Unlike a lot of other marketing techniques, articles will build value into both your products and your business. Even if you think you can't write an article, or you flunked high school English class, article marketing is still a technique you may want to consider because it does so much for your business.

Here are seven reasons you want to consider article marketing:

1. It's free to do.

There are tons of ways to market your business online, and many of them are free. The problem is that many other techniques are either more time consuming, like search engine optimization, or free classifieds that turn out to not be free.

With articles, all you need to do is spend a little time doing research. Build your base of knowledge on your topic so you have plenty to write about. It also makes it easier to write your articles. You write faster when you know what you are talking about.

Organize your writing and submission, and you'll get it done faster, and you'll start getting results quicker.

2. It helps you get indexed in the search engines.

It's a cliche, but content is king, and really good content rules. By submitting your articles to high traffic article directories, ezines, and other sites, you increase your chances of your articles ranking higher in the search engines. All you have to do is make sure you optimize your article with the right keywords, and submit regularly.

3. It's easier to build backlinks.

When you write and submit articles regularly, not only are you using content to promote your business, you're also using another search engine optimization technique that will increase your rankings: backlinks. The more backlinks you have pointing to your site, the better your site will rank in the search engines.

4. You build your credibility.

Writing articles on a regular basis helps you build a following of readers. It makes it easier for you to build credibility because your readers feel like they know you. Because they feel like they know you, they are more likely to trust you. By building trust with readers, you increase your chances of making the sale.

5. You combine several marketing techniques into one.

I've already mentioned search engine optimization, as well as backlinks. Writing articles also allows you an opportunity to create a viral marketing campaign for your business. All it takes is one good article, and your marketing can spread like a virus. Keep writing good articles, and you can find yourself getting interviews (free publicity), as well as getting your articles into print, online ezines, and syndication on other websites.

By using article marketing to promote your business, you blend all of these strategies into one, allowing you to multiply your marketing efforts. If you really want more traffic and sales, with the least amount of effort, why not try article marketing?