If you've been trying to figure out how to market your small business, you may have already heard about article marketing. If not, here's a summary: Article marketing is a relatively new, Web-based marketing technique that allows small business owners to gain an edge on the competition. Basically, business owners like you generate articles designed for Web publication, and then the articles are submitted to article marketing services.



These services, which are easy to find through all the major search engines, are run by experts in Internet marketing. After a business owner submits an article, they help polish the content, then they distribute it to Web publishers. Every time one of the articles is published, it comes with an "About the Author" box, which contains a link to the author's website. Think of this box as your business card.

Essentially, this technique goes back to the basics of advertising. As a small business owner, how did you earn your first customers? In all likelihood, you simply talked to people in your real-life or online community, making them aware of your unique ability and expertise. Once these people realized that you could back up your talk with excellent service, they became long-term customers. Article marketing does basically the same thing.

To begin taking advantage of this marketing strategy, the first thing you have to do is begin writing your articles. These can be on topics of your choice, as long as they relate to the services your business provides. Your articles will be going out to publishers in your field, which means that your articles will give you an opportunity to speak directly to your potential customers. Keep this in mind, because it is the most important aspect of the process.

Traditional marketing practices focus on expanding name recognition at all costs, even at the expense of respectability. Through article marketing, you will be taking the opposite tactic. Rather than annoying your potential customers with flashy, condescending advertisements, you will be earning their trust with genuinely informative content. The only advertising will be in the form of your small, tasteful "About the Author" box. In this case, less is more.

When writing your articles, try to make them as interesting and informative as possible. Write clearly and concisely, and keep your article under about 750 words. In general, unless you're writing about a very huge issue, to go over 750 words probably means that you're rambling, which is the quickest way to lose your readers. Make sure your articles have a clear, identifiable structure with a beginning, middle, and end. With your introduction, try to grab your readers' attention. With your conclusion, re-state your original points, and try to leave your readers feeling satisfied that something important has been said.

Once you have an article, send it to your article marketing service. They will make sure that it conforms to Internet publishing standards, and if necessary, they'll suggest changes. When you have your final draft, you'll be asked to fill in your "About the Author" box, and then you'll categorize your article, which assures that publishers in your field will have access to it. Both the "About the Author" box and the categorization are important steps, so pay close attention to them.

In the end, one of the most beneficial results of article marketing is that your business's website will soon be rising higher in search results. This is because most search engines base their results on the number of times a website has been clicked to. So, if you can begin to generate Web content, not only will you earn new customers through your expertise, but you will also make your site more available through Web searches.