Posted by Beth Hrusch
Once your online article marketing of keywords and SEO strategy is taken care of, 
your focus should shift to having well-positioned, content-rich articles. Here's what we mean.
Positioning and Taking a Stand
It's important to take a stand and offer a clear position. A surprising number of articles don't say anything. They tend to be bland recaps that are interchangeable with other mass-produced "articles."
One way of determining whether or not you're saying anything of substance is to ask whether the opposite could be asserted. For example, it doesn't make much sense to say "Maintaining a strong company blog is helpful to your brand." That is because no one would really say "Maintaining a strong company blog is detrimental to your brand."
Instead, consider what works, such as, "Frequent interviews are essential to a blog's success." This is a real position because others might argue that product reviews or stats and graphs are more important. What's more, a solid position is going to trigger a lot more conversation from supporters and detractors alike.
Content: Ordinary + Extraordinary = Ideal Mix
The best online article marketing campaigns account for both what's interesting to you and what's interesting to your reader. Some argue that you should write only about those subjects that interest your audience. While catering to your readers is important, focusing on only what you're 100% sure will interest them is limiting for a few reasons:
Sometimes it's not clear what definitely will and will not interest your reader. If the subject is of great interest to you, the author, your passion can become contagious.
Once your readers know you and return regularly for your articles, they'll like to see some variety to spice things up, even if it's not exactly what they're used to seeing.
As long as you keep offering what you've promised, you can supplement your articles with other information and subjects that can only enhance your online article marketing.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
Too often SEO folks get caught up in the technical aspects when they ask 
themselves, why article marketing? Why not just meta tag voodoo or hocus pocus?
The search engines want to impress people with good solid information. Not salesy copy, not keyword-packed nonsense, but plain old fashioned high-quality content that offers the kind of information that keeps people on a site.
Search engines know that if you get the information you want consistently with a site, you'll create the links that make that site (and its content) important to them. And the overriding evidence suggests that's why SEO article marketing does so well.
Don’t get me wrong, the meta stuff is necessary for good SEO also, but it really is the clear writing and reading that makes a site sing and garners the rankings. Here's the reason why SEO article marketing really works.
Let’s say you are a mortgage broker (one of the most competitive niches on the Internet) and you have some special knowledge about legislation that is pending in your state. You have at least three groups of folks who want your information; mortgage buyers, mortgage brokers, and lenders all have a stake in learning about this new trend.
So you put together a clear, straightforward explanation for each of these groups about how it affects them. Write an article and submit it to article directories and blogs or relevant content hungry sites and watch as each of those groups eat it up. Voila! As long as you’ve got your link embedded in your article and bio, you get more mojo with the search engines – and you give people what they want. That's why article marketing is so important.
The question is no longer why article marketing, it’s “why not”.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
Article marketing software can help enhance and expand your online presence. BUT, there are huge, potential pitfalls to them as well. So, let's first look at some options for using marketing software and then review some tips on how not to have it backfire.
Advantages of Article Marketing Software
Marketing software includes tools that let you identify and submit your articles, as efficiently as possible, to online article directories and websites. One of the key advantages of using software such as this in your article marketing campaigns is that the software can automatically submit your articles to directories. It's much more time-consuming to submit articles manually to directories. Plus, an automatic submission tool will know of far more directories than you do personally and can submit your articles to all of them.
Many programs, such as Mass Article Control, allow a free trial period. It's worth trying that first and seeing if you receive a traffic boost before investing in a full software package. An experienced article marketing agency can help you identify appropriate software to spread your message.
Article Marketing Software: Cautions
Be sure to research your software options carefully. Understand how it works and read reviews by users and critics alike. The last thing you want is software that winds up getting your articles or, worse yet, your website punished for trying to take advantage of search engine ranking methods. Also, in some programs, the articles themselves are unreadable as uploaded. So, it's worth proofreading articles before submitting them.
Finally, marketing software does not eliminate the need to implement the basics of solid article marketing: solid content, unique perspectives, contributions to a broader discussion, etc. Software then should be seen as an add-on service to your campaign-not the entirety of a campaign itself. If anything, your articles need to be that much better now that you know that more eyes will be on them.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
A small amount of article marketing research at the outset of your article marketing campaign can go a long way. This involves researching not only your market but the media that's most effective in your space.
Understand your Audience
You probably have a certain idea of who your audience is and where their concerns and interests lay. When thinking of your own article marketing research, you probably have some ideal examples in mind. Review as many of their posts as possible and try to see what trends emerge.
- What types of subjects do they discuss?
- How long are the pieces?
- What's the basic tone: professional, casual, edgy, even controversial?
- Based on comments or re-Tweets, for example, which articles seem to be the most popular?
