I can see the hate email pouring in from this one. Well, quite honestly, I couldn’t care less. In fact, I’ll even post my email address at the end of this article so you can tell me what a jackass I am. In the meantime, you might want to read this before you even consider getting into article marketing. Why? Because the rules have changed and, quite honestly, nobody cares about your crap.
You’re probably wondering where this rant is coming from. Well, here is the back story so you can understand where this is coming from. It certainly isn’t from a relaxing evening at Sardi’s. Oh, and by the way, from what I hear, the scallops there aren’t all that great. But back to the main topic at hand.
So I’m at the Warrior Forum and some idiot asks if article marketing still works and wants to see PROOF that it works. He wanted one of the best article marketers on the planet, one Alexa Smith, to reveal one of her hard fought for niches in order to PROVE that she’s not full of it.
Well, I couldn’t help but stick my nose into this confrontation and give this pigs feet for brains moron a piece of my mind. For starters, since Alexa’s not trying to sell him anything, she doesn’t have to PROVE to him anything. I then went on to give him the straight poop about article marketing. And if you’re smart, you’ll make a note of all of this.
The biggest problem with article marketers is that they think they can write about any old crap, slap it up on an article directory, and it’ll bring in LOADS of traffic. My friend, those days died along with the Ford Pinto and Circuit City. Today, it’s a whole new ball game. So, I’m going to give you a list of things that you better do if you’re going to have ANY chance at all of making it as an article marketer.
1. You have to write about stuff that people actually care about.
2. You have to write in a way that is engaging and doesn’t put your reader to sleep. You can be controversial and even a little arrogant like me, but for crying out loud, don’t be a snooze fest. In short, LEARN HOW TO WRITE.
3. Don’t make your writing sound like you’re trying to sell something to your reader. People don’t want to be sold stuff. They’re looking for information when they’re looking for articles. The selling stuff part comes in your signature or at your web site. Just give them info that they can actually USE. For crying out loud, help them to solve their problem or at least give them more insight into their problem.
4. Don’t just rely on article directories. I’m sorry, I love these guys but Google has basically said, if you rely solely on them, you’re not going to get the optimal results. Put your articles on YOUR sites first. Build up your OWN virtual real estate before you build up somebody else’s.
5. Look for exclusive syndication deals with big sites that are looking for content. Trust me, they’re out there. You just have to go out and find them. News flash… not everybody likes to write. And a lot of web masters HATE to write. So make them an offer. You’ll be surprised at some of the takers you’ll get.
6. Look to getting your stuff published in magazines. Yeah, real magazines. Who’d a thunk it? Not easy? No, not if you write the crap that most article marketers throw together. If you’re going to write that kind of garbage and expect people to take you seriously, you’re better off buying a pair of dark glasses, an accordion, a tin cup, and a monkey named Guido. Find yourself a street corner somewhere in New York or Paris and you’ve got it made. But PLEASE… don’t write any articles if that’s the kind of garbage you’re going to spew out.
There’s more, but I’ll stop there. Want more info? Want to actually have some success with your article marketing? Check out below my John Hancock.
Or you can just go out and get that tin cup, accordion and monkey.
Just don’t forget to feed him.
To YOUR Success,
Steven Wagenheim