Back links - links back to your site from another site - are considered to be nods of approval by major search engines such as Google and Yahoo! In other words, the more links back to your site that are floating around on the Web, the more your page rank is likely to rise. And we all know that leads to what every internet marketer covets - more traffic.

Article marketing is an effective way to capture people's attention and motivate them to link back to your site. It also helps establish you as an expert in your field and pre-sells visitors. By the time they click back to your site they feel as if they know and trust you and you've already captured their interest.

Now they're primed to subscribe to your newsletter, join your forums and maybe even buy something from you. Before you can realize all the lucrative benefits of article marketing, though, you have to capture the attention of publishers so they'll post your article in as many places as possible.

Your first opportunity to get their attention is with your article title. "Kitchen Fixtures" is not interesting enough. "Selecting the Right Kitchen Fixtures" still isn't captivating enough to set you apart. "Choosing Kitchen Fixtures that Work for You and Your Decor" might just do the trick. If it sounds ho-hum to you, it will to others too. Put a little thought into it. Brainstorm. If you can't come up with something stunning before you write the article wait until your done writing. Inspiration is likely to strike as you write.

A good title won't get you published everywhere, though. That's why an enticing description is important too. Think of a few lines that will really capture people's attention and use them as your description. In addition to interesting publishers in your article's content, a good description also gives them something to use to promote your article in their newsletters, blogs, e-zines and RSS feeds. The less work they have to do, the better.

Now that you've got publishers' attention, you need to deliver the goods. There's nothing more disappointing to a potential publisher than to be reeled in by a great title and description only to find there's nothing worthwhile in the content. Focus on your subject and stay on topic. Write as if you're explaining something to a friend, using a friendly, conversational tone and easy-to-understand language. Include unique anecdotes and helpful facts or advice. Not only does this strategy interest publishers, it positions you as a trusted expert with readers.

Even the best content can lose its luster if it's riddled with grammatical and typographical errors. Don't rely on spell checking software to catch everything. Ewe will regret it, eye as sure ewe. Enlist a trusted friend, relative or business colleague to read your work if possible. If not, walk away for a few hours - a few days is even better - and then come back at it with fresh eyes. You'll be surprised what you missed the first time.

If you follow all these guidelines and then blatantly promote your business throughout the article you've just wasted your time. Publishers don't want to post "articles" that are really ads. Remember, they want unique, informative, compelling content their readers are eager to see. Ads don't fit that description.

By creating quality content that is not advertise-y, is free of errors, and is capped off with a catchy title and enticing description you will be setting yourself up to get as many back links as possible. And this, my internet marketing friend, is a very good thing.