Why I Love Article Marketing!
I do article marketing every week and always will.
If you are not doing article marketing now, or trying to but not succeeding,
let me share why I love it and how it can help you too.
Article marketing works better than many paid methods of advertising.
There are two core truths about article marketing:
One - article marketing creates totally free traffic year after year after
year. I still get traffic article
directory from articles I wrote and submitted in 2007!
Two - Blogging IS article marketing. So if you have a blog now, you are in
the article marketing business already!
Here are the top ten reasons I love article marketing:
1. Article Marketing works
If you look at the history of what work online you will see a pattern. article
directoryThere are short term players who create a big splash, then fade
away.
There are SO many people who have promised "the next big thing,"
that have climbed the gravity ladder and then fell, never to be seen again.
Then there are long term players.
Men and women who share their knowledge openly for the benefit of all,
knowing that article
directory people who like their message will respond and buy their
products.
Three examples are: Paul Myers at TalkBi, and Brian Clark at Copyblogger,
and Jimmy Brown at Imstitute.
All three are article marketers, all three have thriving businesses and
strong reputations.
2. Article marketing builds credibility
When people article
directory trust you and believe what you say, they buy from you. They
listen to you. They rely on you.
They trust you. This is more valuable that almost any other asset you can
earn. Yes, I said earn. There are no shortcuts here. You simply give your best.
I make sales every time I send an email to my list. Why? Because I have
worked article
directory hard to give the people on my list true value, before asking
for anything in return. These are good people who want to learn, grow and have
a real business online.
You can join my list and read helpful articles for *years* and never be
required to buy anything at all.
That activity builds trust. Best of all, it helps people.
And that's article
directory what's it is all about. At the end of my days it won't be
the money I will be counting - it will be the people helped. Not preaching,
that's just how I see it.
If your focus is giving, more than receiving, it will all work out. The
making money online part of the equation will take care of itself. I have seen
that happen many times.
3. Article writing can be article
directory outsourced
Don't want to write or like to write? No problem. You don't have to!
However, there is both good and bad news-- when it comes to outsourcing.
The bad news is that you can't expect to pay $5 per article and end up with
a good product. You'll end up with some spun article that will get you slapped.
The good article
directory news is that there are terrific writers online who love to
write, love to work from home and will write excellent articles for an affordable
price.
These articles will belong to you. They will be your articles, never to be
sold or used by another person. You own the copyright.
The best writer I know online is Meredith Pond. She doesn't even know I'm
writing this, but she is flat out the best in the business in my view.
Two more resources I use personally are Elance and VA Classroom. I have
purchased excellent copywriting at both.
4. Article marketing is durable
The lifeblood of the Internet is information. Without unique high-quality
information Google goes out of business.
When YOU become the information supplier, you are rewarded with more and
more visitors, year after year.
I still get visitors from articles I wrote years ago!
My motto is simple -- do the work once and profit many times!
Article marketing does that.
5. Article marketing pre-sells
While giving away content is great, you still need to sell something, right?
With article marketing you can do both.
An article marketing approach (to pre-selling an idea) would be to start a
blog about your idea. You write articles about the hows, whys, what to do and
what to avoid, etc. Post to your blog. While using social media, like Squidoo
or Facebook are great, remember your own blog is KEY.
Now people visit your blog and read informative articles without any
pressure.
When they do this, they will be pre-sold on the idea and very likely buy
from you --- the friend who helped them get their questions answered and
was article
directory so helpful.
And because your blog will live online as long as you want it to (unlike an
ad that runs once and is gone forever) you have created real leverage.
You've done the work once and profited many times.
6. Article marketing creates better visitors
When you write articles that help people (like this one I hope!) you can
place those articles on sites, like article directories and on other blogs, for
other audiences to enjoy.
When that happens you reach more people and they get to know you for the
first time.
All without spending any money!
So why "better" visitors? When people read your article on another
blog or article directory first, and then visit your blog, they WANT to know
more about you.
Visitors coming because they WANT to know more is far better than the person
who just Googles and clicks.
7. So few are doing article
directory it well
Marketing online is funny. Once something is discovered that works well, you
can count on some "shortcut" or "three click miracle" way
of doing it popping up.
