Tag: avoided

Article marketing has long been accepted as the best way to drive traffic to your website for free. In just about every affiliate marketing manual, there is a section that discusses the basics of writing and submitting articles.
However, most of these manuals don’t tell the whole story. They make it look like a very simple process. Unfortunately, this just isn’t true. In most of the tutorials, the only instruction you get is to “write a 300-500 word article and submit it to several free directories”. I’m unsure why the most important details are often left out.
The fact is if you blindly follow those instructions it won’t be long before several directories delete your account. At the very least, your articles will constantly be rejected. This will undoubtedly lead to discouragement and frustration. Here are some important tips that will ensure your articles get accepted.
1. Only Submit Original Content
This is probably the golden rule of article marketing. Write your own content and make it original. It’s perfectly alright to consult other resources for information, however. Nobody knows everything there is to know about any given subject.
If you do consult outside resources to get information, do not copy anything written word for word. Interpret the information as you see it and then write it down in your own words. Plagiarism is morally and legally wrong, and it can get you into lots of trouble.
If you use any information that came from the research of another, the source must be cited in the article. If it’s a research paper or book, it’s a good idea to contact the author and ask for permission to write about their ideas or discoveries.
2. Avoid Duplicate Content
There is an ongoing argument between search engine optimization experts as to whether or not you can be penalized for submitting duplicate content. Many contend your article won’t be indexed, but there really isn’t evidence to corroborate this belief.
However, one thing that is certain is that most article directories don’t appreciate duplicate content, and some can even suspend or delete your account if you submit too much of it.
The article directories are in the business of providing unique, original, and informative content to webmasters who need it. Many article directories also rely on paid advertising revenue to survive. If the majority of their articles contain duplicate content then webmasters will stop using them to obtain content. They also fear the search engines may blacklist them and they could lose much of their advertising revenue due to loss of traffic.
I don’t recommend submitting the same article to more than one directory, but if you must, re-write it first. Don’t just change a word here and there. It’s certainly alright to keep the subject of the article intact, but the words and sentences should all be changed so the article is completely new.
I think you’ll find that by submitting so much original content, more of your articles will get indexed and …