Your article starts with the title, and this is true whether you are writing yourself or using an article ghost writer. Good ghost writers make sure that they fully understand what their client wants of an article before starting. The title should accurately reflect the content of the article, and also contain the keyword being used.

Articles should be based on a keyword since search engine optimization is just as important in an article as it is in the content of your web pages. Your articles can be listed in search engines in the same way as your web pages, even when they are on article directories. A directory is nothing more than a website containing articles as content. The keyword should be that of one of your own website pages that provides information on the article title. If you plan your article in this way, you will make best use of what article marketing has to offer.

The actual content should be specific to the keyword and be designed to tease, rather than provide everything there is to know about a subject. If you provide comprehensive information in your article, why should the reader bother to visit your web site? Make sure that your spelling is accurate and that your grammar is passable. It need not be perfect, but stay clear of fundamental errors such as subject-verb agreement: ?the two women were deaf.? This is a turn-off to your readers, so try to avoid it.

Having completed the article, you must design your ?bio? or ?author's resource? box. Most article directories allow you this facility, in which you can say something about yourself and provide the URL of your website. This should be worded to offer more information, such as ?Peter has more tips how to improve traffic to your website on his web page --------?. You should provide the URL of a page that provides the readers exactly what they are looking for, not your home page address unless that is the most relevant to the article topic. They are interested only in information.

Having readers click to your site is the first way of increasing traffic through article marketing. Some readers will be interested in copying your article and putting it on their own site. They can do this, but must keep it intact, including your resource box. So you get even more traffic from the visitors to these other sites.

However, the marketing of your article is not finished there. You should submit it to as many article directories as you can. You can do this manually, by the use of submission software, or by using the services of a directory submission service. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, and it is up to you which of the options suits you best. Personally, I use a combination of submission service and software, and can provide this information if required.

Search engines, especially Google, highly value one way links from another website back to your site. Not only do you get a one way link from each directory you submit to, but you also get one from the websites that copy your articles. This is a very powerful way of building links and improving your search engine listing. A high listing provides you with the most valuable traffic all ? free organic traffic from search engines.

There are pitfalls you should avoid, the most obvious being that if you purchase bundles of articles you must not use these for directory submissions. They are of use only as content on your own website, and even then they are of little use due to the problem of duplicate content. Private label rights articles, which many subscribers receive from mini-site subscription sites, are the same. Unless you change them radically the directories will no allow them, and you could be banned from directories for using them without radically rewriting them.