Writing Articles For Promotion

"Content is King." This has become the maxim for website marketing in the new millennium. So far as we can tell, the best way to a search engine's heart is through writing articles that have been optimized with keywords.

There are many facets to pulling off a successful article advertising campaign, of course. You need to find a writer, keywords, article publishing sites and affiliates to partner up with. It's no surprise, then, that many business professionals choose an established web marketing company to help them connect the dots.

First, we'll talk about how the writing of articles can help your business. Ultimately, you want published articles to bring potential buyers to your site. The only way visitors can find your site (unless they're specifically searching your name) is by typing a term into the search engine and checking the links on the first page of results.

Statistics show if you're not in the top results, you can forget about people ever finding you. A group of people called Search Engine Optimization experts spend their days analyzing what sort of terms people are typing into the search engines. They can even run diagnostic tests on your page that tell them where people are coming from to reach your site, what search terms delivered traffic, what search terms delivered sales, how long people stayed on your site, what pages sent people fleeing and where people went next. This research can greatly help your overall internet marketing campaigns.

Before you hire a professional copywriter who specializes in writing articles, you'll need to meet with an SEO expert and determine what keywords are most valuable for your industry. In the past, just one or two general words related to your business or service would suffice. Today, longer phrases are preferable, as are location-sensitive terms.

In the olden days, you might have run a search and landed on a page that was fraught with spelling errors, full of nonsensical keyword repetitions or a page that just contained link after link. Today, the search algorithms are much more complex and an article marketing expert will tell you that it takes well-written copy with a certain keyword density to really attract search engine attention.

Another benefit of writing articles consistently is that each one creates another impression for web users. If a person sees your name once, he might soon forget it. If he sees it twice, he might remember it for a day or so, and then lose it from his mind. If he sees your name three, four, five times -- his curiosity and attention may be piqued.

Perhaps he'll check out your site, read through some of your blogs and begin to form an opinion on you. He may have the immediate impression that you must be popular to come up so many times. Over time, article marketing not only attracts visitors to your site, but buyers too. You may even find newspaper reporters contacting you because they figure you are an "expert" in your field, since your articles come up so often.

Best Article Marketing Sites

If you've hired a professional copywriter/SEO team, then you won't need to worry about finding article marketing sites because they've researched the best directories already. On the other hand, if you're looking to submit marketing articles on your own for the first time, then you may be surprised at how many article submission sites are out there -- literally hundreds! This booming business picked up in the late nineties and hasn't slowed since. Here are some websites to get you started.

By far, the oldest and most popular article marketing site is www.ezinearticles.com. For the past decade, more than one million original articles have been published by over 139,000 authors. Ezine Articles is an ideal place for beginners who have little familiarity with writing and who wish to use a more informal tone. The site has a Google PageRank of 6/10, which makes it a worthwhile endeavor for SEO experts.

Many authors report their best results through the Ezine Articles site, in fact. Compared to the competition, Ezine has an Alexa Rating of 130, compared to similar submission sites which have ratings ranging from 487 to 38,239. For a detailed list of guidelines on article submissions to this site, visit www.ezinearticles.com/editorial-guidelines.html.

Another one of the more popular article marketing sites is www.goarticles.com. Like Ezine Articles, Go Articles is one of the old veterans, having been on the scene for nearly ten years. Many people like Go Articles because of its clean design, its Google PageRank of 6 and its over one million archived articles from over 135,000 authors.

Unlike other article directories, you can publish links right within the text, rather than just in the "About the Writer" box. Interactive reader features have recently been added, allowing them to rate articles, request articles and email articles -- all of which ensures maximum exposure. To submit, visit www.goarticles.com/ulogin.html.

One of the newer, more innovative article marketing sites is www.ideamarketers.com, which seeks out entrepreneurs and thinkers to share their philosophies and real world experiences. Here authors are invited to share messages, promote products and sell services.

Authors can also accept or decline requests from professional publishers who wish to use their content on a third party site, which is different than other website marketing pages and offers greater control over your own content. About 11,000 pages are added each month, attracting more than 4 million visitors. To get started, visit www.ideamarketers.com/articlepr.cfm.

How To Use Article Marketing

It's common for new business owners to wonder how to use article marketing to their advantage. For a startup, articles are a great way to demonstrate company expertise and announce some of the great products or services the company has to offer. There is a certain credibility and familiarity about reading several articles from a published author.

