Writing for Article Directories Brings More Website Traffic

For about a month now, I've been submitting articles to article directories as a way to bring in more traffic to my blog and various websites. The way this works is that you sign up with a directory and write articles or reviews about various products and topics and at the end of the article you can put an authors resource box which contains links to your websites or blogs. Ezine or newsletter publishers look for articles and include them in their publications and they must include your links if they use your article. It is free to both author and publisher.

Articles also rank on search engines as well, so people can find you not only if someone uses your article in a newsletter, but also if they do a search on your key words and your article ranks high enough. In most cases, you maintain the copywrights to your original writings so you can continue to use your materials for yourself or publish in multiple article directories. As always read the fine print in the agreements when you sign up.

I've noticed a good bump in my traffic as a result of doing this. Plus, a rekindling for the love of writing. You can publish in any categories from cooking, relationships, health, to marketing a business. You can put affiliate links in your author resource box or link to your blog or website. Just make sure your article matches the niche in your links.

Articles are generally reviewed by an editor, directory owner, or some other editorial staff and are then published on the directory. Articles can be rejected if they are felt to be to much of an advertisement, have to many links in the article body, have to many spelling or gramatic errors, or if there is not enough content in them. Don't let the thought of this detour you, because if you follow their guidelines, do a spell check before you submit an article this probably won't happen to you.

It does take time to get from written article to seeing it up on a article directory, so patience and persistence is key to making this work. Ezine Articles is one of the best directories because their search engine ranking is one of the highest but for a new author it takes about ten days for an article to get published. Experts Column article directory has a low search engine ranking and they take only 24 hours for an article to be published.

On my next post, I'll show you how to find directories that match your writing niche, and how to figure out how much traffic the directory recieves, so you can determine if sharing your writings with them is worth it.
Happy writing.
Other Resources:
Free online writing course

Ezine Articles Directory

Limerick for The Internet Entrepeneur

If you build it they will come said the internet xen master
Monetize, add afilliate links, products content hurry work faster
search engines are ranking
while your downline is tanking
Build traffic with the traffic web blaster.

Google ads, Amazon click bank we're here for you free
just put up our links and soon you will see
Money is rolling
but like the pins in bowling
None seems to fall down for me.

I click, learn html, php, and its all I can think
to stay ahead of the next innovative product or link
before something new
blows me in to
a path where my key words sink.

I know this stuff works, but I'm getting frustrated
I've researched, read reviews and contemplated
which products to use
from so many to choose
wait, wait, someone just bought something I'm elated!

If you can relate to that attempt at a limerick, feel free to pass it on. Hope it made you laugh. Just reference my blog please.
Happy Clicking!

Adding PayPal Buttons to your Blog or Website

The advantages of adding a Paypal button to your blog or website are huge. A buyer can directly purchase a product straight off your web page or blog. Paypal can also create subscription and donate buttons as well. You can even set up a page for your person to be redirected to after their payment is made. Best of all, its totally free and is relatively easy to set up. Here is how:
1. log in to your PayPal account. Signing up for one is free. If you need one
click here for the PayPal sign up link.
2. Choose the Go to my account link.
3. Click on the merchant services link.
4. Click on the buy now link. This will direct you to the page set up where you can create your PayPal buy now button. Look at the other options because with PayPal you can have your own shopping cart functions if you sell multiple products. You can also have gift certificate options as well as a donate button.
The instructions are easy to follow to obtain the html code that you paste in to your blog or website. For fun, I created a donate button in two minutes just to show how simple it really is.
Compared to spending money on hosting websites, I love the convenience of Paypal and the fact that relatively small fees are taken out at the time of purchase and only then, so there is no maintenance costs whatsoever.
Create your own PayPal buttons for your own products all for free.
This donate button does actually work if you click on it. My work at home for the visually impaired website is a labor of love and I hope to continue to keep it free for those who need it.

Review of my help hub

I've joined affiliate programs like Click Bank and Commission Junction and I've so far never earned a dime from them. Not that these are bad programs, just they haven't earned me anything. In fact, I've never earned a dime on any affiliate program until now. I joined my help hub last month and have already made one sale and have a new affiliate under me. Not bad for just 7 days with very little promotion.

myhelphub.com has an Alexa ranking of 23,899 in the United States and 13,022 for the UK. This means that it ranks fairly well with the search engines.

The things I like so far are:

It is free and has a two-level affiliate system. I make a percentage of all sales generated from my links and if an affiliate signs up under me I get 5% of all their sales.

Payments: Credited through my PayPal account. No quotas of sales nor minimum dollars for pay out. I can set my payment frequency to daily, weekly, or monthly.

Website is easy to understand and navigate. Its not confusing and easy to find information and look up sales. It is also easy to create promotional links.

Great products. I'm big on self empowerment and law of attraction and self help. Many of the products fit that niche. My favorite product is the eight little books that have changed the world absolute secret package which in itself is inexpensive and is a great value.

Check them out for yourself at
My Help Hub

I'll continue to post updates on my progress marketing this free affiliate program.