An effective business marketing strategy for local businesses should include article marketing. At first this may seem strange since article directories make these article available world wide. Well outside a small businesses local market area.
But there are several benefits from the process as explained in this new video I created and put up on YouTube. I’d love to have you watch it and click the like button, if you think I did a good job in making my case.
The primary goal of writing articles for SEO purposes is to generate as many backlinks as possible to your web site or blog post.
Creating articles for backlinks is a long term strategy that will generate traffic to your site from people who happen to read your articles and come to your site for more information. This traffic can be substantial, if your article is attractive enough to get a lot of people, or even just one person with a large following to reprint your article on their site.
More powerful in the long run is the value of the backlinks these reprints generate. Every article directory that carries your article will generate a backlink to you, and thus help raise your sites ranking on the search engines. That’s why some people use article submission services like Content Crooner to get their article posted on as many different article directories as possible.
Since many of these article directories have moderate to high page rank status, these are often valuable links.
The better the article itself, the more likely that it will then be reprinted on other blogs, ezines, etc. And that is where writing articles for SEO really pays off.
Whether you have posted in many or few article directories, your goal is to get as many of these other blogs and ezines to post your article as possible. To do so, you need to provide interesting topics for people to read. Seems simple, and yet a lot of articles people post online are BORING, or pointless.
People go to the internet most frequently to find information. And while you may be mostly interested in selling them something as part of your business, that’s not what your article should be about.
For example, if you are a building contractor that specializes in remodeling bathrooms, you would be better off writing about new trends in barrier free tubs and showers for the graying baby boomer population. An anecdote about Mrs. Brown who was having trouble getting into and out of the tub, will be interesting to thousands of Mrs. Browns and their children.
This potential interest by potential readers is the secret to getting other people to reprint your article. The editors and bloggers you want to reprint your articles are looking for material their readers will appreciate.
While your market may be local, the interest in your topic is more global, so you may get reprints from bloggers around the world. Their readers may be thousands of miles away from your market, but since you are writing articles for SEO purposes that doesn’t matter to you.
Your targeted web site is getting the backlinks you want, and they in turn will help you raise your standing in the search engines. Since you compete locally, you don’t need to have more backlinks than anyone else, you need to have more backlinks than your local competitors.
And in most fields, that is still relatively easy to do. Thus when a local Mrs. Brown starts searching for a barrier free shower or tub, the odds are better that your website will appear on the first page, where she may actually see it. And that’s when the payoff of creating articles for backlinks begins.
Effective article marketing can be a major source of traffic to anyone’s website or blog.
In an effort to assist as many people as possible to learn the basics of article marketing I have released a free report called Article Power.
In the report I discuss the two key ingredients of an effective article marketing campaign, namely Quality and Quantity.
I point out that articles generate traffic directly from people who read your articles and also discuss how backlinks from article directories and the republishing of your articles serves to drive search engine traffic to your site as well.
In fact, it’s this backlink power that I appreciate most, as it effectively builds traffic over the long haul.
Of course an effective article marketing campaign needs to be focused on appropriate keywords so I do discuss a bit about keyword selection as well.
The trickiest part of article writing for many people is the creation of their resource boxes, which is the paycheck for an article marketing campaign.
To finish up I list some of the top article marketing sites or directories, and provide a page of resources that could be of value to anyone seriously pursing an article marketing strategy.
As I said above, I am interested in sharing the message of article marketing near and far, so I have included giveaway rights to all who download it. That means you will be able to share it with your friends, your twitter or facebook followers etc.
The resource page includes a variety of affiliate links, so I do hope to make a few bucks here and there as well. But I have also made it possible for you to re-brand this report so that you can earn those commissions.
Are You Costing Yourself Money With This Common Article Marketing Mistake?
There is one article marketing mistake that constantly tops the list. It’s horrific. This single mistake made by an author can ensure that the article isn’t published as widely as it otherwise might be. It’s a deal killer.
Every week I meet with the Article Marketer editorial team to discuss the major editorial concerns surrounding the articles submitted during the week. Our editors have reviewed articles from over a thousand authors, so they’ve pretty much seen it all. In preparation for our weekly meeting, they gather and report on the most common mistakes being made by authors. Our editors work with these authors to correct errors and ensure that their articles get more widely published.
Every week many of the same issues are on the list:
* Sales letters posing as ads.
* Resource box information within the article body.
* Spelling and grammatical errors.
