The process entails submitting an original article to article directories. These are websites that act as a library of articles available for others to use on their own websites or within their newsletters. The article must be an original on a subject that the particular directory caters for. Full guidelines for formatting and submitting the article are provided. One rule that is strictly followed is that there are no links in the body of the article, only in the author's box. The resource box has to be included in any duplication of the article made.

The aim is to generate traffic through the link within your resource box. For each published article there will be a back link to your website. The higher the page rank of the article directory that publishes your article the better impact it will have on your own website's page rank. There are thousands of article directories on the Internet and if you were to submit an article to just 20 of them on a weekly basis you would get 20 back links per week to your website. If you continued on the weekly basis this could grow to as many as 1000 back links over a period of one year.

Here are some guides on some of the most commonly asked questions regarding Article Marketing.

1. Submitting one article to several article directories - will the search engines consider this duplicate content?

No as the search engines will initially consider the article the original of the article directory, especially for those with good page ranking.

2. Could I submit articles which I have already posted in my own web pages?

Since in item 1 above the article is considered by the search engines as the directory's own work, your website copy would therefore be classed as the duplicate, possibly resulting in your website being de-indexed.

3. Is there a limit on the number of articles that I can submit?

In general there are no restrictions on the number of articles submitted, but the limitations are clearly explained within each article directory's guidelines for submissions.

4. Will my article be kept intact by people that use it on their websites or in their newsletters?

The only way to keep check on this is to search Google for a specific uncommon phrase from your article. Check the results and ensure your resource box is available in each case. If a problem exists then you will need to make contact with the webmaster to sort them out.

5. Does article marketing really work? Yes it does work, but you will need to ensure:

a. The subject of your article is interesting and that it caters to a wide audience.

b. The title needs to make the audience want to read your article.

c. Ensure the article is of good quality, and informative.

The whole process falls down if the article cannot retain the reader's attention. Good, interesting, quality information which is relevant to the niche market is what is required to ensure the success of your article marketing.