To do well in search engine rankings, websites need links. There are various ways to build them, but one of the most effective both in terms of costs and results is article marketing. This makes knowing the basics of article marketing crucial to every webmaster.
Why links are needed
There are many factors that determine which sites come up on the top page of Google, and which get buried way in the back. However, links are arguably the most important. Search engines look at links to a site as votes as to the quality of its content. Those sites with the most votes for certain keywords often win and reach the top of search engine results.
The basics article marketing
There are various websites out there that consist of almost entirely of articles written by people who are not connected to the site in any way. In exchange for the content, the article website will allow the writer to place at least one link back to a site of their choice with the article. This link can provide both SEO (search engine optimization) benefits and bring visitors directly to the site if they click on the link.
Dofollow and nofollow article directories
For a link to give any SEO benefits, it needs to be dofollow. If the link is nofollow, the link will not count as a vote in the eyes of search engines. Those who want more than just direct traffic from their articles need to check to see what kind of links the directory gives.
Writing for article directories
When writing for an article directory, one should give the articles as much care as they would do for articles on their own sites. Create articles that are informative and useful. By writing valuable content, the article will attract more attention and more visitors. In time, good articles will begin to rank higher in search engines and rise in search engine rankings. This will make the links from these articles count for more.
Length of articles
Articles need to be long enough to contain a lot of useful information but not so long that the writer spends too much time on them. Generally, articles should be 400 words or more (many directories will not accept articles shorter than that). However, articles going several hundred words past 400 risks wasting writing time and losing the attention of the reader.
Types of articles to write
Article directories cover just about every topic out there. For best results, the articles should be related as closely to the theme of the site as possible. Keep in mind that people scan articles much more quickly when reading on the internet than they would when reading from other sources. This makes it a good idea to divide the article into sections with subtitles, lists and the like for easy scanning and reference whenever possible.
Republishing
Another benefit of article directories is that others may republish the articles they like on their own sites. When this is done properly and the link is included, it provides additional links back to the site the article was written for.
Back links
Most directories will allow two or more back links. For best results, put the link within the article if the directory permits and always use anchor text that includes the targeted keywords.
Other writing tips
Remember that the article needs to attract attention quickly so a catchy title can really help. When practical, the article should lead the reader into clicking on the link.
Ezine Articles is rated the best directory by most. It is probably a good idea to use at least a few directories to get a variety of links from different sources. Article marketing is a great tool for SEO and traffic and should be used by every webmaster working to increase exposure to their sites.
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Although a handful recognize it, there is a huge difference regarding composition between traditional and online article promotion. An article’s value is evaluated by readership in terms of whether or not it’s easy to absorb. And so a smart point would be to keep it simplistic and exact.