You have heard it said that article marketing is an excellent way to drive targeted traffic to your Web site. While this is true, you have to make sure your article contains the right words the right number of times, so search engines do not view it as spam. You don't want article directories to reject you because your article reads like a sales letter. You want visitors to come your way after reading an intelligent and useful article that gives them information they need.



An effective article can inspire readers to link back to your site, so you can have them opt-in to a newsletter you offer. This will result in you increasing your subscriber list, so you can maintain regular contact with them. To acquire these subscribers, you need quality articles full of relevant information. These articles need to have the right keywords positioned properly throughout the article in order for search engines to draw Internet surfers to your content.

When writing your article, select keywords that are specific rather than general. If you sell shoes, use words that focus on the kinds you sell. Many places sell shoes. You want to include words Web searchers might type. If you sell all kinds of blue shoes, use the words "blue shoes" in your article. If you specialize in blue suede shoes, put those words in your article. Just using the word "shoes" may not garner your target market. You want every visitor who is looking for a specific type of shoe (or whatever it is you are selling) linking back to your site.

You have to place keywords and phrases naturally throughout the article. You don't want to sound like a hyperactive salesperson. As an entrepreneur, you need to give people valuable advice and information that shows you as a trustworthy source for goods and services. Article writing is all about sharing knowledge with those who need it so they can make an informed decision. People know when they're getting the "hard sell" and when they're getting useful information. Repeated use of the same keyword is hard selling because that's all readers "hear."

In Internet marketing, it's up to you as an entrepreneur to get cyber-surfers clicking back to your site through an effective article. You must have an easy flow to your article, so it doesn't come off as flagrant promotion of your keyword. This will scare visitors away. If they see the word "shoes" or the phrase "blue suede shoes" every other line, they will get antsy. They will think as they read, "Oh no, get ready, those words are coming up again."

Do not overuse your keywords and phrases in an article. Aim for around 2 to 5 percent usage in an article, with 3 percent being a good figure. Just count your keywords and divide them by the total word count of your article and you will see where you stand.

A good rule is to use your keywords in your article title and in the first sentence or paragraph. You should then intersperse it unobtrusively throughout the article and again in the last paragraph. If you do it too much, it's obvious you are trying to get the keywords in as much as possible, and you'll ultimately look like the king of "Spam-a-lot."

Article marketing is all about informative content. This content must be entertaining, not annoying. As an Internet marketer, you have to walk the fine line between promoting and informing. Use your articles and strategic placements of your keywords to pre-sell, not sell, your products. Give your readers a reason to go to your site to further explore what you have to offer. They will go there if they see you as a business they can trust instead of a huckster they need to avoid.