There are many ways to increase website traffic. Some web developers are turning to SEO practices, link buying and even subscribing to pay-for-click programs just to encourage more visitors to their sites. One of the least expensive ways of increasing website traffic is through article marketing.

What is Article Marketing?

Article marketing is a form on online advertising. Basically, you write short articles about anything related to what you are trying to promote. After completing the piece, you have to make it available for distribution and publication in article directories, in the company website and even on someone else’s site.

As a rule, each completed article contains a resource box which contains vital information like: the name of the author, a very brief background of the author, and contact information of the author, etc.

Essentials of Article Marketing

1. Write quality articles

Quality content is still the best way to make article marketing work.

You should remember that more than a million people log on to the Internet daily; and a good percentage of them post article after article about almost any topic.

When you write an article, try to incorporate all the information your potential reader may need or want. Internet users usually seek out valuable information like the ones that can help them solve their problems. If you can, write and post articles that have the same theme or subject of interest; and write as many articles as you can. This is a way of building up your reputation among your readers. Given time, (and if your articles are interesting enough,) you just may develop a following of readers who are interested in reading what you have to say.

2. Craft the perfect resource box

As mentioned earlier, when you market your article, you should always have a resource box. Now, this is really important. This is the one place that can literally point your readers to your website. Here is how you should craft a perfect resource box:

The first thing that your readers should find in your resource box is your name and title, but more often than not, its just the name that people scout around for.

Do not forget to type in correctly your website address after your name.

After this, there is the compulsory USP or unique selling proposition: this is comprised of 1 to 3 brief and concise sentences as to what more you can possibly offer your readers.

Finally, you lead your readers into a call of action. This means that you are asking them to do one specific action: particularly asking them to visit your website.

3. Submit your articles

Obviously, submitting your article for publication is important, but where do you send them? The easiest choice is to send them to article directories or acquire article distribution services. Submission to article directories is mostly free, and these directories will allow you to add links to your website. Article distribution services have varying fees, but they allow your piece to be posted in more sites than article directories.

Page Rank or PR is one of the most essential aspects of many online marketers include while designing their marketing campaigns web sites, Google is well know for its page rankings. Search Engine Optimization determines the page rank as well as whether or not the subject is a hot topic.

In order to determine how well they should rank, Google uses a complex algorithm to analyze web pages. The manner or formula that Google uses is a well-guarded secret. However, it is public knowledge that one consideration is in the number of pages that link to a particular page or backlinks.

The internet is full of information concerning backlinks. It is however, controversial as to the manner of how individuals get their links as well as almost everything concerning page rank. Some individuals get their backlinks by purchasing them for others or a link broker; however, Google discourages this type of practice to do so.

Google holds its stance, that a page rank should be naturally popular and not artificially stimulated by outside sources. The page rank, according to Google should reflect the true interest and relativity of the page according to specific search terms.

Of course, some contend that this type of method of determining the page rank is great and worthwhile, whereas there are others who consider this as an overbearing, sinister motive on Googles part.

Although, the argument continues concerning the rules of Google, the backlinks hold importance in ranking web pages. If you are into marketing online, page rank is an essential issue to you and your sales.

Page ranking is vital, since it can increase the traffic you have for potential clients. If your page falls below the first page of search engine results, it will influence the amount of internet traffic your site entertains.

Each link does carry its own difference in quality, since it is not only the number of backlinks on a site, but the quality of those links as well. Yet again, this is an area of controversial debate.

Reciprocal links can make a bad impression where page rank is concerned; since this is when different, sites trade links to improve the page rank of their web page. Google passes over reciprocal links. In other words, pages that contain reciprocal links will not benefit from page rank, so it is a big waste of time.

When it comes to Search Engine Optimization, Google is more in favor of one-way links. These links lead from one site to another website, with no reciprocal links involved between the two sites.

The favoritism of these one-way likes is quite simple really. Many consider that, a website that has many links leading to it is providing information that others may consider high in value.

