’ Content
6. Repurpose Your Content

1. Create Your Own Content

I like to write. Actually, I really enjoy writing. When people ask me what I do for a living, I don’t say that I’m an affiliate marketer. I tell them that I’m a writer (or a blogger), and then I explain how I make money from my writing as an affiliate marketer.

The best thing about writing your own site content is that you can inject your personality and create your own brand. You can portray yourself as funny, curmudgeonly or sweet – it’s up to you. In time, your visitors start to recognize your ‘voice.’ If they like you, they look forward to hearing more of what you have to say.

Eventually you build rapport with your readers and develop friendships through your correspondence. That, more than commissions, is what makes this business so sweet.

2. Hire a Ghostwriter

If you are allergic to writing, then hire a ghostwriter through Elance or Rentacoder as so many webmasters do. The screenshot below shows 356 job postings returned on Elance when I searched for “articles”. Note some of the subjects include time management, fitness, relationship, etc.

3. Buy Resale & Private Label Rights

You can buy articles, ebooks, and reports, etc. with private label rights – meaning you buy the right to use the content in almost any manner you choose.

Note: Most PLR sites specify that they do not want the content re-posted on article directories, so check the terms and conditions carefully before you purchase.

Typically content is supplied as unformatted text files or Word documents, to which you can add or modify content, including the title and authors name… meaning you can put your own name on the article.

PLR packages are quite inexpensive compared to ghostwritten articles, with most articles averaging 10 to 20 cents a piece.

Consider using the first paragraph or two of each article in your autoresponder series and include a link to the complete article on your site to bring your visitors back to your site.

4. Obtain Works in the Public Domain

Public domain works are books, poems and articles for which the copyright has expired and therefore have NO copyright protection, meaning that anyone can copy, modify and use or sell them.

Once you modify a public domain work it becomes your property. The modified work receives an automatic copyright just like it would if it were an original work.

5. Use Other Authors’ Content

GoArticles.com, EzineArticles.com and a number of other article directories allow you to use the material that authors post to those sites, free of charge. The stipulation is that you will respect authors’ guidelines and those of the article directory managers. In almost all cases, authors require that you place their resource box at the bottom of the article, which invariably includes a link back to their site.

Therein lies the drawback, however. That link out of your site is not usually an affiliate link, and I don’t recommend that you post any ‘leaky’ links (links that don’t make you money) on your site.

You’re much better off using PLR articles which you can claim as your own and have no linking requirements.

6. Repurpose Your Content

Repurposing content means taking content that you have created – or paid to have developed for you – and using it in a different way.

By repurposing your content and creating new formats for your material, you can extend your reach and increase the size of your audience. Those who read your newsletter but not the articles on your site will derive the benefit of the information in that article which before resided only on your site.

Here are 6 ideas for ways to reuse your content:

1. Use a portion of an article in your autoresponder series.

2. Articles can be recorded to audio files and uploaded to your site for those who would rather listen than read.

3. Articles can be combined into a report, booklet or full-scale ebook and offered as incentive to sign up for your newsletter. You could also turn them into paid content!

4. Turn your autoresponder series into a downloadable report.

5. Interview experts in your field and upload the audio to your site. Have the audio transcribed and turned into an ebook or a series of articles. Use quotes from the transcripts in a variety of different articles.

6. Modify your content to suit different audiences. For example, an article entitled “6 Strategies for Successful Online Dating” could easily be re-written as “6 Online Dating Mistakes to Avoid.”

Use your imagination to find new and different ways to reuse your existing material.

Not only will you increase your reach and your profits, but you’ll also save time in the process!

Related posts:

1. How to Optimize Your Blog Content