It happened with article marketing.
The hype boys noticed that article marketing worked, and created article
directory spinners and robots and scrapers to "do the work for
you." These miracle inventions would even submit your articles for you to
*millions* of websites!
Of course, that doesn't work. But people bought into it, spending their time
and money trying it... because it sounded easy and fast.
If the same people had saved their money, and written just two articles a
week during that time, they would be so article
directory much farther along.
With so few doing article marketing well, now is the perfect time for you to
get in the game.
8. Articles can be repurposed
I also love that articles make great content on other venues. Here are a few
ideas:
Use short snips from your articles on Twitter.
Post excerpts to Facebook.
Add articles to your follow up series
Combine articles into a report that becomes your viral marketing piece.
Make a Powerpoint presentation from your articles and create video for
YouTube and other sharing sites.
Record your videos article
directory to create a podcast.
Combine articles into a book to sell on Kindle or on your own blog or site!
Write the article once and profit many times. Good motto.
9. Article marketing creates quality back links
When your articles are published on other websites you get a link from that
site. When those sites are of high quality, Google pays attention and gives you
more attention... and more visitors.
Simple, really.
The thing is, you just can't fool Google. So why bother "blasting"
your article to "hundreds of thousands" of blogs or sites that no
human will ever visit, when you can do it right.
10. Article marketing builds article
directory your list
There is no better list builder out there. While list swaps and solo ads are
*faster* at building lists, article marketing will bring you *better*
subscribers.
How are they better?
Because they have already read your work and like it. Now they want to know
more.
And having someone want to know more about you, and what you offer, is
extremely powerful.
So there you have it, the 10 reasons I love article marketing so much. Let
me encourage you to get more information about article writing and article
marketing.
It's morning on article
directory the Internet my friend. And now is the time for you to stake
your claim and build your business.
Because having an automated thriving online business is a beautiful thing
indeed!
Article Marketing Tools
Article marketing tools became the topic of my conversation at lunch with a
client two weeks ago.
You might wonder how did it come up in discussion?
She is a company sales director looking for a different marketing strategy
for 2013 than the one she had previously used. She started article
directory out by asking: "Can article marketing tools really
produce?
Find out my response below...
First I reviewed her objectives for using online marketing tools and why she
chose content marketing as the answer to her objectives.
After lunch, over our coffee, I indicated that if she wanted to get a leg up
on article
directory promoting her web content, she should start by considering
and then narrowing down an aggregation of ideas on successful article marketing
tools. I could only start the process at that meeting.
She asked for some for-instances and I told some tips that I thought could
help her get the most benefit from her article marketing efforts.
My first marketing tip:
Showing how other customers have benefited from your product will make your
new visitors trust you and more likely to buy from you. Include a section
featuring real-life testimonials from buyers who have used your product and
were satisfied with the results.
We maintained a back-and-forth, ongoing Q & A as follows...
Question & Answer on Article Marketing Tools
She then asked:
QUESTION: But how can I attract people to my content?
My ANSWER: Most articles, unless they are specifically deleted, article
directory will stay on the internet forever. They can be used again
and again to direct new traffic to your website. You can also use the article
marketing tool of writing articles which highlight other articles you've
written to increase your followers and networking.
Keep your website fresh by posting new content on a consistent basis.
Spiders index your site based on content. You will be indexed more often and be
more visible if you continue to provide new content. The more content you post,
likely the higher the search engines rate your site and the more visitors you
will attract.
QUESTION: How can I be sure site visitors read my content?
ANSWER: Your articles must be written well. Carefully proofread your
articles, and ensure that they positively reflect your company, your
product article
directory and your principles. By doing so, your customers will regard
you in a positive light.
Use your title as the attention grabber. The title is your one chance to
entice readers to read your entire article. Say it in the title, and then
provide useful information with solutions to problems. A gripping title is one
of the most important aspects of an article. Article marketing is big business,
so make sure that you stand out in the crowd.
QUESTION: What about convincing readers you know your subject?
