I’ve been a freelance writer for years – since 1993. My business has grown over the years from just writing for clients to: (i) writing for myself (I’ve self-published over 50 ebooks); affiliate marketing; and developing freelance writing e-course and seminars. The main method I use to promote all of my income streams is article marketing.
Article Marketing Is Old Hat and Google Doesn’t Like It
I know that’s what many are thinking – that article marketing is old and stale; that search engines like Google punish you for it (eg, the duplicate content penalty); and that other marketing outlets work better (eg, social media).
But I’m here to tell you, article marketing is still – yes even post-Panda and post-Penguin – one of the best ways to get on the first page of Google. Following is why.
Why Article Marketing Can Land You on the First Page of Google – for Years
Ever heard of content marketing? It’s all the rage now. It’s all about distributing informative content (via social media, newsletters, etc.) to drive traffic to a site. The theory behind content marketing is that when web surfers go online, one of the main things they’re looking for is information – information to help them make a more informed buying decision.
Article Marketing Tip: Why You Don’t Need to Worry about the Duplicate Content Penalty
Well, article marketing is just another form of content marketing. Perhaps the only significant difference is that it’s distributed via article directories (eg, EzineArticles.com), instead of via social media. And, just in case you’re worried about being hit with a duplicate content penalty – don’t.
That’s because the duplicate content penalty is not a penalty at all. It’s an exclusionary tactic used by search engines to avoid the same content popping up on hundreds of different sites. So, if your article is part of an article directory, if it’s of good quality, it will still show up in search results – it just won’t show up on low-quality sites.
Proof?
How I Got Two Spots on the First Page of Google Using Article Marketing
SEO writing is one of my specialties (I own an SEO writing company). If you type the keyword phrase “SEO writing” (without quotes) into Google – the largest search engine, you’ll find content written by me in two spots on the first page of Google.
One them is an article on EzineArticles.com entitled “What is SEO Article Writing? SEO Copywriting Explained.”
Almost 4 Years on the Front Page of Google – Thanks to Article Marketing
I’m writing this article in October 2012; I wrote the article on EzineArticles in January 2009. For most of the time, that article has been somewhere on the first page of Google. That’s almost four years!
Why Article Marketing Has Gotten Such a Bad Rap
The main reason is the low quality of content that can be found in many article directories (and content farms). Many are cleaning up their act though. IdeaMarketers.com, one of my favorite article marketing directories, recently announced that it won’t accept articles from the general public any more.
They’re going the “preferred publisher” route; meaning they look at the quality of your content (and if you’ve spent ad dollars with them in the past) before they’ll accept content.
HubPages, eHow (Demand Media), AssociatedContent – and a host of other sites that used to accept all kinds of content got hit hard with Google’s Panda and Penguin updates. Hence, many of them changed their content strategies. And, although these aren’t technically article directories, I point this out to illustrate just how those Google updates shook up the web – and left many wondering if things like article marketing was still worth it.
The Key to Being Successful with Article Marketing
Good content will continue to be rewarded by search engines – if it’s found in an article directory, as a fellow writer so aptly pointed out in her piece on article marketing. She wrote:
Google is always changing its parameters so it can find the best content. Submit that, and you should be fine. Good article marketers welcome updates because it does cut out all the rubbish out there. Good articles remain well ranked and are left intact.
The example I gave with my article from 2009 is proof of this.
I, for one, was glad when Google shook up the web with its algorithm changes. And I was even happier to hear that more people were scared off of article marketing. Why? Because it meant more room for my content to shine – and less competition.
The fact is, more consumers are coming online every day. And what do they do when they go there? They conduct research (ie, look for information). And, one of the best ways to get in front of them is to write and widely distribute quality content. And one of the best ways to do this is via article marketing.
If this article peaked your interest, learn more about why article marketing still rocks — especially if you’re a freelance writer!
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