- Which articles seem to be the most controversial or, at least, open for discussion?
- Do authors in your field tend to cite industry experts? If so, which? And, do the experts link back?
Research your Research
It will also help to do some article marketing research on the types of background data and sources that are popular in articles in your field. With the internet and any industry-specific publications that you use, you probably won't have a shortage of sources from which you can draw information worth incorporating into your articles.
Rather, the challenge is to determine which sources are most legitimate, unique
and respected in your field. Also, particularly if you're going to cite sources, consider which sources offer the best online linkages to your website. Mutual linking, for example, can help boost your ranking in online searches. So, you might not want to link to the most popular thinkers in your field, but to those that are most accessible to your own website.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
So find me a great article marketing blog. Or better yet make it a sensational one!
Here's what it should have to meet my needs. You can add stuff if you want.
It has got to tell you what you need to know about article marketing. I know, I know.... that should be obvious but so many times blogs just sort of run out of steam when the creator (or someone he's hired) can't keep up because too many things are going on at once. You know what? I and the rest of the readers want fresh, up-to-date info about article marketing - the nuts and bolts.
Please, please make sure that it is written well, grammatically correct, and clearly readable. It is an article marketing blog that involves writing about writing isn't it?
But a sensational one goes even further. It breaks down in easy steps, for free, how to use article marketing. I mean like step one - keyword research, step two - SEO considerations, step three - well...you get the picture. The nitty gritty details.
And yes, a sensational article marketing blog tells you in clear language about the latest software available to get high quality, relevant back links and just to make your life easier - and it only talks about the inexpensive proven stuff. Oh, man, there are some great tools out there. This blog needs to review them for me and tell me about that magic word - value.
So there it is. Not too tough right? Tell me who, what, where, and how. The when part is right now.
I've got a pretty good idea about what it takes to help folks understand the importance of article marketing for your business. The research is ongoing but, as of now, there is no better way to get your site top ranked.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
You probably haven't gotten any less interesting or capable as a writer. But if your article marketing campaign is losing readership, you may have lost touch with your audience. Here's how to reconnect with old friends.
Start with the Audience - End with the Content
Most people have their opinions and write what they think. Instead of flaunting your own preconceptions, go to the source first. Find out what interests your audience and incorporate that into your article marketing campaign.
In this sense, what you're really doing is telling your audience what it wants to hear. It may seem awkward, forced or disingenuous at first, but once you get a sense for the topical terrain, you'll get your voice back.
Turn up Your Hearing Aid
People receive the news today almost instantly. With increased communication and discussion come more frequent changes in interests, tastes and topics of conversation.
Finicky reader preferences can seem like a problem, but it's a problem only when 
the author is equally unaware of changing reader preferences or too stubborn to address them. It should really be an opportunity: a fresh, almost real-time feed of reader interests that will ultimately be reflected back to them through your article marketing campaign.
Upgrade Your Topic Tracking Gear
Now that we know how particular, needy and demanding our audience is, how can we find out what will pique their interest at any given time?
- Track a few terms in Google News. BUT, remember to change or add terms frequently. Some search terms prove less interesting than you thought-others more so. Plus, as mentioned above, interests change.
- Follow interesting people on Twitter or Facebook. You'll usually find out pretty quickly who's interesting and who's posting drivel.
- Subscribe to RSS or other reader feeds.
- Don't forget the obvious. Even the more traditional forms of communication like newsletters, magazines and books can be useful. After all, they've had to get more nimble and relevant to survive as well.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
At one point or another, the path to successful article marketing involves 
successfully marketing yourself as an expert. Peers, potential clients and reporters value expertise but some experts are better than others.
Understand What it Means to be an Expert
Successful article marketing should have an authoritative tone. To bolster your expertise, consider incorporating the following supporting research into your articles:
- Statistics or poll results
- Links to other articles or blogs
- Interviews with other experts
- Evidence from published books
Be Bold and Branch Out
People tend to focus too much on the blogs of peers and competitors. Having a general sense of what your peers are saying is an important part of a successful article marketing strategy. While it helps you stay current and address any timely questions in your general professional sphere, ultimately you want to be different and superior to your peers-not a carbon copy of them.
One way to rise above peers and achieve successful article marketing is to write a counter-story. Take a counterintuitive viewpoint or a unique approach to what is otherwise considered popular industry dogma. Another strategy is to draw from other industries or to bring in guest writers (see our previous post "Fresh Article Writers Bring Fresh Perspectives").
Get Known for Something
There's no better way to become an expert in something than to invent your own field of expertise. If you work in Northeastern Ohio green housing development, for example, consider where you might best be able to originate your expertise. Maybe you can be the first person in Northeast Ohio to publish an annual survey of local green builders or a quarterly top ten list of new green products manufactured in Northeast Ohio.