ANSWER: You will know how you can succeed if you keep going and become an
expert. If you don't know what you're writing about, don't do it, because you
will then produce work that is not very good. Be open in your articles, and
include original content. When your post, readers can relate to you, it
allows article
directory them to build a deeper connection. This will improve your
reputation as the reliable resource in your field of expertise.
Tell your readers something important. The better they like your writing and
articles, the more likely they will be to come back again and again. Especially
if they feel like you are offering them a lot of great useful information.
If your audience includes readers at different skill levels - tailor your
articles to all of those different skill levels. If you are marketing a
technical product, be sure to include technical terms. Because not everyone
will be familiar with the technical terms, explain them in simple terms, too.
Catering to your entire audience will earn you credibility and respect.
QUESTION: How about topics to choose?
ANSWER: Be strategic in formulating the topics of discussion for your
writing. Consider which topics you are knowledgeable about and develop a real
specialty in a particular niche by writing about topics associated with how
prospects can benefit from them in that market.
QUESTION: What can you tell me about the content writing itself?
ANSWER: This one is easy... Information in your articles should be useful,
relevant and high-quality. This is very important. Don't try to fool your
readers; they will know if your content is written to serve only yourself
rather than to provide genuine and helpful information.
Put a lot of emotion into your writing, this will make you easy to relate
to. If you come off as too sales-like or too frigid, some people will avoid
your site and, as a result, you will lose business.
One way for you to make your article more effective as a marketing tool is
to include a 'hook' or 'attention getter'. The author has numerous ways that
create attention-getters based on the nature of the content.
QUESTION: What's a good way to conclude your articles?
ANSWER: Make your articles lead readers to a next step. Readers are canny
enough to understand that a single article will not provide a complete solution
for a problem or a full explanation of an issue. Before you begin writing your
article, plan out what you think your readers should do after reading it. If
you can plant that in your article, you will have readers handing out their
money for the results.
Include a call-to-action that will make a strong impact on your prospects.
The end of the article should make your reader feel charged and ready to take
action. When you do this, your readers will be more likely to actually take
that next step.
QUESTION: How about including a Bio Box?
ANSWER: Create an author box that is appropriate and effective. Explain why
you write about the things you do. You're going to want to ensure that your
main site is linked back from the author box. Keep your author box info
straight if you have different websites for different audiences, and make sure
all links lead to the right site.
QUESTION: Tell me about the quantity of articles necessary and about
distributing to article directories or blog networks.
ANSWER: Focus on the quantity and quality of each article you put on your
site to be successful with your article marketing tools. This will help your
readers out when you are able to constantly give them useful content. Once you
get the hang of writing your articles, it can become easier for you and you can
produce articles more quickly.
Remember that a few exceptional articles are more effective than a hundred
fluff pieces. Avoid presenting copies of other articles. Instead, seek out
marketing tools which enable manual submission of better quality marketing
articles packed with keywords. Focus on sites that are relevant and trusted
regarding the content you are submitting.
Try submitting a ton of articles. When posting on blog networks, craft your
submissions in a consistent fashion. In order to adequately promote just one
keyword, you have to submit a large amount of articles that contain the
keyword. Submit multiple articles to directories and blog networks when using a
popular keyword. Then you must make fifty posts to a private blog network if
you want to get a relatively high ranking.
But, but, but...
That said...
You should not flood indexes with articles which contain identical content.
There are many article indexes you should use in your article marketing
efforts. It is easy to be tempted to submit the same article again and again to
the vast number of indexes out there. Avoid doing this since search engines can
discount your rankings.
Conclusion
I hope our dialogue helped. BTW, my client paid for lunch, so I guess she
was pleased. By now you should be ready to try your own hand at article
marketing. Your focus should be on at least keeping up with the competition by
continually working on your marketing strategy. Hard work and information can
help you succeed in this business.
Will Brennan has extensive experience in Fortune 500 marketing and business
development and has started 6 small businesses of his own. This gives him
familiarity with customer details that many others forget or ignore.
He is proud of experience he collected to help guide your business and
design optimum marketing tools to achieve your growth goals. Reach him at
Marketing Tools Company
Implement the above tips today and please leave a comment below with your
own experiences. What sort of results does your biz get using article marketing
tools? What article marketing tools have you found useful for boosting the
number of prospects who click through to your offer?
