Article marketing is the act of writing articles and publishing them online (usually through an article directory or distribution site) to increase Web exposure, search engine ranking and website traffic.
When you publish articles online, you have the opportunity to put those articles (and by extension, yourself) in front of thousands of people seeking products or services like yours.
Let's take real estate as an example. John and Jane Doe use Google to research "Austin, Texas real estate." On the first page of search results, they find an article entitled "Austin Real Estate: Ten Tips for Buying a Home in Austin, Texas." They read the article and find it well written, engaging, and above all helpful.
At the bottom of the article, they see an "About the Author" note that talks about Sally Smith, an agent with 20 years experience in the Austin area. And it also mentions Sally's website, where they can find more articles, as well as a free report on Austin schools. Now let's assume they continue their research, and at nearly every turn they encounter more articles published by Sally Smith.
That's the power of article marketing. And it doesn't matter whether you're selling real estate, software or custom jewelry ... article marketing can work for you!
When done right, article marketing combines the benefits of public relations, positioning, search engine visibility and branding. Best of all, it costs you nothing but time and effort. Try to get that from traditional advertising!
* Copyright 2006, Brandon
Cornett.
Brandon Cornett is the owner and publisher of MarketingSwap.com, a content exchange for writers and publishers. Submit your own marketing articles, or download a free 18-page article writing guide! Visit http://www.MarketingSwap.com today. 
