Decided to start a new category on the blog to handle those questions I get asked a lot so everyone can see the “answer”. If you have a question yourself, drop me an email and let’s feature you in the category. (Please let me know if using your name is acceptable)

Jim writes:

Do you use an article placement program or do you just manually place the articles on each site?

Just wondering. So much stuff out there.

Thanks

Jim

Thanks for the question Jim.

Here’s what I do. I currently use two important tools in my article marketing efforts.

Article Submitter is a tool that allows me to put all my articles into one local repository, and upload to multiple directories with a few clicks of the mouse. As anyone who reads my blog knows, I am all about “easy” when it comes to repetitive tasks. To see the demonstration video, get more info or to download your free copy, follow this link: Article Submitter.

Before I found Article Submitter, I had created a template in Word that contained all the “fields” the article directory was likely to ask during my manual submission. Article URL, email address, bio info, etc. When I got ready to publish a new article, I browsed to their location, logged in, and manually copied and pasted from my Word document into each of the form fields the directory had. A few times doing this, and I got where I could submit a new article pretty quickly, but man was it boring!

Once I got Article Submitter, the whole process got a lot easier.

I “insert” a new article into Article Submitter and save it. Then I just double click on each of the directories in their extensive list of online article directories, click a couple of times to submit my login info (the program fills it in, I just have to click “submit”) and I am done. Double click on the next one in the list. Fast, easy, painless.

There are something like 700+ directories out there today — with each having a different reach, market and readership. Plan to spend a little time finding and setting up your accounts on each directory (with Article Submitter you just have to setup account with the listed directories, they have already found them all for you) and determining which directories are targeting your market before you go off “half-cocked”. Jot them down somewhere safe, along with login info for each one you sign up with (or just record them one time in Article Submitter so it can log you in every time you are ready to submit a new article).

I mentioned I used two tools for my article marketing… the second is a research tool that helps me investigate additional topics within my keyword group.

It’s called Instant Article Wizard and this cool piece of software makes creating articles a LOT easier than it was before. Give it a keyword to focus on, and it goes out and finds 200 references to it. Click and drag a few sentences into the “preview” area, change to another keyword and repeat. It takes about 17 seconds to gather all the research I need to support my articles. I can’t work that fast and I type 120 words per minute on a good day. While this one isn’t free, if you are having trouble writing or researching articles, it can really make the difference in success or failure. You can see it in action in the video located on the page this link leads to: Instant Article Wizard

So, Jim. I hoped this answered your question. If not, drop me another note and I will try harder.

Keep those questions coming in, they are keeping me on my toes!

In fact, in trying to explain it, I often find myself at a loss. I guess I am a child of the Internet, in the truest sense of the word. It’s hard for me to relate to people who view the Internet as only a vehicle for “email”, but I was forced to organize my thoughts recently when my Dad (in his 70’s) posed this question to me.

After drafting a 10 page letter and sending it off, proud of the explanation I had crafted… I received a call from my Dad. “What the bleep is a blog?” was his question. Hmmm. Back to the drawing board. Then I found a really good explanation, online. In a blog of course. Since I am still getting the question from downline members, prospects and business associates, I decided to share it with you.

It’s a YouTUBE video (another powerful method of communicating ideas) and shows in plain English (no geek-speak) exactly what a Blog is.