Even these egregious (and frequent) issues pale in comparison to the most widespread and insidious problem facing publishers seeking high quality content:
The Biggest Problem: Off Topic Articles
Off topic articles target the wrong audience. Off topic articles contain content that doesn’t match the chosen category. The Article Marketer editorial team tells me that they spend most of their time helping authors and internet marketers properly categorize their articles so that they reach the right audience. It’s all about results.
How do articles get incorrectly categorized?
It’s generally an innocent mistake. After all, it’s certainly no shock to internet marketers that free reprint articles are about educating readers and providing good content to webmasters and publishers. Everyone knows that “content is king” on the web. The Google spiders go crazy when they find relevant content. Internet marketers provide content-rich, royalty free articles in exchange for that all important resource box that contains a relevant back link and entices a reader back to the author’s website. It’s a win-win situation.
Imagine an author or internet marketer who has gone to great lengths to provide wonderful information about, oh… say, “Cats”. The article teaches the reader about which grooming tools to use, provides a history of the domestication of cats, and explains some of the time-honored traditions and techniques of the breeding guild.
It’s absolutely perfect content for publishers with newsletters or sites about cats. It’s even a good match for “pets” or “small furry things”. It’s going to be a spectacularly popular article. The readers of cat newsletters are going to love this article. And it reaches a perfectly matched target market for the author – a cat toy merchant. Everything is wonderful. Until the author makes a critical error.
When submitting the article to thousands of editors and publishers, the author selects not the “pets” or “cats” categories – but selects the “Education” category, because the article is educational.
OH NO!
What might otherwise have been a dazzlingly successful article will now flop. The article might be “educational”, but it isn’t a good match for someone who publishes an “education” newsletter.
Choose the correct categories for your articles.
There’s a mixture of art and science to selecting the appropriate categories for a free reprint article. It requires that an author change focus and step into the other guy’s shoes for a bit. From the author’s perspective, the article itself is an education, and so it’s a good fit for the education category.
But take a moment and imagine that you’re a publisher, interested in receiving articles in the “education” category. You’ve got a niche newsletter or content site focused on the education market. When you look for articles in the “education” category, what kinds of articles would you like to see?
You probably want tips for teachers, student management techniques, grading strategies, articles related to the process of teaching, how to be a more effective educator, how to get your point across to a group of unruly students, etc. Imagine that you’re looking through the “education” articles and you come across an article about grooming a cat. Huh? This isn’t about education. It’s SPAM!
That’s the crux of the problem. So many people are writing articles these days that the problem of “article spam” is spreading like wildfire.
Publishers are hypersensitive to article spam. Some will just delete the offending article, but others will take dramatic steps to prevent getting more spam – even up to the point of banning an author from submitting further articles.
In our meetings, the editors tell me that they spend the bulk of their time working with authors to make sure that their articles meet the guidelines. A big part of that effort is focused on categorization.
Real World Example
So lets watch as the rubber meets the road. This is an article about “mistakes in categorizing royalty free reprint articles”, written for publishers all around the web. How should it be categorized? Which newsletters would be interested? Which article directory categories would be an appropriate fit?
The article is written for writers and internet marketers, so that’s where I’ll start. The fist thing to figure out is how to best reach that audience. it’s not hard to decide that the “Internet Marketing” category will be on the list. Article marketing is a highly effective form of internet marketing. Internet marketers would be interested in this article.
Because this article provides tips and tricks on getting articles more widely published, the “Writing” category makes sense. Authors with a desire to get their articles published will find this article helpful. An editor who publishes a newsletter for writers would like this article for that newsletter, because serving the needs of subscribers is what this is all about.
If you’re reading this article, you’re probably reading it in a newsletter or on a website for writers or internet marketers. It is likely that you’re interested in royalty free articles, writing, or internet marketing.
Now it’s up to you. What are you doing to properly categorize the royalty free articles you provide to editors? Are you making things easy for them? Are you giving them the right information to ensure that your articles show up in the right places? It’s a good strategy for you. Your articles gain wider exposure by laser targeting your audience.
Chris Ellington founded DistributeYourArticles to make royalty free article submission easier for internet marketers. DistributeYourArticles has helped over 1000 authors get published. Visit http://distributeyourarticles.com to submit your article to thousands of publishers.
It doesn’t matter what you are trying to sell; reaching people who share your precise interests will greatly increase your odds of success.
Many people who want to advertise their business online make the mistake of thinking the more traffic they can drive to their website; the better. Of course you want as many shoppers as possible coming to your website to check out your wares. But it is better by far to use your advertising budget to attract customers who are more likely to buy your products or services rather than those who are simply stopping by out of curiosity.
