Quality is a major issue. Many people just hack out article after article, hoping one will stick and do well. It's relatively easy and certainly doesn't take as much time as working on quality does, but it just doesn't produce the results. Serious webmasters won't pick up the article, it won't generate any discussion... there just isn't much to recommend with poorly written articles.
However, giving too much information is also a problem. You want to create a need for more information. You can't be so blatant as to end most articles with "To learn more...", but you can use your resource box to point out that your site has the solution or information the reader may now be looking for.
Think of your articles as having two targets. The first is the webmaster who you hope will select your article for use on his or her website or ezine. They're looking for high quality information that will impress their readers. They aren't going to use someone else's sales letter on their website. There isn't anything in it for them.
For the webmaster you want an article that will make them feel good about using it. To get the best webmasters using your articles you need to provide high quality information. Especially good are articles on hot topics but with a fresh twist. You don't want to be saying what everyone else is saying.
For the average readers, quality information is also key. On their end you want to provide just enough information that they want more from you. If you can manage this your articles can go from merely a source of backlinks to a source of visitors and sales.
Sure, all that sounds like a lot of work, and it is. Figuring out the right balance of information and temptation is not easy. You won't benefit as much if you give it all away, after all. However, you're just going to annoy people if you keep saying "I have the secret but I won't tell you yet!"
A simple article formula is to offer a tip or so in the article on the topic of your choice. This should be a solid tip, not just something everyone already knows. Then use your resource box to mention how your website or product is relevant to that tip.
Taking the time to produce quality articles really can make the difference in your article marketing strategies. Stop settling for mere backlinks and start focusing on making articles people will want to read and share. A solid article can do an excellent job as an advertising vehicle and a backlink generator.
