1. Whatever you are writing about, be sure to do your research. Even if you think you know everything there is to know about your topic, check up on it and see if there hasn’t been some updating or relevant news about it. People want up-to-date information. Be impeccable in your delivery of such information. One good way to get automatic information is by signing up with a site that sends alerts to you on topics you request. Google Alerts is a very good example.

2. You will see, as we delve further into this subject, that posting your articles to many Article Directories will, obviously, increase the exposure your articles receive. However, there is an issue I would like to address, briefly, at this point. There is a raging debate going on about “Duplicate Content” and how the search engines do not like it. I have gone into this issue in other blog posts and articles, but for now, the short and dirty way around this problem would be to post the article on YOUR site first, allow the search engine spiders to index it and THEN submit it to your favorite Article Directories. A complete detailed post, including what Google actually says about it, can be found at ArticleWritingNews.com

3. Don’t think that writing just one post about a topic is sufficient. There are many ways to re-purpose your article. Just one article can be written in at least 6 different ways: a straight-up informational piece, a tips list, a how-to list, in an interview style, as a story and a FAQ list. There are more ways, just look around.

4. Article viralization is a fantastic tool. This is standard procedure and is how Article Directories have become so popular. What happens is that a webmaster, in search of good, quality content for his or her website, will peruse the article directories and find your article. If he/she likes it, they are allowed to copy it–completely intact, including the resource box–and reprint it on their website.

5. Another way of getting your work “out there” is to provide writing services to others. If you feel confident in your writing–and trust me, that will come with time and practice–this will give you a nice little side income.

6. Article directories have minimum/maximum word count restrictions. Generally, they are 300 to 750 words. This is actually a good thing! Not only will a shorter piece be easier for your readers–and thus not bore them silly–they are also infinitely easier to write!

7. In the case of article marketing, more is better, but if you’re not in the habit of writing prolifically, 2 articles a day will suffice until you get into the habit. Strive to write prolifically.

8. How many articles should you write, anyway? To start, as mentioned above, 2 a day will suffice if you are just beginning your writing/article marketing career. But as you get better established and more comfortable with writing, you will want to branch out. If you have, say, 10 or so articles on one particular topic, you could very easily compile them and create an eBook. eBooks are fantastic giveaways to entice new visitors/readers/customers. By offering your eBook to visitors as a reward for subscribing to your website, you will be encouraging a relationship with them that, hopefully, will benefit both of you.

9. RSS feeds are another important feature to offer to your readers. Encourage your readers to sign up for your RSS feed, as they will receive immediate notification as soon as you hit the “publish” button on new articles or posts.

10. You can do all the writing yourself, if you feel up to that challenge. We have plenty of advice here at ArticleMarketingNews.com, if you feel you need help. But you can also hire others to “ghost-write” for you. Check out elance.com, among other places. Fees are usually very affordable.

By following these article marketing tips, it won’t be long before you get a lot of hits.

In the past, in the offline world, articles were only found in brochures, newspapers, and other such print media. But now, with the advent of the Internet, article marketing has expanded. Articles are now used to market products, but they are now, also, an excellent method for site promotion. The resultant increase in page rank with the search engines attracts readers and therefore, product sales and advertising revenues increase. The better a site ranks in the search engines, the more eyes are going to see it.

However, as a result, the proliferation of articles has diluted the pool of available quality content. Some articles are poorly written. Some authors are not careful about accuracy in the details. And some are only interested in site promotion, not the genuine transmission of useful information.

Besides attempting to improve page rank, a webmaster should strive to educate. The article itself should be informative. At the end of the article will be a resource box, where links to the author’s website will reside. Readers who appreciate the information in the article may be inclined to visit the website for more, turning the reader into a potential customer.

If you have a conversational style to your writing, you should attempt to write your own articles. But there are ways around even that, if you are not confident in your writing abilities. Following are some tips for creating articles of good quality:

1. Find A Professional Writer.
It is important to write a well-written piece that is grammatically correct and relevant to the topic. If you create good content for your site, you will gain presence in the search engines. You will also be considered as a good resource site for quality information. You will become an instant expert. It can be a bit pricey to hire professional writers, but your site becoming well-known for great information is vital. Seriously consider the investment. Check out elance.com

2. Find Experts On The Article Subject.
Find someone who knows something about the subject you want written. A link or credit for the material may be all they want in return for their expertise. This brings you the article you need and want, and it’s great exposure for the expert.

OR…

3. Do An Interview Piece.
Some of your articles can use the interview technique, where you sit down with a known expert in the topic you’re writing for, and simply do a “Q & A” session with them. A little before-hand preparation is called for, but it will be worth it for the valuable information you will receive.

4. Get Someone To Clean It Up.
Someone you know my be quite good at English grammar and could proofread your article for you. Otherwise, hire a professional, especially if you cannot afford to hire a writer. This may even be an area you could research yourself and improve your skills.

4. A Picture Is Worth 1,000 Words.
Articles that are posted on your website will catch more attention if you include pictures or clever use of graphics. Visual representation that accompanies the articles will help cement the concept into your readers minds. Images make the article memorable. Unfortunately, most article directories do not allow the use of images, so just use them on your site.

Plan carefully, prepare rigidly and do your research. Article marketing is one of the best methods for increasing your customer-base.