For established businesses, a press release promotional article can attract a journalist's eye who is nosing for a story and can add even more credibility. Best of all, web users who read these articles can check out the info box at the bottom of the text, which directs them to the business owner's homepage, where they can comfortably act after having learned all this new data.

The first step in knowing how to use article marketing is avoiding common rookie mistakes. One thing Google hates is repeat articles that have been cut and pasted in multiple locations. Google doesn't know that you were the author and doesn't have the patience to inquire. In fact, this heinous crime is often punishable by decreased ranking.

If you plan to write articles that can be used on your website and on a third party article directory, then you will need two slightly different pieces to pass the test. Another method that has lost favor is the "quantity over quality" strategy, where you submit an article to more than 50 websites. Unless you have thousands of high-quality links already, these cheap links won't help your page ranking or traffic.

If you're wondering how to use article marketing in a better way, then think "quality over quantity." Choose the top five trusted article directories and submit five unique articles. This is a great method for new sites looking to build gradual, believable, quality links.

After all, Google doesn't look for sites that suddenly spring up into quick fame, but rather, sites that have a long history of credibility and high rapport with readers. Google bots learned that article business marketing representatives were using automated programs to blast their articles onto dozens of websites in a short period of time, so they've come up with ways to prevent this tactic from helping sites gain the advantage.

Now that you've learned how to use article marketing in article directories, you may also be interested in using these articles for subscribers. Research shows that repeat customers bring the most business and spend the most money online. They also usually spread the word to family and friends, acting as unofficial spokespeople.

One of the best ways to continually drive repeat traffic is to offer them some sort of newsletter, RSS feed or ezine subscription, which provides them with a steady stream of valuable content. You can re-use many professional articles in your newsletter marketing, without fear of being penalized by Google.

Article Marketer Changes Name And Services

Article Marketer (www.articlemarketer.com) was a popular site specializing in article distribution since 2005. However, this past year the company split into two new article submission services offering unlimited distribution to "the industry's largest publisher list." Now members can choose between Distribute Your Articles (www.distributeyourarticles.com) and Content Crooner (www.contentcrooner.com).

While some members were irked by the way AM handled the abrupt separation without much fanfare or warning, most people found a happy home with one of the other two similar service providers, which honored their AM memberships in full.

Article Marketer founder Chris Ellington explains, "I have now launched Distribute Your Articles because there are so many features and tools I have been aching to bring to the community that simply couldn't happen at AM. Some of those customer service issues you mentioned were among the first improvements. Distribute Your Articles is getting rave reviews for quick turnaround on article review and customer service tickets. We also have an active forum for peer-to-peer assistance."

Ellington adds that the price is $29.95 for unlimited articles, unlimited pen names and a ton of extra features being added all the time. He says that Distribute Your Articles is similar to AM in "spirit and intent" but is now found by article marketing professionals to be "the juggernaut tool for article distribution."

Kenneth Vogt, former Chief Technical Officer of Article Marketer, says much of the ingenuity of the original site is accredited to him. He adds that, "Article marketing continues to evolve in the face of a changing Internet and Content Crooner is part of that evolutionary process." He promises better customer support, with complimentary personalized article coaching, ample support staff and even distribution reports/statistics to help authors write marketing articles that sell. He said the monthly subscription rate is $39.99, which includes unlimited submissions.

The Article Marketer split occurred rather quickly and people on both sides say that there have been some technical glitches when trying to submit an article or when waiting for an article to be reviewed. "I have one article that has been approved and waiting for distribution for 4 days now. And I have 2 other articles pending human approval for 3 days (they are supposed to be reviewed within 1 business day)," writes one Content Crooner user at The Warrior Forum.

Users also seem to be confused about the new pricing models. One person reported they were offered unlimited pen names with Distribute Your Articles, only to find they were offered 4 additional pen names for $40. Apparently, only lifetime members receive the unlimited pen names bonus feature.

Another person complained that they were offered 4 months for the price of 1 to switch to Distribute Your Articles, but never received the discount due to fine print no one bothered to mention. Perhaps it's best to wait a few months while these glitches iron themselves out.

