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.

Follow Us on Twitter: ContentCrooner

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I highly recommend Content Crooner to you. Not only is Ken a knowledgeable CEO, the Service they provide is top rate. -etn

Technorati Tags: Article Marketing, content distribution, content submission, editor, live reviewers, products and services, publishers, quality content writing

People who market a website, product or service with articles are
most commonly referred to as "article marketers." We share valuable
information with our readers through the articles we distribute to
hundreds, sometimes thousands, of article directories.

One of the easiest ways to get our articles to thousands of
directories is through a paid article distribution service like
Content Crooner. I've tried several other paid distribution services
but so far none stand up to the quality I've seen through Content
Crooner.

Initial Impression

"You never get a second chance to make a first impression." Keeping
that thought in mind, my initial impression of Content Crooner was
that it appeared to be a class act. I was immediately drawn to the
lizard mascot on the home page.

The image of the lizard with the microphone immediately made me
think of a real crooner like Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra or Bing
Crosby. When those guys started crooning, everyone had to stop and
listen. They are still some of the most well-known voices today.

The color scheme of the Content Crooner website is aesthetically
pleasing. The buttons are nice and glossy, and the layout easy to
follow. 

Account Creation

The account creation process for Content Crooner is a breeze. You
simply type your first and last name, user name; then create a
password and give them your e-mail address. Follow through the
registration process to create your pen name and select the service
you wish to purchase.

Login & Account Page

The login page is very straight-forward. Input your user name,
password and click the button to log in. Click the checkbox that
reads "remember me" if you'd like your browser to remember your
login information for future visits.

Your account page allows you to edit your account information, select
your pen name or create a new one. You may edit each individual pen
name's account information including the website and contact
information associated with each pen name.

A full list of articles you've previously submitted may be found in
your "My Account" page. Here you may view your articles as they've
been published. Pending articles may be edited but any article that
has been distributed cannot.

View your distribution and exposure reports to see exactly where your
articles have been used. View or change the dates your article should
be distributed; schedule articles for distribution up to a year in
advance with ease. Conveniently Tweet your articles with two quick
little mouse clicks.

Article Submission

Article submission with Content Crooner is simple. Click the "Submit
Content" button located at the top of the page and follow the
instructions. Simply copy and paste your article information into
the appropriate text fields.

Choosing Your Article Categories

Content Crooner offers more than 360 individual categories from which
to choose. You may choose to include your article for distribution
in up to three different categories. Choose wisely, the editorial
staff does check to make sure your articles should fit into the
categories you choose. It's all part and parcel of their incredible
review process.

Review Process

Content Crooner's review process is one of the most in depth article
review processes I've ever seen in action. They promise their
publishers quality and they mean to follow through. Don't worry
though, they provide an article checklist to give you a better chance
of passing review the first time, every time.

Overall Opinion

I've been an article marketer for about five years. I've tried the
competition and can honestly say Content Crooner is the most user-
friendly. They also provide the best customer service of other paid
article distribution websites.

I strongly recommend Content Crooner to any article marketer in
search of quality distribution and customer service. They truly are
a class act.

About the Author:

Twixal (http://www.twixal.com) Professional Ghostwriting Service is
dedicated to helping you achieve success with your article marketing
campaign. Professional ghostwriters go the extra mile to provide you
with impressively informative articles and establish you as a
professional in your field. Twixal recommends Content Crooner
article distribution service (http://askearlabout.com/ContentCrooner.php)

Technorati Tags: article distribution service, Article Marketing, distribution service

It shouldn’t be a surprise that I believe in article marketing.  For a long time I struggled to come up with products to sell online, only to discover I had no traffic to sell to.  Since then I have learned that marketing is a multi-faceted game, and have done much better.

I had long known that all the top marketers were telling me to do article marketing, but it wasn’t until I started to both write good articles, and actually get them published in a lot of directories that they really started to drive traffic to me.

Today we are continuing the series by Ken Vogt.  Ken is CEO of Content Crooner which is the article distribution service I now use and recommend.

