Having said that, submitting one article alone can be a time consuming affair. After all, there are many article directories and ezine annoucement lists out there. Each article directory has different format requirements and some only cater to certain niches. From my experience, you are better off using an article submission software or article directory submission service than manually submitting the articles yourself.

The downside is of course, cost expense. You will have to dole out some cash for the software or for the service of article marketing. But look at it this way: time is also money! By saving time in this highly laborious exercise, you can channel your energies to other ways of marketing your site or other more productive work.

Using an article submission software like article submitter pro, still requires some work on your part. That's why it is the next least costly option. Still, some automation is better than none. But if you can afford it, outsourcing article submission by using a service is a great option to consider.

Article submission service providers are committed to growing their list of article directory sites that they submit to. Usually, their list can run into thousands. Also, they keep their lists up-to-date. You will have to manage the list yourself if you use an article submission software.

Here are some article submission service providers:

http://www.articlemarketer.com

http://www.submityourarticle.com

http://www.isnare.com

Now for article submission services, which do I recommend? For my own sites, I use a combination of services. I do a forecast on the number of articles that I will probably use in the next few months for marketing a particular site. Also, rules and guidelines differ for each article submission service. I then choose the best option based on my budget and my needs.

The other advantage I also see in not just using one service is that each article submission service has a different directory list. You probably get greater exposure if your articles are seen across a multitude of directories.

Article directory submission software or outsourcing article submissions are just two ways to cut down your workload, especially if you are a small online business owner. I therefore, suggest that you choose an optimal budget-time option that will give you the best mileage for successful article marketing.