Article Marketing Is Not Dead...
If You Know How To Revive It!
by Bonnie Jo Davis
Change in life is inevitable, and that includes article
marketing. Used by millions, this marketing technique has made
money for many, but for others, it just plain hasn't worked.
Article marketing must be done responsibly and consistently over
time in order to deliver results. It isn't a "get-rich-quick"
technique, but those who follow the trends in article marketing
can prosper.
In order to get the most out of your article marketing, you'll
want to stay aware of changing techniques and hire someone to
help you with writing or submission if needed.
To help get you started, I have listed the top ten changes that
have taken place in article marketing over the years:
1. Create - or have someone create for you - original articles
for your web site and do not use them for submission. This will
draw search engines to your site and you can advertise this
fresh content in your byline to entice readers to click your
link.
2. Pay more attention to titles. Do your keyword research first
and use your top three keywords at the beginning of the title.
Use power words such as "daring," "remarkable" and "urgent." Ask
an engaging question or use a top seven or top ten title.
3. Do not submit articles too often - or not often enough.
Article directories have less restrictions, but keep in mind
that individual publishers can get easily overwhelmed. Submit
two to four articles per month and keep doing it.
4. In the past, article marketers were told to educate their
readers. While this still holds true today, you will get more
responses when you identify the problems of your potential
audience and then solve these problems.
5. It is now common to find article marketers rewriting their
title, article body and byline partway through their submission
list. This is a reliable way to get published more often, but
realize that it can be time-consuming. Get help rewriting if
needed.
6. Some new article marketers are offering publishers customized
articles to fit their audience, or giving permission for
publishers to edit the article so long as the byline remains
untouched and all links are made live.
7. In the beginning, article marketers submitted their articles
to thousands of article directories. Now, savvy article
marketers submit their article to the top ten or twenty article
directories that provide more traffic than a thousand
low-quality directories.
8. A submission list used to consist of article directories,
e-zines, newsgroups and individual sites. The new submission
list should also include blogs, social networking sites, niche
topic sites and news sites (turn your article into a tipsheet).
9. Once your article is included in a well-ranked article
directory, submit that page to social bookmarking sites where
you have accounts. Do the same for the original articles on your
site.
10. Consider offering an original, exclusive article to target
sites with a large audience who will relate to you and what you
have to offer. Ask to be paid or negotiate advertising space in
their newsletter or on their site.
Some things about article marketing have remained unchanged.
Never use document spinner software, mass distribution to
thousands of sites, a submission list that isn't targeted and
automated submission tools.
Article marketing is not dead, but it has changed. To be a
successful article marketer, you must keep informed and stay up
to date on changes in the technique. Keep an eye on blogs and
web sites dedicated to the subject so you can keep reaping the
benefits of article marketing.
(c) 2008, Davis Virtual Assistance. Reprints welcomed so long as
the article and byline are kept intact and all links are made
live.
About the author:
Bonnie Jo Davis is an article marketing expert who uses the
technique daily for herself and her clients. If you use article
marketing or would like to learn how visit her site at
can download the free e-book "Writing For Publicity" a
compilation of her articles about article marketing and
submission.