Therefore, a page rank will reflect that other individuals think it a good website because of the number of links that lead you to that particular website. Whether you agree or not, the reasoning for this is compelling, while many leading SEO experts consider backlinks and the quality of those links to hold consideration in the calculation of a page rank.

The true issue is however, that many online marketers need to learn how to go about finding valuable and valid links for their websites. There are two basic methods, which are DIY, Do it yourself or OS, Outsourcing.

The do it yourself method is demanding and time consuming, although it features considerable merit for many reasons. However, it simply means taking the time to build good relationships with other websites, since this will aid in increasing the natural page rank. This is what Google looks for when ranking web pages.

Link building by Outsourcing are a process you can use through an assortment of agencies that specialize in this technique. Many online businesses claim the ability of being a matching service. This permits you to get backlinks from various other web sites. They match you up with other web sites they have in their database of related content.

However, there are risks involved with outsourcing since you have no real control of the method that links are created for your website. Therefore, it is in your best interest to study the practices and polices of any type of link building program. When it comes to outsourcing your link building to others, it is best to practice the art of caution.

On the other hand, social networking is quickly becoming a very popular technique for acquiring inbound one-way links to your website. It is however, an experimental method at this time. However, many individuals report that this method brings considerable success and quickly improves a page rank.

Backlinks are only one of the contributing factors out of hundreds of factors that determine page rank, according to Google. Google has no intention whatsoever in giving away its secret information, since it feels this would compromise the integrity of Google and its search engine results.

What is obviously significant and well known is that Google ranks pages according to the quality and number of backlinks as a central factor. Online marketers should pay special attention to such details as they would any other faucet of their business enterprise. This is something to consider carefully with any type of marketing strategy.

You should always be careful and take your time to focus while creating your web pages and website, so that they are search engine optimized. Although, backlinks are essential, they are only one portion of how well your page is ranked in the search engine results.

Optimization for search engines should always hold a forefront in your thoughts and planning, when writing your blogs or building your web pages as well as writing articles to use in a marketing program. In order to do the Google dance it is imperative that we all learn the first steps to enjoy the success of having our web pages within a top page rank.

I recently made a website for someone and need to do some simple search engine optimisation. I’ve been a web editor for a big radio station for a while now but I’ve never had to do SEO before. Basically they just need to be able to find their site in google and yahoo… There is a “submit to search engine” thing on the web hosts site too.

Here are 7 Good Reasons Why You Should Do Article Marketing:

1. Helps you become recognized as the subject matter expert. Writing articles on your topic gives the people an impression that you are an expert in the field. As a matter of fact, the more articles you’ve written on the same topic, the more you’ll be recognized as the expert or the go-to-person.

2. Gives your articles extra exposure. Publishing the articles on your blog ain’t going to produce huge results unless you have a constant stream of visitors to your site. Marketing your articles are just like placing your ads all over the ‘online’ walls - it increases the exposure of your articles and exponentially increases your results.

3. Article marketing equals free advertising. You trade quality content with the websites’ webspace. Article sites love accepting solid articles with quality content and they are willing to do so even if it means giving you more webspace for your articles. Think of it as a win-win situation.

4. Gains trust in your readers. Cover a range of sub-topics in your subject and through the sincerity and quality of your articles, your readers gradually develops a natural form of trust with you. They know you truly care for their success and they’ll be more willing to listen to what you have to offer.

5. Article marketing increases your link popularity. Think of the limitless number of websites your articles can submit to and you’ll imagine the amount of backlinks to your site. The more backlinks you receive, the higher perceived value your sites has as far as search engines are concerned. With more backlinks, your site will rank higher in search engines.

6. Article marketing has a lasting effect. Unlike most advertising methods, article marketing produces a lasting effect. A good example would be advertisements you see on the newspapers or the streets. The moment the advertisements are taken down, they cease to promote the service or product they serve.

Unlike those advertisments, site owners do not mind displaying your articles on their sites. They are like advertisements that once you put up, they last virtually forever.