Article writing is a valuable tool to promote your online business. Writing articles can help you to establish credibility as an expert in your business field as well as drive traffic to your website. If you are not a strong writer, you can hire a ghost writer to provide the content for you. But do be careful if you choose to employ a ghost writer. I've reviewed very good articles and some not so good articles. It's up to you to ensure the content and grammar is worth publishing to article directories.

The optimal length for internet articles is between 375-650 words. Longer articles may not be picked up by article directories and are not optimal for search engine optimization. The articles should be SEO (search engine optimized) with key words to help improve your placement on search engines. A SEO article should have 2-3 key words, repeated 1-3 times, and in a style that does not sound forced or awkward. One key word should be used in the title, one in the opening paragraph, and the others throughout the body of the article. The content of the articles must be original and duplication should be avoided, as it can reduce your credibility as an author to have the same content published multiple times.

When article writing provide the reader with references and tips to ensure that they find value within the content. Once you have completed the article, post it to your website and submit it to relevant article directories.

Article directories are an effective way to gain content distribution. While most submission services are free, for a small fee you can get added distribution services that will help spread your ideas across hundreds of sites with a single click. Article marketing and distribution will increase your opportunities for website visits and for income generation by increasing your online visibility. EzineArticle.com, ArticleDashboard.com and iSnare.com are just a few examples of popular article directories favored by Google and Yahoo. Also, you can use your favorite search engine for a more comprehensive list of available directories and directory submission services. Software services have become available to assist companies distribute their articles across the internet. Start by evaluating ArticleMarketer.com for their list of available services.

At the end of the article, be sure to include a resource box or signature file, especially when you are submitting them to article directories. These should include your name, your business URL address and a short 1-2 sentence business biography. Do not include every website that you own, avoid lengthy content (should be no larger than 20% of your total content), and do not pitch a product or service that is not relevant to your written content.

For qualified ghost writers, look into www.guru.com, www.elance.com for a list of available providers and their associated cost. Article writing is a proven strategy to help optimize your current website, increase traffic and to convert leads into clients.