I believe that articles are an extremely powerful method of marketing and creating one way links to your website. There is talk in the search engine optimisation community that having two way links, particularly to irrelevant sites can damage your standings in the search engines. Therefore, articles are perhaps more important than ever because they create one way links which makes your site look much more important to the search engines.

Boosting your sales with articles starts with you writing the article.

When writing the article there are a few key points you ought to keep in the forefront of your mind:

1)Quality ? one aim of the article if to establish you as an expert, so make sure the article is high quality and demonstrates this

2)Interest ? make the article grab the readers attention and want them to read the rest of your article; make it lively and entertaining

3)Paint a picture ? use your words to paint a picture in your readers minds ? make them see and feel what you are telling them

4)Desire ? use your words to create desire in your readers so they click your link and buy your product

This four step formula will really help to boost your sales as people read your articles and click through to your sites.

The next step is to submit the article to article directories. Now you can do this manually if you like, though it is likely to be a slow and painful process. Your other options are to use some form of article submission software or to hire someone to do it for you.

Whichever method you choose, the submission of the articles will create you one way links to your website.

It also means that website and newsletter owners can see your articles and pick them up as content to use. This, of course, gives you exposure to a whole new potential customer base and again, will boost your sales.

And of course, you can use the articles on your own website as content. This provides you with fresh content for your website (which the search engines love), and establishes you as an authority because you have written articles. You may even want to use them as blog entries if you would like.

Finally, you can submit your articles to offline publications for consideration. Having an article printed in a newspaper or magazine will really help to establish your credibility and drive traffic to your website. You may even get paid for the article, but if you don't then the free exposure is well worth the lack of payment.

Having well written, high quality articles that make your readers want to find out more will help to boost your sales and establish you as an expert in your field. Write your articles, submit them and enjoy the rewards that you will get.