A target audience is one that is specifically interested in your business. For example, if you sell a line of clothing for children, you want to attract parents with younger kids. If you sell swimming pool supplies, you want to make contact with pool owners. When you bring a target audience to your website, you get a crowd who is interested in your specific business. Because they share your interests, they will be more likely to buy what you have to offer.
So how do you find this target audience? One of the easiest ways is by using ezine marketing. Ezines are online newsletters that are sent to subscribers on a regular basis. The ezine is usually geared toward a specific interest, such as health, beauty or golf. By advertising in these ezines, you get the advantage of reaching an audience that is mostly interested in your business. They are getting the information from the ezine because they asked for it, and they are more likely to click on your link to shop than to simply browse. For more information about ezine marketing, click here:
Ezines are an excellent way to expand your customer base. Whether you choose to purchase an ad, write an article or form a partnership with the publisher, ezines are an excellent way to take your business to the next level.
When I publish an articles, I am hoping to get both backlinks and traffic to my sites or offers. That’s what its all about for me. But to be successful in that quest, I need to be aware of what both Publishers and Readers are looking for. Once again I defer to the master and share Ken Vogt take on the topic. I think you will find it worth a quick read. -etn
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What do Publishers and Readers Want from Your Articles?
The art and craft of article writing involves the creation of a distinct piece of communication. Through the medium of the article, you hope to make a connection with your reader. You must also make a connection with a publisher. They do the initial work of placing your work in front of interested readers.
Therefore, successful article writers take a two-pronged approach to their craft. They study both what publishers and readers want, and then compose accordingly. This does not stifle their creativity in any way.
In fact, knowing exactly what these two groups want enhances their efforts. They learn to say things in new and varied ways to conform to the parameters both groups set. With that in mind, we’re going to look at what each group wants from a writer.
What a Publisher Wants from Your Articles
Upon article submission to an article distribution service, an editor goes over your work. Of course, this is providing you choose an article marketing enterprise that employs live reviewers. Many do not. This input from an experienced reviewer ensures your articles are suitable for the viewing public.
What exactly are they looking for? Reviewers look for 100 percent original content. This content must be informative, useful and practical. Publishers want value in articles. They have a readership base to satisfy. This is why they love a steady stream of fresh, new useful content heading their way.
Another thing publishers want is objective, interesting, non-sales hype content. Yes, there’s a time and place to promote your business, products and services. Articles intended for distribution online to a myriad of publishers’ are not the vehicle for doing so.
Your articles facilitate your target market finding you through linking back to your website. There you can engage them further and blatantly promote. Publishers don’t want articles in their publications to read like late night infomercials.
Publishers also want the “mechanisms” in your article in tip-top shape. This involves format, grammar, spelling and tone. These are the basics, common to every good article. They are the basic building blocks that keeping an article humming along smoothly.
Think of a car and its mechanisms, ensuring that the car moves properly. Your article won’t read smoothly if the reader becomes annoyed with grammar, spelling and other errors. You hasten the publication of your articles when you submit them free of these types of errors. You gain the respect of publishers by taking this professional approach to article submission.
What a Reader Wants from Your Articles
Readers are the true end-user of your content. When you embark on an article campaign, you direct your articles to a certain niche. This niche has specific wants and needs.
Primarily, they want timely, relevant articles. Readers searching the Internet look for articles relevant to what’s going on in their lives now. They do not want a rehash of trite fluff that doesn’t offer them anything new.
This doesn’t mean you cannot present historical data or concepts with a rich tradition of use. It does mean you present this foundational information in a new and fresh way. You make this information uniquely your own.
This involves updating the information with new facts, statistics, and data. It also involves presenting the information from a different viewpoint, with a new twist on the subject. Information you give readers must satisfy their need for a fresh perspective on the topic. If they wanted the same old, same old, they would consult an encyclopedia.
Your readers also want an easy read as they learn. This involves proper construction of sentences and paragraphs. Long rambling sentences and huge block of unbroken text do not make an easy read. Your readers will abandon your articles quickly if it’s a chore to read them.
In addition, your readers want complex subjects presented clearly. Attractively formatted content means nothing if the meaning of the content isn’t clear. Clarity of thought and logical presentation of information is the order of the day in article writing.
Readers of online articles want to “get in and get out.” They look to access information quickly, read it quickly, absorb knowledge, and move on. They want the reading experience to be enjoyable and in no way confusing.
You owe it to publishers, readers and yourself to submit articles that meet the above requirements. You satisfy the needs of publishers who want to give value to their audience. You satisfy the needs of readers who need useful information that answers questions. You also satisfy your need to gain credibility with both groups and build your online business.
