Document Sharing Sites For SEO
All internet marketers want as many links to there sites as possible, and from as many different sources as possible. Here is something to try as an alternative to the usual suspects when publishing articles.
Document Sharing Sites allow you to add articles in PDF form, as slide presentations, or even Word documents. And most of them allow you to include live links within the body of the articles.
Many people who use document sharing sites have demonstrated that their articles rank faster and better than if they posted to article directories. The documents are indexed by Google especially, very quickly – sometimes within minutes – and achieve good rankings that improve over time.
One of the best things about document sharing sites is that you are not inhibited by Gestapo-like approval processes – you document is published immediately. But that is not to say there is no editorial review. In fact these sites have terms and conditions to which you must adhere – they are all different.
Another bonus is that you can include images within your document and spend some time on a nice layout, improving the look of your document.
Would you like to know more about these sites? In the next few days I will be sending out a list of these sites to everyone who has subscribed to receive my free ebook “What the **** does that mean?” – Grab your copy by filling in your details below.
Duplicate content myths quashed with ezinearticles.com WP plug
Here is some nice news from ezinearticles.com regarding the publishing of your SEO content on your site and with them – and proof they they don’t consider this ‘duplicate content’.
After testing it in Beta mode for a while, ezinearticles.com’s WordPress plugin has now gone live.
After installing this pluging you are able to publish your blog posts to EZA as articles – so those confused about whether EZA sees your site content as duplicate content can now rest easy.
There are some things to consider though.
1. Resist the temptation to post to your blog and EZA at the same time. Always post to your own site first – you don’t have to use the EZA option right away.
2. You do have to be careful of keyword density of in your blog posts for this to work – most of us know that EZA are crazy strict on limiting keywords to 2% density. In my experience keyword in heading, first and last paras and once more is adequate for SEO, and should fit with the EZA guidelines.
3. Also if you are engaging in self-promotion and mentioning affiliate products etc in your blog post, EZA will likely reject them. So only use informative, non-promotional posts for use with this plugin.
I suspect this is one way that EZA are veryifying the source of what may appear to them to be ‘duplicate content’, so in my opinion is a good way to avoid any unnecessary clarification communication with them. If it comes from your site, they will see that it is yours.
I am going back through various posts now to see which I can use to test this plugins efficiency, but for you to learn more, here is the video link: EzineArticles WordPress Plugin
SEO Articles – The Two Types You Need
I am often asked why I have two price points for my 400 word SEO articles, so I thought I’d clarify why this is so, and why it is necessary to have two different types of articles for successful internet marketing campaigns.
1. Authority SEO Articles
These are the articles that you would want to put your name (or your client’s name to). They are well researched, and provide valuable information on your topic. Keyword placement is at the level to make it acceptable by article directories like ezinearticles.com.
Now this keyword thing can be a bit tricky. Let’s assume that your keywords are, for example, “learn about internet marketing”. When writing an article on this topic, it is only natural that the words “internet marketing” will appear often, without you even trying to stuff them into your article. Regardless of intent however, some publishing sites will reject such an article because of overuse of keywords. So to avoid this, limit your keywords to the heading, first and last paragraph and once more in the body.
Substitute Words
In our example above you might find that words like “online marketing”, “IM”, “online business”, “e-business” and “e-commerce” can be substituted if you need to reduce the number of keywords used. I find it best to write the article as I think it, and then go back and replace keywords if necessary.
2. Backlink Articles
While these articles should make sense when read by a human, chances are they won’t be read at all. These are the articles that you will send to article networks and blog networks. These networks offer your articles (with links intact), to members, for use on their sites. The members need content for SEO – that is the benefit to them. But the benefit to you is that all of those sites will have links to yours – and the search engines will see this and rank your site as an ‘authority’ for your keyword.
With these articles you are able to use your keyword a little more generously, but most networks will restrict you to three links for a 400 word article. Because they are so powerful, it is good to have a second keyword in these articles, or link them to a second page within your site.
