Article Marketing Success

Article Marketing Directory Do's And Don't's

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Marketing strategies have changed in recent years, and content marketing is now an essential part of any business plan. The object of any marketing is to promote your business.  Content, or article, marketing refers to anything that is generated on behalf of a company.

This content will not only present information on your business, but it will also inform, amuse, entertain, satisfy a need, or serve a function. Articles are designed to engage the consumer and provide them with information they want to share with others. Your primary goal with article marketing is to build and maintain a relationship with consumers.

Your articles should be distributed through various article marketing directories, which will allow their notice by search engines. As the search engines become aware of your articles, people will be directed to your websites.

Preparing content for submission to an article marketing directory is not difficult, but there are several things to consider and “rules” to follow to increase your success.

DO

• Make the content of your article informative, interesting and entertaining. Always first pose a question, then provide the answer.
• Do plenty of research. Identify your target audience and learn what they need and/or want. Learn as much as possible about your subject.
• Always write the best article you possibly can. Follow the old saying of  “quality not quantity” and strive to make each article a work of art.
• Use proper sentence structure and grammar. Proof-read once, then proof-read again.
• Try to find a new angle, or approach, to present the content of your article. You will want to look at the subject from a fresh viewpoint.
• Remember you are marketing, not selling. Any content you submit to an article marketing directory should address a problem and offer a solution. Helping a reader with a problem will prompt them to use your business when they want to buy your product. 
• Learn as much as you can regarding the use of search engine optimization (SEO) tactics.  You need to understand how to identify and use strong keywords and key phrases. You want to include links and an author resource box. You will want to use a very effective title for your article. All of these will help SEOs find your articles and direct readers to them. The Search Engine Journal (SEJ) offers 12 Basic On-Site SEO Tactics for Optimized Results, and I found all 12 to be quite valuable.
• Never write an article you wouldn’t enjoy reading yourself. If you don’t find your topic interesting, neither will anyone else. Ask for, and listen to, feedback from your readers.
• Consider using article market directory submission software. It can make article submission quicker and faster if you plan to submit to numerous directories. There are lots of options available for submission software. I found this comparison to be helpful.

DON’TS

• There is no reason to "re-invent the wheel" when it comes to content marketing. You can learn from others with more experience. One of my favorite learning sources is Content Marketing 101.
• Never charge readers for your articles. You are creating and sharing free information in order to convert readers into first-time customers; and convert first-time customers into repeat customers.
• Remember to keep your paragraphs short and concise. Article directories do not like long sentences. Use bulleted lists whenever you can.
• Don’t start your article marketing without a plan. Research your target market and the specific needs of that market. But, don’t focus on a subject that is only important to a small part of your market.
• Avoid obvious self-promotion. Giving the impression you are trying to sell something will be resented by readers. The impression of “hard sell” may result in your article submissions being banned from some article marketing directories. Readers will not trust what you are sharing if it is filled with self-promotion.
• Your articles are your sales tools, but be cautious when adding links. Consider putting any links in a resource box at the end of the article. Article marketing directories often reject submissions with links throughout the body of the article.
• Get the most value from your resource box by adding high-quality keywords and information that adds to your credibility. I found Article Writing 101: The Perfect Author Resource Box to be extremely helpful.

Article marketing is vital to the success of your business in 2011 and beyond. It is an excellent opportunity to introduce you and your company to potential customers, and it is an excellent way to share your knowledge, develop relationships and build trust. And it can be fun, rewarding and profitable for your business.