How do you package this bold, new expertise? Consider writing an ebook series, an offline book or a regular, quarterly report. None of these forms need to be too tedious or technical. Instead, they should be vibrant leadership documents that provide unreported or underreported insights into your industry.
This isn't cocktail party expertise. This is the type of expertise that propels your article marketing and leads to new business.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
A guide should lead you through the proper steps right? First, let's make sure you're ready to be led: This is a complete article marketing guide with no hype, no nonsense - only the information you need - soup to nuts in about 300 words.
Is article marketing cool? Of course! Time and again it has proved to be an excellent way to guide potential customers and information junkies to your sterling, wondrous, beneficial facts or figures that will leave them panting for more.
But complete article marketing has rules. If you don't follow them then all your hard, brain-busting research and prose will be for naught.
A. Learn what people search for. Article marketing must be researched to give you guidance on what people are using as keywords. Get that wrong and you're left at the starting line.
B. Use those keywords sparingly. We've all seen web writing that stuffs a bunch of keyword nonsense just because people search for them - in complete article marketing you've got to have a soft touch so people can read it while nodding their heads in agreement.
C. Live and write well, grasshopper! Keep your head in the game with sleep, not too many beers, and remember that good writing is a joy.
D. If you can't or don't want to write then hire someone - there are lots of really good writers hungry to ply their trade.
E. Here's the biggie - complete article writing (see that "C" word?) requires that the article be distributed throughout cyberspace to relevant, quality blogs, forums, and article directories that will link back to you.
Oh dear, did I forget to tell you that you must give those sites and pages a way to link back to you? Use anchor text that embeds your hyperlink, but only do it once or twice.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
Businesses of all types and sizes have begun to realize the power of article marketing to generate traffic for their website and increase overall sales of their products and services. Small businesses can reap the most rewards from an article marketing campaign if it is done correctly and the articles are submitted to the most active search engines or article marketing websites.
Small businesses benefit from article marketing campaigns the most because they do not have to spend too much out of their advertising budget to put an effective campaign together.
Exposure
Smaller businesses have a difficult time getting exposure. This is because of the 
monopoly created by larger companies that they compete with on a daily basis in the business world. The power of article marketing can help small businesses get the exposure they need without putting too much effort into a radio or television advertising campaign. The articles should be anywhere from 300-700 words to be as effective as possible. Interspersed within the articles should be keywords that target specific products or services offered by the company.
Targeting Specific Demographics
Your website can have the best design, the best graphics, top notch widgets and compelling content but if you are driving the wrong people to your website then your sales simply will not improve.
The power of article marketing makes it easier to target the perfect demographics, or the people who will purchase your company's products and services. Basically, do not write articles directed towards people who are not prone to purchasing your products or who do not need to purchase your products.
Calling Your Clients to Action
To make sure that your campaign harnesses the power of article marketing you should include a call to action at the end of every article your company writes and submits to search engines and article marketing websites. A call to action will encourage your customers to visit your website, browse featured products, and then make a purchase.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
We can discuss in great detail all sorts of ways to write better articles. But, for a quick rundown, here's my Top Five list of keys to article marketing success:
1. Timeliness
Learn how to look into the future. Begin writing articles about future events well in advance-two, three or even six months out. This is what reporters call writing a long-lead story.
With long-lead, you'll have plenty of time to think about new ideas to add to your piece and to read up on and research other perspectives. You'll also always be on top of the latest news.
2. Specificity
Your articles won't be that long. So, they should offer one or two specific takeaways with some level of detail. This builds returning readership, which is necessary for the ongoing engagement that leads to article marketing success.
3. Focus
Is there a particular subject area under which your article falls? If more than a couple keywords or tags define your piece, you're probably spreading your content too thin to have a clear focus. Different people will remember different details from each of your articles, but it's a problem if no two people can agree on the central gist of the piece.
4. Creativity
Not all people are naturally creative, but creativity can be learned. Being creative often means seeing the broader picture and understanding how seemingly unrelated events or trends connect to your subject. For example, see the cooking anecdote from our post "Article Marketing Strategies that Build Credibility".
5. Sharpness
Your writing doesn't need to win any Pulitzers to achieve article marketing success. However, sharp and thoughtful insights do help. Like creativity, insight does not always flow naturally but, also like creativity, insights don't have to be manufactured from scratch every time. Consider adding quotes from an expert, stats from a recent study or survey results. 
As mentioned at top, there are many strategies to improve your content, but by focusing on these five basics, article marketing success becomes less abstract and starts coming into focus.