Article marketing is one of the best marketing methods of driving traffic to
your website. But do you write articles to market your business? Do you know
the secrets of writing successful articles? One thing I discovered is that most
prominent and well established online marketers use articles to market their
websites and to promote their products. This is the reason why I would like to
share with you the hidden information about article marketing.
Of what benefit is article marketing to you as an online marketer? There are
basically two benefits: sustainability and getting free targeted traffic. When
you write your articles and submit them to ezine publishers, they continuously
bring to your website a steady stream of visitors for many years to come and at
no extra cost. You receive free targeted traffic because you don't directly pay
for it apart from the initial charge paid to article submission service
providers for distributing your articles. The benefit of having targeted
traffic is that you do not labor to persuade an already attracted customer and
whose interest has been aroused through your article marketing techniques.
Success in article marketing requires you to submit quality articles.
Quality articles are those that contain and provide to your readers good
information. These are articles that are very well written, which add value to
the internet fraternity. When you write quality articles, you stand high
chances of building positive perceptions in the minds of your readers, which in
turn helps you to build your own credibility. When you become credible enough,
you obviously begin to make money through the increased sales of your products.
The quality of your articles will determine your success in article marketing
campaigns.
Additionally, success in article marketing also depends greatly on the
quantity of the articles you submit for distribution. You do not have to write
so many articles in a very short time, expecting to get quick returns. That's
not how it works. I have come across many marketers, who circulate the internet
with over 400 articles in a span of only one year. It's being overambitious.
Two or three articles a week are good enough to work for you profitably.
Remember that while quantity matters a lot, it should not be overemphasized at
the expense of the quality of your articles. Quantity should not supersede
quality if your aim is to successfully promote your business through article
marketing.
It's important to brand yourself well by having your own writing style. Most
people who promote their website and products through article marketing do not
write their own articles. In fact it's difficult for most marketers to write
their own articles. They instead prefer to source them from outside. But
whichever the case, I would advise you to go through those articles and edit a
few things to make them compatible with your style. The uniqueness of your
style is part of your brand and can bring you good results in article
marketing.
How authentic are your articles? If you really want to benefit from article
marketing, then the content of each article you publish should be original.
Search engines are most of the time scrawling the internet in search of new
unique content. Even your readers will return to your website if you provide
them with new original content. Remember that your articles' originality and
uniqueness are two important article marketing factors that can lead you to
prosperity.
Keyword optimization is an important factor in article marketing. Keywords
are words or a set of words that best describe what your visitors will look
for. They are words, which your targeted audience type in at search engines
like Google to receive the information they are looking for. If your article
does not rank among the first 10 to 20 results when doing a keyword search,
then your targeted audience won't be able to read your articles. The onus is on
you to learn how to optimize the keywords in the articles you write in order to
get free traffic from the search engines and to succeed with your article
marketing method as well.
Persistence is another key factor in article marketing. I have come across
article marketers, who write so many articles at the start and go in recess
only to wake up again after one year. That's not good and does not help you to
build your business. Success is not only achieved through quality and quantity,
but it's also achieved through persistence and continuity. Consistently write
your articles, basing on your plan, to continue attracting your targeted
audience to your website and to retain your existing customers.
The length of your articles matters a lot in article marketing. As you write
your articles, they should be of a reasonable length, say 800 words, to benefit
optimally from your articles. This is because search engines will rank your
article basing on the word count (number of words in a specific area), keyword
density (total number of keywords compared to the total number of words in your
article), keyword prominence (relevancy of a keyword in the specific area) and
keyword frequency (number of times a keyword appears in a specific area). It's
therefore difficult to rank high if these factors are not considered and long
articles tend to be at an advantage.
Last but not least, do not be in hurry to get quick returns when using
article marketing as your marketing strategy. One thing you need to know is
that it takes some time for your articles to get good rankings and to be
disseminated to various ezines. Success in article marketing depends mainly on
being persistent, writing quality articles (articles with unique content and
properly optimized keywords) and having many articles distributed.
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