Save Money
It is important to have both types of article as part of your internet marketing plan. A cost effective option is to write or purchase a set of quality, well written “Authority” SEO articles, and then have them rewritten to create the backlink articles. Many of my clients do this.
There are many more ways to use your top quality articles – and this is a process that I am taking my SEO Content Coach students through right now.
SEO Content Coach
You know, it doesn’t matter whether you are going to create your own content, if you are going to outsource it, or if you want to create a business out of being an SEO content creator, you need to know what is involved.
Why Do Internet Marketers Need To Know This?
Many successful internet marketers do outsource their content creation – SEO articles, blog posts, Squidoo lenses, transcriptions, video, audio (the types of content that can be used on websites continues to grow). But the ones who do this successfully, do not blindly throw work at outsourcers and accept what is returned. They KNOW what is good SEO content, and what is not worth publishing in any form.
They know what makes a great SEO article, and they know how to ask for exactly what they need – content that has been assembled correctly, with keyword placement that will endear them to the search engines. They have learned the value of good, well-written, quality articles. Take one and rework it for many different applications.
The Birth of SEO Content Coach
It is this that I teach in SEO Content Coach. I find that many of the newer internet marketers for whom I provide content, are missing the ‘need to know’ stuff about SEO Content creation. They rely on me to know what they need. Now that’s fine for as long as they are my clients. But for those whom I have to waitlist or turn away (e.g. I rarely accept two clients within a competitive niche), they really need to know what they need to ask of outsourcers.
I explain what article marketing is, and how it can be one of the cheapest forms of SEO marketing – if you start off with quality material.
I show you how to:
- create an optimized article
- post it to an article directory for best results
- convert that one article into a Squidoo lens, eHow article, MP3 and more
- rewrite the article for submission to an article distribution services – really powerful stuff if it is backlinks you want, and YOU DO!
For Writers
If you are a SEO content writer, or an aspiring one, then you will find SEO Content Coach an invaluable guide to how best create worthwhile content that your clients, and the search engines, will value.
But especially for you, I have included a section on running your business -
- Where to find work
- How to bid on projects
- A copy of my Brief
- Setting up your business website…… and loads more,
- Including links to all the resources you will need.
I’ve been sharing my SEO content creation knowledge for sometime now, and am sure that both internet marketers and writers will benefit from purchasing my SEO Content Coach program.
Sharing The Love
Standing in front of 220 super-motivated internet marketing stars in the making was electric! Those attending James Schramko’s Fast Web Formula internet marketing training workshop were treated to three days of comprehensive instruction on the latest strategies, techniques, tips and tools from a variety of speakers.
Guest Speakers
Breaking with his previous formula, for this event James invited some guest presenters – experts in their field – to share their knowledge with participants. The speakers also made themselves available for chats during the breaks and some great bonds were formed.
Speakers included:
Dean Hunt from the UK, a real Buzz Marketer who had the audience tittering over his ‘package’
“SEO” Steve Ovens, a home-grown Aussie SEO expert, who injected a little ‘geek’ into the mix
Affiliate marketing wiz, Peter Parks, flew in from Canada to whisper his secrets into any ears that turned his way
The unassuming Sydney-sider Kyle Tully, had the audience captivated as he described the opportunities available for consulting to offline businesses
And then there was me…..
I enjoyed sharing what it takes to create a good article, and outlining how one well-written article can be morphed into many different incarnations – including video and audio. It was a real eye-opener, even for some of the more advanced internet marketers present.
SEO Content Coach
This was the perfect opportunity for me to launch my 3 Part Training Program, SEO Content Coach, and the response was overwhelming! I am so looking forward to working with my first 30 students and keeping them up to date on new opportunities for stretching their articles further!
>> Learn more about SEO Content Coach
Do Your Articles Measure Up?
Internet marketing professionals all over the world are using article marketing strategies to provide them with both traffic and links to their websites, but many of them don’t realize the value of a well written SEO content over poorly written articles.
They have seen first-hand the benefits of article marketing and know that articles have a variety of uses, including:
* content for websites
* blog posts
* publication in ezines and newsletters
* syndication and
* mass distribution
Make Your Article Easy to Read
1. Spelling and Grammar Matter!
Ensuring that an article is free of spelling and grammatical errors is important – to the reader if not for the writer!
