You probably know the benefits of article marketing already.

a. More web traffic
b. Backlinks to your site thereby growing your link popularity
c. A built in marketing viral campaign
d. Establishing yourself as a expert.

And countless others. Even with all the new tools like video and bookmark social, article marketing remains one of the best and most cost effective ways to reach people online and profit your internet business. But it don't mean a thing if you don't get published.

True different article directories have different criteria and some for whatever reason are pickier than others. The point is there are things within your control that can increase the chances of your articles being accepted and published on a regular basis.

1. Check it and then check it again.

All of us would love to turn out the perfect article the first time every time but writing is rewriting. Not just throwing out what you don't need but also proofreading for any spelling and grammatical errors. Even if you happen to get published, the refusal to check your own work makes you look unprofessional in the eyes of your readers. That is very detrimental since one of the perks of article marketing is to be recognized as an expert. Read the article out loud or let someone else read it. Using any type of word processor can help considerably.

2. They don't want a sales page

Article marketing is an incredible form of free advertisement. The mistake comes when some writers confuse providing useful quality content with a sales page. If you want a guaranteed rejection email from an article publisher then write a sales letter masquerading as an article. Leave the advertising to your resource box. If you have given the reader quality information than it stands the reason they will want to find out more by clicking the link in your byline. Most publishers allow a 4 to 5 line resource box. It may not seem like much but a well crafted byline can be a very powerful advertising tool. Keep it brief while still urging your readers to take action.

3. So what are you saying?

If you are writing on a topic and you have five major points you want to make then write five different articles. When writing for an online article directory each article should have one theme presented in a clear, simple and direct manner. Even if your article is free of spelling and grammatical errors or blatant advertising, publishers can reject it on the grounds that they don't have a clue as to what you are talking about. Don't kid yourself. Many of the best directories have very strict standards that are enforced by people who actually read the articles. Try also to avoid making references that only a select few would appreciate but have the rest of us including the publishers scratching our heads. Remember you want as many people as possible to read (and understand) your article so: keep it simple, make it clear, and talk direct.

The goal is to build your own article marketing system that can turn out good content on a regular basis. Article publishers know exactly what they are looking for so stay focused on the 3 things we discussed. Keep publishers as well as your target audience happy and you are well on your way to more web site traffic and extra profits in your account.

Daryl Campbell is an online business owner and affiliate marketer. Get more free information including, tips, tools, video, step by step coaching and up to the minute news to prosper your internet business at Internet Marketing Guide