I hope you enjoy it. -etn

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Understanding How Article Marketing Works

In the world of internet marketing, constant streams of information come your way each year. Much of this is get-rich-quick hype from so-called online experts. However, the only ones getting rich are those ‘gurus’ who seek to line their own pockets. Often their systems aren’t worth the time, effort and money required to obtain and learn them.

What you need as an online businessperson are time-tested systems that provide value. You want the system to be affordable and easy to use. You also want a system that doesn’t involve a huge time commitment to set in motion. On top of that, you want a system that works for you when you are not working.

Think of a typical household appliance that adds a measure of convenience to your life. The typical kitchen refrigerator is a perfect example. It provides value by keeping food fresh and in optimum condition.

A refrigerator is also relatively affordable these days and easy to use. You plug it in, stock it, and enjoy it. There’s no time commitment to running a refrigerator on a daily basis. In addition, a refrigerator is always working for you. It doesn’t matter where you are or what you’re doing it keeps working.

You need this efficiency of process and operation when it comes to internet marketing. Article marketing provides this for you and helps you build a successful online business. Here’s how article marketing works:

Article Writing and Article Submission

The first part of the article marketing process involves your initial efforts. You can’t have an article campaign without articles. You can’t gain widespread distribution without engaging in regular article submission.

However, once you or a freelance writer writes articles and submits them, your work is compete. The key is writing articles packed with useful information directed at a specific target market. This sets the rest of the process in motion.

Choose a Good Article Distribution Service

The next stage is to choose an article distribution service that deals with numerous quality publishers. Look for one that has relationships with popular publishers of significant readerships. Classify your articles into the proper categories and sub-categories. Target specialty publications you know your target market reads.

Additionally, choose an article service that employs live editors and reviewers. Make sure they allow unlimited article submission for a one-time fee. Check that they perform ongoing distribution and update their publisher lists frequently.

The Article Distribution Process

The article distribution process is your article marketing service in action. They make your articles available to the publishing community at large. They ensure your articles reach publications exclusive to your niche.

Your articles begin to populate newsletters, ezines, blogs, and web pages. This is significant exposure, which means your target market has a better chance of finding you. The more places people see your articles, the more they take notice of you.

This results in them back linking to your website, provided they found your content informative. Again, quality articles are at the heart of successful article marketing. With increased back linking from widespread article distribution, you gain the attention of search engines.

Article Marketing and Major Search Engines

The search engines take notice of plentiful relevant back links to your website. They deem you as credible and a useful resource for their users. Therefore, they reward you with higher page rankings. This leads to higher search engine results page (SERP) listings.

Higher SERP listings are vital to gaining increased traffic to your website. People tend to look at the first page or two of website listings. If you score in these first pages, you gain significant traffic and improve your chances of getting visitors who convert to customers.

Article Marketing is about Building Trust

Successful article marketing garners you a loyal readership that trusts you as an expert in your field. Through providing useful content, your readers deem you credible, as the search engines do. Your readers then link back to you to find more information on your site.

As you engage them further, you can then recommend products and services to them. They trust you based on your quality articles. There’s a greater chance they will take your product recommendations to heart.

This is how you build an online business with articles. This is how you build that business even when you choose not to work. Article marketing is a way to build relationships through words and linking from those words. All the while, you have time to build your business in other ways.

Article marketing is truly an autopilot system that works to make internet marketing an easier discipline. Much like that household refrigerator, the system operates quietly in the background. As it does, it builds massive back links and your online income.

To your success,

Kenneth Vogt

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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.

Follow Us on Twitter: ContentCrooner

Technorati Tags: article campaign, article distribution, Article Marketing, article submission, page ranking, quality content, search engines results page, SERP, trust and credibility

The payday for your article marketing effort is dependent of several factors, the quality of the article you write and the distribution you are able to get for your article. But even if they are both outstanding, it can all go for naught if you do not have an effective resource box to direct that traffic to your site.