To your success,
Kenneth Vogt
Kenneth Vogt is CEO of Content Crooner; a quality content distribution service. He is an established internet marketing professional and respected Web expert.
Discover how quality content is a driving force behind highly targeted traffic and improved page rank in our Free Report.
In business, leverage is the name of the game. Leverage of employees, capital equipment and other resources extend ones ability to generate income far beyond what any one person could do.
Even if you are a one person shop though, you can gain leverage by multiplying your creative article writing efforts by re-purposing copy.
Here is how Content Crooner CEO Ken Vogt explains it. Now Ken is Article centric, I use the same technique, although I tend to start with blog posts and turn them into emails and articles, but the principle is the same. -etn
Let Your Articles Work for You in Different Ways
It’s a great feeling when you complete your article writing efforts. You undertook the necessary research and created an effective outline. You then got down to business and churned out words. The result is your personal masterpiece ready to go.
The next step is engaging in article submission to an article distribution service. You spend the time searching out the right one. You look for an article marketing service that allows unlimited article submissions for a one-time fee. You also choose one that has a comprehensive distribution list of fine publishers.
Now your articles are on their way to their new homes. You are finished with them and can move on. However, should you be finished with them? Are there any other areas where you can use the content you worked so hard to create.
There certainly are other areas where you can use your articles. You should put them to work in those areas to gain maximum benefit from them. The following are versatile uses of your articles for other content:
Newsletters
Of course, an article marketing service distributes your articles to numerous newsletter publishers. Why not publish your articles in your own newsletter. You can keep them the same, or modify them.
You can use this newsletter on an opt-in page to gain targeted subscribers. You offer a free informative newsletter in exchange for a subscribers name and e-mail address. This is a great way to build your list.
Useful newsletters are a great benefit to website visitors looking for good information. A newsletter you send out with quality content helps your credibility as an online marketer. They allow you to keep in touch with those of your niche. Newsletters help you convert readers into customers.
Email Campaigns
With your opt-in list in hand or onscreen, you can mount effective e-mail campaigns. Articles you wrote for article distribution purposes are also suitable for e-mailing to your list. Again, you can send the original creation or modify it to suit a specific campaign.
The main thing is to send useful, relevant, current information. People get enough useless junk mail that tells them nothing new. People resent when others waste their time with “hype” e-mails that are of no benefit to them. You know how you feel when you get those kinds of e-mails.
Articles contain quality information that offers benefits to readers. Make them part of your e-mail campaigns. Recipients don’t mind reading e-mails that inform, educate, inspire, and offer solutions.
EBooks
You can also compile a host of articles you wrote on a topic into an EBook. You make each article a chapter or section in your EBook. If the articles are very short, make two or three of them a section of your book.
You can modify the articles as needed to suit the persona of the book you intend to promote. However, you essentially have a ready-made EBook on hand because of your existing articles. In your EBook, you place those vital links back to your web pages. This gains you major relevant traffic.
Your EBook is now a product you can offer as a free giveaway to your website visitors. Alternatively, you can sell the EBook and earn some money from those article-writing efforts. Many programs exist for doing up a professional looking EBook to market.
Blog Posts
Do you have your own blog? Blogs are great for keeping your niche market informed daily or weekly on aspects of your business. You can use your articles as blog posts to inform your readers.
If you typically write short blog posts, just break up your articles. Split one 750-word article into two separate blog posts. Run a series of blog posts based on a set of articles on a certain topic.
Using well-written articles as blog posts offers quality information to your readers. People read blogs for shorter blasts of good information. Turn your well-written articles into well-written blog posts that capture reader’s attention.
Hard Copy Informational Reports for Offline Marketing
Maybe you engage in some offline marketing initiatives. Do you market products and services at home shows, craft shows, trades shows, and such? Why not print your articles as informational reports to hand out in person.
Online marketing is the 21st century way. However, there’s still a time and place for offline marketing done right. Wherever you are promoting your business, excellent articles in hand are great resources to hand to interested observers.
Let your articles work for you in different ways. Don’t limit the ways to gain exposure for your writing. You can build significant backlinks by utilizing your articles across different platforms. It’s a great way to build your author reputation and your business.
To your success,
Kenneth Vogt
Kenneth Vogt is CEO of Content Crooner; a quality content distribution service. He is an established internet marketing professional and respected Web expert.
Discover how quality content is a driving force behind highly targeted traffic and improved page rank in our Free Report.
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