Article Marketing Advice from Articles Biz

As the editor of an Article Directory I have to review thousands of articles every week - few grab my attention - but the following suggestions will help to get your article accepted and then read by publishers.

1. Make Your Title Sell the Story.

On the internet we are always scanning lists - looking for interesting information that fits what we are looking for. You have less than a second to grab attention so avoid criptic titles - think more about newspaper headlines - create a title that in a few words tells the reader why I would benefit from reading it

2. The First Paragraph Must Tell the Story.

This is a long established journlistic process. The first paragraph needs to draw the reader into the article. Don't leave the best to last - give the reader the basic story right away. If I can't tell what the article is about in a few seconds - I look for something else.

3. Give your readers real content - Stuff not Fluff.

One reason I reject articles is if they are really a sales pitch or a "puff." This shows up in the first paragraph and I don't read any further. Your article must deliver real content, useable information that has value. Good articles reflect the experiences of the author and confirm you as an expert.

4. Submit to specific sub categories not general categories

Article directories are organaised into categories and general directories tend to have fewer categories and subcategories for each subject. As a reault the caregories contain large numbers of loosely related articles. Specialist directories have more subcategories. No one is going to scan through pages of articles so clearly articles in smaller more specific categories are more likely to be read.

5. People will judge you by the quality of your articles

Some of the articles I receive are really poor quality and I reject tham because I don't want my directory to have that image. If people find your article useful they will come back and read more. If most of what they read is uninspiring and delivers no useful information that is not going to help your profile.

The key to article marketing is to give people an insight into the quality of your advice - then they will come back for more.

Would you like to market yourself using articles but find you have no time to write? Then I can recommend this wonderful little ebook by professional writer Georganne Fiumara - click on the book cover for more information.