Is Article Marketing Dead?
Did you feel it? A few weeks ago an enormous shockwave was felt throughout the online marketing world as Google announced changes to their algorithm. The focus of this change was the elimination of content from “link farm” type websites. Google realized that many of the pieces indexed in their search results were actually duplicate pieces of content mass submitted to low authority websites for the purpose of creating high numbers of back links.
Needless to say there was a collective gasp from the article marketing community. In the days that followed, the impact of Google’s decision was quickly seen. Even the seeming darling of the article marketing world, EzineArticles.com, was not immune. Make no mistake, if you are utilizing this form of marketing, you will not be receiving the same level of SEO benefit that you may have received before.
The Changing Benefit of Article Marketing
That being said, there is still some value to an article marketing strategy, but it will require a drastic change in mindset for many of you. There are still many people who frequent the article directories and I still pull a decent amount of traffic from them; however, that traffic is not search engine traffic. Many of the people who are frequenting those directories are for the most part other marketers and people seeking information. The marketers are looking for good quality content to reproduce on their blogs or ezine publications. I personally use good article content to bolster the user experience at some of the e-commerce sites that I run, it has been an effective part of my strategy and Google respects the content, because it is consistent with the “topic” of the website.
Article Marketing As A Supporting Cast Member
At the core of Google’s decision is the goal of giving their search engine users the best possible resources for information when a search is performed on their site. Those sites that are truly offering valuable content that answers the question the searcher is asking, will be handsomely rewarded in the organic search rankings. This is one of the key reasons for utilizing a blog that is targeted to a specific niche. If a marketer is going to incorporate article marketing going forward it will be as filler to what they are offering on their blog or primary website. The purpose of article marketing going forward will simply be the opportunity to introduce yourself and expose your content to a wider audience.
Article marketing isn’t dead, but its power has been diminished greatly. Using this strategy in the future will require a shift in mindset and objective.
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