When it comes to tried and true marketing tactics, few have stood the test of time. However, article marketing has always been a fantastic way to get free search engine traffic. Today it’s still true. If you’re looking for a quick way to drive traffic to your website, few tactics work as well as article marketing. Here’s how to make it work for you.

#1 Create content that offers value. Article marketing works best when you’re publishing top quality content. The more value and benefit your article offers, the more attention it will get. On article marketing sites this means you’ll get more readers.

It also means you’ll have more website owners publishing your content. The more people who publish your content, the broader your exposure. From there it’s a simple process. As each person reads your article, they’ll click through to visit your website. More readers then means more website visitors.

#2 Write a headline that captures attention. Your article may be the best article ever written. However, if the headline doesn’t grab a reader’s attention, it’s probably not going to be read. No one will know how wonderful your content is. Your headline plays a very important role. To grab attention there are a number of headline styles that work. They include:

  • Numbers – 10 tips to look younger today
  • Benefit – Discover how to look younger today
  • News – Newly discovered secret promises fountain of youth
  • Question – Do you want to look younger without spending a fortune?

Take a look at headlines that attract your attention. With a little practice you can quickly discover how to write attention- grabbing headlines. Also, be sure to pay attention to the data. Look at your article data to find out what articles are published most often, what articles generate the most click throughs and what articles are read the most often. That will help you learn what your audience responds to.

#3 Make sure to include a call to action. Each article directory has its own guidelines about what’s acceptable. Some allow you to include embedded links in your content. Some allow photos and graphics. All of them allow an author’s box. This little box is where you include not only a brief sentence about who you are, but also a call to action and a link to your web page. If you’re driving traffic to your website, then you may link to your landing page.

A call to action is an important element many article marketers overlook. However, it’s essential if you want to drive traffic to your website. People need to be told what to do next. If you don’t ask them to visit your website, chances are they won’t.

Article marketing is still a very effective marketing tactic. Choose one or two quality article directories, create a content plan and start using this free marketing tactic today. You’re going to love the results.