Article marketing provides Internet marketers with two important benefits. First, it creates wider exposure for the author and their website. Secondly, it provides valuable inbound links or IBL's.

As with most bum marketing techniques, article marketing is a numbers game. In order to be effective, it requires ongoing and consistent effort. One article submission may not do much for you, but one article submitted every day for two weeks provides an overall benefit greater than the sum of its parts.

To get the most out of your article submission strategy, it's important to focus on one indivudual keyword or phrase for each individual article. It's also very important to optimize each article, in much the same way you would optimize a website. Once an article is submitted, it becomes a one-page mini site.

SEO each article the same way you would SEO a web page. Begin the article headline, summary, and first paragraph with it, include it in the last paragraph, and be sure to use it for the anchor text in your link and/or resource box.

By following a few simple steps, you will gain maximum return for your effort. As part of a multipronged approach, article marketing becomes an extremely effective and inexpensive technique in your arsenal.