Six Article Marketing Mistakes You Must Avoid

Although more people discover the power of article marketing every day, many fail to learn some simple techniques to optimize their writing and maximize the effectiveness of their article marketing campaigns.  The following paragraphs will reveal six critical mistakes that must be avoided if you want to reap the full fruits of your article writing efforts.

The first three mistakes fall within the category of "Guideline Awareness."  The rule of thumb is to be familiar with the guidelines of the directories where you submit your articles, so that you can better use them to your advantage.

Mistake #1:  Failure to Use Hyperlinks in Article Body

Some article directories will not allow any hyperlinks in the body, but most will allow from one to three.  Convert your target keywords to hyperlinks to the extent possible; this will bring your website direct traffic through clicks and it will help to improve your site's search engine rankings for that keyword.

Mistake #2:  Ineffective Use of Author Resource Box

The author resource box, sometimes called the boilerplate, is an area where you can sell yourself.  This is important, because the article itself should not be used for overt advertising, only for teaching and informing.  Use your name, or a pen name; over time, people will associate the mane with the topic, and you will be established as a trusted expert in your field.  Once they trust that you know your stuff, they will not hesitate to visit your site and buy your product or service.

Mistake #3:  Article Length - Too Short or Too Long

Webmasters, bloggers, and newsletter publishers are constantly in need of fresh, original content.  That is what makes article marketing so powerful.  When someone picks up your article and publishes it on the web or in a mass-email, it multiplies your exposure.  However, many people write a paltry 100 words to submit to an article directory, which amounts to little more than a dictionary definition of their chosen topic.  At the other end of the spectrum, some people will submit works of more than 2000 words; on the web or in a newsletter, that is an epic-length tome.

Opinions vary as to the optimum length of an article, but the consensus is between 400 and 900 words.  It should be long enough to thoroughly explain the subject, but short enough to read quickly and easily.

The next three mistakes concern the actual submission of articles to directories.  They are not so much "rules" as they are strong suggestions to maximize your results.

Mistake #4:  Submitting to Too Few Article Directories

After the effort of writing the piece itself, it may seem like a tedious chore to submit the work to twenty directories.  If it is too much for you, there are services that will manually submit your articles for you.  If you cannot afford such luxuries, then you must do it yourself.  Do not compromise on this; it is critical to your success.  Find at least twelve article directories for starters, and build from there.  Once you get to about twenty, you are doing well.

Mistake #5:  Using the Same Pen Name for Different Topics

If you have multiple websites in different niches, use a unique pen name for each topic.  It's all about credibility.  If Sally McMarketer writes about designer dog collars, can she be equally trusted as an expert on high-performance fuel-injectors?  In reality, it is not uncommon for people to have proficiencies in multiple areas, but unless you personally know the dog collar/fuel-injector guru, it seems unlikely.

Mistake #6:  Submitting Website Content as Articles

One of the worst things an article marketer can do is to take the content directly from their website and submit it in article form to the directories.  Remember, you want to submit your work to twelve to twenty article directories or so in order to get traffic and backlinks to your website.  However, if the articles contain the exact same information as your website, the search engines will view it as duplicate content, which may be downgraded in the rankings.  Besides, readers of your articles will be a bit put off if they click on one of your well-placed hyperlinks only to see the same old stuff on your site.  Keep your website content unique.

Article marketing, like any good, profitable endeavor, requires work, education, and practice.  You can, and should, constantly refine your techniques in search of ever better results.  If you can avoid the six misstates discussed above, you will be well on your way to becoming a proficient marketer with a growing, moneymaking business.