When you are positioning yourself as an ‘expert’ you have to wrap yourself in credibility. If your article contains spelling or grammatical errors, the reader’s eye is drawn to them, breaking their concentration.
These errors show a lack of attention to detail, which will reflect poorly on the author. Your goal is to have an article that easy to read, all the way to the end, without any obstacles.
2. Simple Language
People who are looking for information online are used to it being delivered to them quickly – they seek instant gratification.
If an article appears difficult to read, they will move on to one that is easier for them to digest. Using big, fancy words won’t do you any favors because your readers may not be as knowledgeable as you.
It is important to know your target audience and they way they speak – then pitch to that level. This article marketing strategy is vital if you want to really connect with your buyers.
3. Scary Text
Big paragraphs can be very daunting as well – they spell ‘hard work’ to people who are used to quickly extracting key points.
You should make it easy for your readers – short, sharp sentences in small paragraphs. Sub-headings and bullet points are great tools to help you to do this.
4. Accuracy Is A Good Thing!
Most importantly though, know your stuff. When writing for a specific niche, your articles should be based on facts using language to which those readers will relate. Research well and provide interesting, relevant information.
5. Articles Are NOT Sales Letters
Don’t try to ‘sell’ in an article.
If appropriate you can offer an ‘opinion’ or ‘review’ or speak in general terms about products or services, but get your readers to your website before delivering a sales pitch. Even then, many marketers choose to first gather contact details (‘squeeze’) before attempting a sale.
Know that your objective is to create enough interest for the reader to want to follow your “Call To Action” in the Resource Box or final paragraph.
By following using these article marketing strategies, your article is more likely to be published by an ezine or newsletter (with links to your site intact), dramatically expanding its reach.
Faster Approvals promised by ezinearticles.com
Today the head honcho at ezinearticles.com, Chris Knight, announced that the free publishing site had really picked up its game and promised faster article approval turnaround times:
“Recent improvements make NOW the perfect time to submit your articles!
There’s an old adage around this part of the world that says, “Ya gotta make hay while the sun shines.” Essentially, it means that you need to take advantage of an opportunity before that opportunity slips away.
Boy, do we have an opportunity for you!
For many months, EzineArticles has been working hard to increase our editorial capacity and streamline our processes in an effort to reduce our article review times to less than 24 business hours. We’re happy to report that our efforts have finally paid off and we are enjoying the luxury of unusually fast review times.
If you’ve been hesitant to submit a large number of articles because of longer-than-usual review times, now is the time to act. With shorter review times come increased article submissions, so in the next few days we expect submissions to increase to fill our new-found capacity and this window of opportunity may begin to close.
Bottom Line: Make hay while the sun shines.
We look forward to seeing your next set of high-quality original articles!”
Source: http://blog.ezinearticles.com/2010/01/call-for-articles.html
This is great news for those internet marketers who want to pounce on product launches as they happen with great SEO Content. Let’s hope EZA will be able to live up to the promise….
Public Domain and Copyright
There is a wealth of free information in the public domain, mostly from government agencies, that can be used as the source of website content. Having authoritative material like this that can be modified to your purpose is really valuable when positioning yourself as an ‘expert’ in your niche.
Public domain refers to works that are not protected by copyright and are publicly available. They may be used by anyone, anywhere, anytime without permission, license or royalty payment.
A work may enter the public domain because the term of copyright protection has expired, because copyright has been abandoned, or in the U.S. because it is a U.S. Government work and there is no other statutory basis for the Government to restrict its access.
A work is not in the public domain simply because it does not have a copyright notice. Additionally, the fact that a privately created work is, with permission, included in a U.S. Government work does not place the private work into the public domain. The user is responsible for determining whether a work is in the public domain.
It is important to read the permissions and copyright notices on U.S. Government publications and Web sites. Many Government agencies follow the practice of providing notice for material that is copyrighted and not for those that are in the public domain. Examples of government agency copyright policies and statements are: National Library of Medicine, NASA Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI), and Library of Congress.