Continuing to borrow from the experts, below is an excellent discussion of the topic by Ken Vogt. I hope you enjoy. -etn

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How to Write an Effective Author’s Resource Box

To connect effectively with your target market, it’s important to engage in article marketing. This process allows you to communicate to your audience by offering them useful, relevant information. You create articles, for distribution to popular online publishers.

Publishers know what their readers want and work hard to provide them quality content. They have guidelines for the types of articles they require to satisfy their readers. You, as an internet marketer, follow these guidelines and compose appropriate articles.

Well-written articles of the “non-sales” type offer value to readers. Creating top-notch articles full of useful information is a craft unto itself. It takes practice to write articles that logically get your message across in a clear way to readers. When you do this well, the feeling is a very satisfying one.

Once your articles are ready to go, you still have another task to fulfill. This is the creation of an effective author’s resource box to accompany your well-written article. Your resource box is that precise “About You” text at the bottom of your article.

When you engage in an article campaign via an article distribution service, you want widespread article exposure. However, you also want widespread exposure of your name and website links. This is how you gain that targeted traffic back to your site. The following are the elements of an effective author’s resource box:

A Name

Why spend all that time writing a great article and not take credit for it. Remember to include your name in your resource box to highlight the person behind the writing. People love to know who wrote what they just read. Include any title associated with your name if appropriate.

Are you a doctor, a layer, a certified public accountant, or a PHD? Let your readers know, as this further establishes your authority to write the specific article. Don’t have a title; don’t worry about it. Let your name and good writing speak for you.

A Website Address

You want to promote linking back to your website. Your site is where you further engage your readers. They need to be able to easily click on a link and find their way to you. It’s best to spell out your website address completely. This includes the “http://” at the beginning.

A Concise Description

After your name and website address, you want to include a concise couple of sentences. These sentences let the reader know who you are and what you do. This is where you actually directly promote yourself in a reputable way.

This concise description in effect is a mini-advertisement. It states that you “do this” and have expertise “in that.” It presents you as a valid author of the topic just read. An example would be, “Author John Doe is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). He works with small start-up enterprises to ensure their accounting procedures are in order.”

A Call to Action

Here you think like a Madison Avenue executive. You want the reader of your article to do something when they finish reading. Include a line in the resource box that asks your reader to visit your website.

You can ask them to link to a free EBook or report. You can ask them to check out a product or service you offer via a link provided. Whatever you suggest, get the reader interested in connecting with you beyond the confines of the article.

The above are the main elements to include in an author’s resource box. Using these few is an excellent way to encourage further discourse with your readers. Article submission to a good article distribution service has as its goal the gaining of backlinks from your resource box. It’s the reason you write articles in the first place.

Sometimes, authors wish to include other information in an author’s resource box. You can as well, keeping in mind not to overload the box so it becomes tedious to read. You can include a web address to subscribe to a newsletter or ezine.

You can also include a phone number or business address should you choose to give out this information. You may want to include a link to a press release on the web about your business. It all depends on what you deem vital for promoting your business in the best way.

Spend the extra time after article writing, to create a good author’s resource box. Toot your own horn in a dignified way through this tool. Let your readers’ know who and where you are. In this way, they can continue to build their relationship with you.

To your success,

Kenneth Vogt

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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.

Follow Us on Twitter:

Technorati Tags: article distribution, Article Marketing, article marketing automation, article submission, author's resource box, call to action, quality content, target market

As I explained in my last blog post, it took me a while to realize I was wasting time and money by not joining a good article distribution service.  I saw immediate benefits as soon as I did.  For one thing, the service made sure my articles were properly formatted which meant a lot more of my articles actually got posted. But frankly what I like best is the huge increase in article directories I get posted in. As a result I get a lot more back links, and a lot more traffic shows up when I check my Google analytics.

But once again, I am going to let Ken Vogt give you his top ten reasons.

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Ten Ways a Good Article Distribution Service Benefits You

The Worldwide Web is awash with examples of businesses that are using article marketing. It’s a proven method for driving targeted traffic to websites. Article writing is also a way to establish yourself as an authority in your field.