Quick Guide To Article Writing

Article writing is a valuable tool that businesses use to grow. You can publish these articles on your own website, which shows search engine bots that you have unique, compelling, freshly updated content that uses all the right keywords. You can also publish these articles on third party article submission sites, which provide you with inbound links and shows that there is distinctive value on your page. The content of your articles should show readers that you're knowledgeable within your field and should get readers excited about the products or services you specialize in. Then, when it's time to buy, readers will click on a link to your page and find instant gratification!

Most article publishing sites offer their own writing and submitting guidelines. Generally speaking, the best article submissions are 400-500 words and contain one or two well-researched keyword phrases. The best keyword phrases are location-specific for small business contractors, realtors, retail stores and other companies. For instance, "Atlanta carpet cleaners" is a better term than just "carpet cleaners." Additionally, the density of your keywords is relevant too. In the past, web users would occasionally find sites with a hodgepodge of nonsensical words strung together. Today's search engines are much smarter and demand that relevant content be published, not just strings of useless keywords. Your tone should be engaging, written in second or third person, and informative. Try to tie industry news, recent studies and current events to your articles.

In this business, knowing what NOT to do is just as important as knowing what to do. Article writing rookies often make the following errors. First, some authors feel that using big words will make them sound smart, when in reality this tactic alienates readers and sends them elsewhere. Second, many authors write as they would for a school essay or magazine, but readers want short, concise paragraphs. Third, many writers keep repeating the same bullet points to drive their message home, but repetition is not needed in a short 500-word composition. Fourth of all, you don't want to write marketing articles in third person, when second person is so much more engaging. Fifth, you cannot steal other people's writing just because you found it online, nor can you simply re-publish the same exact article on every article directory site; search engines penalize websites that duplicate content.

Often people begin doing their own article writing and submitting to sites like www.ezinearticles.com or www.goarticles.com. You can read over the author guidelines and try to mold your work to these standards if you're up for the challenge. You can also do a little bit of your own web research. Try tools like Google AdWords (www.adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal) or the Google Search-based Keyword Tool (www.google.com/sktool/#). Choose the top four keywords and write four different articles based on one of the keywords. Aim for including the keyword about once per short paragraph for the appropriate density. Over time, you may decide to switch to more aggressive website marketing and partner up with a search engine optimization expert/copywriter team to take your business up a notch.

What Makes A Good Marketing Article?

Anyone who spends a fair amount of time reading online knows there is a wealth of horrible articles out there! Some are nothing more than blatant sales copy, over-hyping a poor product. Other articles seem to tell readers nothing at all really but are mere vehicles for a link to another page. Countless articles use poor grammar, and are riddled with spelling mistakes and inconsistencies of speech. It's enough to make anyone crazy!

Since the article submission phenomenon appeared in the late nineties, just about every small business owner thought, "Write? Submit articles? I can do that." Unfortunately, not everyone is blessed with a writing talent. That leaves a lot of room for the real stars to shine online. If you have what it takes, then read on to see what makes a good marketing article. If you are unsure about your abilities, then you should hire a professional copywriter and look for the following criterion in their work.

To understand what makes a good marketing article, you must first consider the similarities and differences between writing for print publications and writing for online mediums. Magazines and newspapers have hundreds or thousands of subscribers who will flip through the pages each week or each month, regardless of what's there. Headlines can be witty and coy.

On the other hand, internet marketing articles need to seek out an audience by using more direct headlines to attract search engine attention. Magazine and newspaper articles often have to write to certain editorial standards, with advertisers in mind.

Online writing instead appeals directly to the readers, aiming to inform them, which will ultimately make them feel more comfortable with upcoming purchasing decisions. The attention span also varies greatly with print versus online writing. While someone may read 5,000 words in a magazine, 500 words is a more appropriate length for internet copy -- and paragraphs should be shorter, rather than longer.

Every good marketing article uses keywords that target business-related terms typed into the search engines. According to a 2008 ComScore Study, there are six basic ways people will find a business; search engines (31%), the phone book (30%), internet directories (19%), Google or Yahoo Local search sites (11%), newspapers/magazines (3%) and social media sites (1%).

As you can see, article marketing strategies must focus on finding what keywords people are searching for and filling out pages at the online phone book sites like www.whitepages.com, www.yellowbook.com and www.superpages.com. To find the best keywords, you can check out the free article marketing tool at www.adwords.google.com.

Lastly, your marketing article should provide new information in an entertaining way. To do this, you should be scanning Google news headlines or other blogs to see what people are talking about.

