Article marketing is a proven way to increase targeted traffic, get more sales, establish yourself as an authority and build your credibility. With so much to offer it is not surprising that almost every Internet marketer uses this technique. But not all articles bring about such amazing results. Learning how to make your articles work for you is key to your success.

To begin you will need a great title. By great I mean one that honestly relates to the content of the article and one that grabs the attention of readers. Additionally, the keywords should be used.

As for the article itself, you will need to structure the content in a way that is easy to read. There are many things that can aid that. For instance, listing things and using bullet points makes an article easier to skim over. Be prepared for the fact that not everyone will actually read the entire article. People in general are in a hurry and many will scan the article for important points and key terms.

Use short sentences and concise paragraphs that get to the point. An article is not where you want to add fluff. Keep the flow going. Write as if you are talking with a friend. Keep your language straight forward without using a lot of jargon. Keep in mind that someone completely new to the topic may be reading your article. Determine your targeted crowd and aim to provide information on their level with enough background that anyone could benefit from your article.

Be sure to introduce the topic in your first paragraph. It is also important that you include your keywords in the opening paragraph and sprinkle them throughout the article. Do not over-use the key terms; only add them in where they would fit in a normal conversation.

Wrap up the article with a summary. Again, include the key words. I like for my final paragraph to do double duty for me. I want the wrap up to relate to the introductory paragraph and I want it to flow into the resource box.

This makes the article complete and it leads the reader where I want them; reading my part of the article, which is the resource box. It is important the article itself is written with the reader in mind; it should include useful information that will be helpful to the reader and it should be written in an entertaining way.

But the resource box is for the writer. This is where you get to pitch or promote your chosen product, service, or website. The space here is limited so you have to use it wisely. Include key terms and at least one link. If you want to tell the reader about yourself do so after you have added your link. The flow from the article will be lost if you change the focus at the beginning of the resource box.

You are now ready to submit your article to major directories across the Internet. Start with the better known directories. Do not get frustrated if you do not see results right away. This is a numbers game; the more articles you write and submit the more your content will get read and better results will be achieved.

Once you know the basics of article writing and marketing your strengths will build. You will learn to write better and faster making it easier to get more and more articles out there. Your momentum will build and your success will soar. If you currently are not using article marketing you are leaving money on the table that should be in your pocket. Get started today!