Success with article marketing demands you choose a good article distribution service. A well-written, information packed article is no benefit to your business unless it gets widespread exposure. A good article distribution works to gain you this and more. The following are ten ways a good article distribution service benefits you:

Deals with a Plethora of Publishers

A good service has relationships with numerous publishers. These are across a broad spectrum of subject categories. With numerous publishers in their fold, you get significant exposure for your articles. A comprehensive distribution list means your content reaches unique specialty publications.

Allows you to “Go Mobile”

You no longer have to engage in article submission from your home PC only. A good service allows you to login from anywhere and submit your articles. They require no downloading of special software on your computer to submit articles. There’s nothing to install at all; submit from wherever you are at any time.

Allows Unlimited Article Submissions

This is an important benefit as you build massive backlinks the more articles you submit. Some article distribution services put a limit on how many articles you can submit each month. This limits the extent of an article marketing campaign if you have a limited budget. This brings us to our next point.

Charges an Affordable One-Time Fee for a Subscription Period

A good service does not sock you with extra charges or hidden costs. They have monthly, yearly, or lifetime subscriptions. You pay a one-time fee (for unlimited article submission) for the package you choose.

You submit articles galore and never worry about additional charges. Many services charge a “per article” fee. Alternatively, they tack on additional charges if you submit more articles than your subscription allows in a period.

Allows Scheduling of Distribution

A premium distribution service enables you to schedule article distribution. You can write all your content upfront. You then set the dates when you want the articles to go out to publishers. The better services allow you to schedule distribution up to a year in advance.

Provides an Article Review Process

The best article distribution services employ live reviewers. They don’t rely solely on a computer program to scan your articles. Computers are excellent for a quick basic run through. However, nothing beats the critical eye from an experienced reviewer.

Some people find article writing difficult to do. Others enjoy it but often rush composing due to time constraints. Advice from a personal writing coach is invaluable in these instances. They give tips on creating quality articles that publishers love. This ensures you submit top-notch content and eliminate article rejection worries.

Provide Ongoing Distribution

A good article marketing service constantly works to get your articles to popular publishers. They engage in ongoing distribution so your articles spread web wide. This gains you significant exposure and ever-growing backlinks to your website.

With this type of continuous distribution, you are actually automating your marketing efforts. Your articles work for you as you work on other tasks or enjoy leisure time. This means one less thing to worry about as you build your online business.

Provides Analytics

A good service lets their subscribers know how their articles are doing via quality reports. They provide user-friendly distribution and exposure reports. In this way, you can track your article campaign to see where your articles are going.

You can view how many hits your articles receive. This helps you judge the popularity of your articles. You learn to recognize which types of articles strike a chord with your niche. You then fine tune subsequent articles to speak to your niche more effectively.

Offer Quality Educational Resources

For those new to article marketing a good service offers guides on how article marketing works. They explain best practices to ensure you submit articles according to established industry protocol. They also provide step-by-step guides on starting your own article campaign.

Continually Seek Out New Publishers

There’s nothing worse for an online businessperson than a stale publishers list. A good article distribution service keeps current on new publishers entering the field. They ensure your articles reach these new specialty publications.

If there’s a hot new website or newsletter out there, a good service will find it. They will quickly get your articles to them. This further builds your exposure and grows those valuable backlinks.

It’s worth the time and effort to search out a quality article distribution service. Choosing the best one at the beginning saves you later frustration. Devote the time necessary to finding the best service and then watch your online business grow.

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.

Follow Us on Twitter: ContentCrooner

Technorati Tags: article campaign, article distribution, Article Marketing, article submission, Article writing, ongoing distribution, quality content, targeted traffic

After years of doing manual article submissions, and then a period of using software to do it, I finally bit the bullet and upgraded to a paid service.  I wish I had done so sooner.

It’s easier and gets articles to hundreds more directories than I ever did before – in way less time.  I chose Article Marketer as my service, but it recently went through a reorganization and I am now with a successor company called Content Crooner.