For example, if you are selling digital cameras and you hear a report that people are cutting back their spending on consumer electronics due to the recession, then you might want to write an article about "cheap digital cameras" or "inexpensive cameras" to draw in that target market.

If people seem to be interested in "product safety" or the "green revolution," try to relate your products or services to those topics. The best free articles have an engaging tone and use second-person narrative to actively engage the reader. You may also choose a more detached, professional-sounding third person perspective, but rarely should first person "I/my" be used.

Does Marketing With Articles Work?

Some entrepreneurs feel they can whip up a 500-word article, submit it to multiple free article publishing sites and just sit back, while the traffic streams in. However, professionals who've made it to the first page of Google's search results know that marketing with articles entails so much more. You need to know what keywords will bring -- not just traffic -- but targeted traffic to your page.

You'll also need to know how to use links to your advantage. You will have to realize that submitting the exact same article to many sites can negatively impact your Google rating. You'll also need to understand how affiliate marketing, linking, press release submission and other tools work along with your article business marketing to create a strategic plan for success.

In one case study, a business owner created a 25-page niche website, with each inner page created around one target keyword phrase, for which a promotional article was created. Each article (including back-links in the "About the Author" resource box) was also submitted to directories like www.ezinearticles.com and www.goarticles.com.

He also got linked up with an affiliate network of 10,000 sites that trade one-way back-links as well. After eight months, there were 2,600 unique visitors and 650 returning visitors each month. This number continued to grow steadily to 5,315 in August and earned the owner $180/month in revenue through AdSense. As you can see, article business marketing really works!

There are many other case studies that support the benefits of marketing with articles. One search engine optimization/copywriting company from Los Angeles, California helped Delta Hotels increase their traffic by 175%. Luxury Home Magazine went from the 1,000+ page of Google search results to #1, 2 and 3 for targeted phrases like "Sacramento luxury homes" and "Hawaii luxury homes" within six months.

A small independent contractor, Kimberly Painting, reported lasting success, moving from 1,000+ to #1 for competitive phrases like "Atlanta painting," "Atlanta painters" and "Atlanta house painting!" A professional online article marketing company can work wonders for any industry it seems.

Marketing with articles can begin with anywhere from four to twelve well-thought, researched pieces. Every three to six months, it's a good idea to review your online article marketing strategy and order fresh content to maintain your Google position and develop new articles for submission.

Always use a professional copywriter to do the grunt work for you because quality content is far more important than quantity of content. Today's advanced search engine bots see through all the gimmicks and award only the best sites with its prestigious ranking.

Writing Articles For Promotion

The article marketing business has emerged as the best way for website owners to promote their companies. In the past, business owners paid large sums for banner ads and pay-per-click campaigns that were all the rage.

Today, however, people are finding their money is best spent developing quality content to contribute to the wealth of information on the internet. Article marketing services have been going strong for the past decade and trends indicate there's no sign of slowing. If anything, developing unique content will become even more important as the social networking and viral video sites become even more prominent.

There are many different article marketing strategies commonly employed by experts in this field. One school of thought believes that quantity in articles is most important, so they make a pitch to clients that they make bulk orders that can bombard the internet to draw in many leads.

Another school of thought believes that a better quality article submitted to a few carefully chosen sites can act as a powerhouse, reeling in tremendous targeted traffic that is ready to purchase. A third school of thought aims to write content that gets picked up by publishers, so that they will re-use the content (with permission of the author, of course) and provide back-links to the author's website in return.

Targeted article marketing is one strategy used in the article marketing business. These articles are created with the intention of finding readers who are almost ready to buy. According to a March 2009 report from www.pricegrabber.com, 91% of online shoppers strongly agree with the statements: "Researching products online makes me feel more comfortable" and "Comparing prices online reassures me that I am getting the best deal."

In addition to price checking and reading up on products, consumers also browse for current news, look for coupons and visit social networks. Target marketing publishes articles that are steeped in information and use keywords that target a person's geographic location or unique needs.

There are many places that offer articles for free, as well as article marketing videos and tips. You can receive help getting started on your article marketing business or you can learn more about the business before signing up for services. Good places to read include www.marketingsherpa.com, www.seomoz.org, www.marketingprofs.com and www.onlinemarketingseo.com/website-sitemap.html. The more knowledge you gain, the more comfortable you'll be with your online marketing strategy, whether you're doing it yourself or outsourcing.