Note however that the terms public release, disclosure or dissemination mean the same as public domain are not synonymous and should not be used interchangeably. Public release, disclosure and dissemination describe the availability of a work. Publicly released, disclosed or disseminated information may be owned and protected by copyright, and therefore, not be in the public domain.
Food for thought?
Article Inspiration
For many people, internet marketers especially, finding what to put in an article can waste an inordinate amount of time. They might agonize over what to write about that will be relevant and interesting, but as with most things, its best to not over-analyse it. Once you start writing, your thoughts should grow from there.
Staring at a blank screen won’t get you anywhere so take the first step: open up a notepad on your desktop, and get ready to start copy/pasting – and you will soon see that I am NOT encouraging plagiarism here. First two steps:
- Look at your website, your keywords and your product/service
- Research what competitors’ (if any) are saying on their sites
Pull out the key elements: problems, solutions, features and benefits, and make a list. Each of these key points can be the subject of an article. This is the simplest way to get some direction, other are:
- Find a forum with members interested in your niche. Look at the questions they are asking or problems they have. (A good marketer will identify a potential product/service here!) Some simple research should be able to deliver the solution and provide fodder for several articles.
- Seek out a manufacturer’s site or government agency website – both often provide in depth, too technical information. Take the key points and dumb them down – you will end up with an article with substance but which is easy to understand.
- Visit a newsagent or drug store and browse the magazine racks for publications in your niche. Note the topics – and use them!
Articles don’t need to be works of art, but they do need to make sense, deliver value and have good grammar and spelling if you are to get maximum benefit from them.
The quest for quality SEO content is worth a bit of effort.
One article goes a long way
All internet marketers know the value of article marketing, and there are a lot of services that help get your articles great exposure. They are so important for link generation, and for attracting targeted traffic to your site.
By ensuring that you write, or have written for you, really good articles (with correct grammar, spelling and keyword placement), you have what it takes to be able to make them go a long way.
You can use each and every one as the ‘bones’ for:
• Forum posts
• Blog posts (your blogs as well as comments on other people’s)
• Squidoo lenses
• Hub Pages
• eHow pages, and so on
By having a good article to start with, you won’t have to start from scratch for each piece of SEO Content.
Here are some tips:
1. Note down the key points in the article. If there are several, each can be the subject of a blog post.
2. When converting articles to shorter blog posts, for use with link generating services or blog networks, use each of key points as separate posts, ensuring that your keyword stays in each title and is hyperlinked in the body.
3. If problems are solved in the article, for example “Best way to…..?”, use these as threads to start in forum posts “How to…”. Make it interesting and valuable enough so that you can add a response where warranted. This is really useful when the forum allows you to have links in your sig file. As well……. you might get some feedback by others in the forum (for future articles on the topic!) in this way.
(And I don’t mean THIS forum! Forums whose members are really focused on your niche e.g. fitness, finance, wrinkles – they really crave solutions.)
4. After you have isolated the key points in the article – repeat the process with your next article on the same topic. THEN you probably have the material needed to create a whole new article that might be “Top 5 Reasons Why…”, “Top 10 ways to…..”, or “7 Things You Should Know About….”
Avoid
1. Trying to rework material that is barely readable to begin with – its hard, and a waste of time. Its easier to write a new article than rewrite a poorly written one.
2. Changing a few sentences here and there and hoping for the best – you can expect the worst.
3. Blatantly ‘pitching’ in forum posts.
4. Devaluing your own ‘authority’ blog by adding reworked material that you’ve already used.
If you have previously written articles or blog posts, why not give them a makeover, and get some more mileage out them.
Article marketing can be a lot more that simply getting an article published!
Do you need my help with SEO Content?
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Well now they have not met Kerry Finch. Using Kerry's article writing and distribution service we hit page one within 3 weeks and we had not use any other SEO strategy at all.
To top that, she is a wonderful lady and so, so, so helpful.
My advice stick to what you know or what you do best, and let others do what they do best.
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