Today and for the coming few weeks or more, I will be sharing some of the blog posts their CEO had offered, as he really does know his business better than I do.  As such, I thought you would rather hear from him direct rather than my attempting to be more of an expert than I really am. After all it took me three years to wise up.

The title of this first posting is, “How Article Marketing Benefits Your Business.”

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Running a business today, affiliate marketing or otherwise, involves continuous promotion. In the ultra-competitive 21st century landscape, gaining exposure for your enterprise is vital. What’s essential is finding a system that can accomplish your goals, while being financially feasible.

For a host of offline and online business people, article marketing is that system. Article marketing is the distribution of your articles to a broad spectrum of publishers. They then publish your content in newsletters, ezines and on web pages.

The true benefits of article marketing are apparent if you look at the system from a reader’s point of view. There are millions continually searching on the Internet for something. This is the information age in full bloom.

Before the making of buying or other decisions, people require information on topics. Quality information is available, quickly, via the Web. Each year more people migrate to doing their research solely through this platform. They expect top-notch information from quality information providers on a consistent basis.

When people find useful, relevant information that meets specific needs, they remember the source. Think of the blogs and websites you frequent. You do so because you find useful information there regularly.

This is what people want on the Web. They want to read articles and regularly visit websites that always deliver this excellent information. It makes their life easier knowing they can trust a source to provide the content they need.

This is where article marketing comes in to your benefit. As an affiliate or other type of marketer, you need widespread exposure. However, working to gain this exposure is time consuming. Often, working to gain this exposure means foregoing other important tasks.

Article marketing works to gain you this exposure while you do other things. Through an article distribution service, you engage in an article campaign to promote your business. Then, on autopilot, your articles work for you.

The best article marketing services have relationships with thousands of popular publishers. These publishers have huge readerships that crave new articles weekly. However, as a businessperson, do you have time to submit to these publishers each week?

You probably do not. You no doubt engage in a myriad of other activities as is common to online marketers. Therefore, you need an affordable, efficient system to do this work for you. That’s exactly what an article marketing enterprise does.

However, a good service goes beyond simple article distribution. The better ones provide multiple benefits. A quality service allows unlimited article submissions with no hidden costs. Therefore, you can budget for article marketing knowing exactly what your dollar outlay will be.

A good article marketing service also performs constant and ongoing distribution. You write your articles, engage in article submission, and then proceed to other marketing activities. They then send your articles out week after week. They make sure your articles reach new publishers on the scene.

Another benefit to your business is the massive backlinks you receive through ongoing distribution. With your articles continually receiving publication on different sites you gain targeted traffic. Your articles receive publication in specialty publications suited to your topics.

Readers of these publications already have an interest in your business. They crave articles on subjects related to your products or services. When you present them useful information via an article, they can link back to your website to learn more.

Once they reach your website, you build your relationship with them further. You presold them through informative content. Now you can present more information and actively promote your business too. There’s a good chance they will convert to loyal customers as you earn their trust.

Article marketing also benefits your business through building your credibility with major search engines. The more reputable publishers publish your work, the more relevant links you garner. Search engines will take notice of these quality links.

These multitudes of links contribute to higher page ranking. Higher page ranking contributes to higher search engine results page listings. Both of these lead to increased web traffic to your site.

Article marketing also benefits you by gaining you name recognition as a good information provider. Your articles speak for themselves if they’re rich with useful content. Of course, your name and links attached to them build your credibility. It’s easy to see why people would naturally link to your site after reading.

All of these benefits are the result of your initial article marketing efforts. You gained widespread exposure for your business with a minimal investment of time. You didn’t break the bank to do it either. For dividends paid, article marketing is a highly cost-effective marketing method.

Investigate everything that article marketing offers. Choose a service that allows unlimited article submission for a reasonable subscription fee. Let widespread publication of your well-crafted articles be your ticket to increased business success.

To your success,

Kenneth Vogt

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Kenneth Vogt is CEO of Content Crooner; a quality article 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.

You can follow Content Crooner on Twitter: ContentCrooner

Technorati Tags: article campaign, article distribution, Article Marketing, article submission, Article writing, content promotion, information age, quality content