4 Essential Elements in a Successful Article Marketing Campaign

Article Marketing has arisen in recent times as the preferred method of marketing online. Since the costs of PPC (Pay Per Click) marketing have become prohibitive and search engines have become increasingly sophisticated article marketing has evolved as the most effective method to deliver the necessary targeted traffic to ensure that you have a successful online business.

Many article marketers rely almost entirely on traffic generated from the articles they publish. That is traffic generated directly from high traffic volume article directories as well as the secondary benefit of increased “organic” search engine traffic which invariably follows from the increased number of back links generated from your published articles.

But, whilst the concept of article marketing is relatively simple they are some essential elements you cannot overlook. These elements must be included in order to derive maximum benefit from your article marketing efforts. Well crafted articles will capture the attention of your audience and even get them to return to your website multiple times. There is also the possibility they will inform others of their find through the myriad of social media channels.

Below is some advice on which elements to include when creating your articles. These will help to ensure that your article marketing campaign is successful and delivers the type of traffic your web site needs to be profitable.

Keyword Research

An article must always be based on specific keywords and keyword phrases. Invariably a person goes to a search engine looking for a specific item. When this happens, a person usually goes to that search engine and types in the specific keywords relevant to what they are looking for such as Weight Loss, SUV , Accountants or whatever it is they happen to be looking for. This is where keyword research becomes important.

The key thing to remember is that the keywords in your articles are related to the general theme of your web site. For example, if your web site is about health and well being it would make sense that you include articles about medical issues and weight loss, so you would script your articles to be based around keywords relevant to these topics. Be specific and avoid generalizing or trying to cover too broad a topic.

Keyword Density

One of the most important factors in article writing is keyword density. Keyword density is simply the number of times your keywords appear in the context of your article, so the number that they appear will depend on the length of the article. A percentage of 4-5% keyword density is what is currently recommended though some suggest a percentage as low as 2%. Do not be tempted to try and fill your article with keywords as this will simply result in your article being ignored by the search engine index.

Keyword density is usually expressed as the percentage of the article that includes your keywords, so the number that they appear will depend on the length of the article. A percentage of 4-5% would appear to be a good number to work with, though some recommend a percentage as low as 2%. Avoid trying to cram your article with keywords as this may only in getting your article ignored by the search engine index.

Quality Content

Don’t be tempted to over do the keyword density in your article. To much of a good thing can get your articles ignored by the search engine for being spam. Try and keep your articles informative and compelling so that people take the time to read it all. A well written article does wonders for your credibility and to help establish yourself as an authority on your particular niche market.

It is well documented that generally people respond well to figures, facts and statistics. Try to get solid information and quote as many facts as you can within the context of your article. A well written article will enhance your reputation as an authority in your chosen niche. The authority adds to your credibility so they will be far more likely to trust you and your products.

Using the Resource Box In Your Articles

One of the primary motivations for article marketing is to get so called “back links” or links that return to your web site. Back links not only give you are direct source of targeted traffic but also help in the longer term to enhance your search engine ranking as the search engine ranking gives weight to the number of sites that link back to your web site.

To learn more about the best ways to use article marketing and how it can benefit your business, make sure you check Mark Farrar’s excellent free report on Article Marketing Secrets, and our Planet Article – Article Directory