Is article directories no longer useful...?

[complete_newbie]

Hi guys,

I am new to this forum and a complete newbie.. I have read and heard that article marketing can help to build back links to help in seo or something like that...

However, is it true that it no longer applies ? I have search the internet and saw some shocking comments that some article directories are no longer giving backlinks...

As of what I heard, articlesbase and goarticles don't give back links... any body know if that is true ? what about ezinearticles ??

Thank you very much, I guess nothing is more true if i can hear from the experts in this forum..

regards
joe

[yves]

Hi,

To my knowledge both Ezine and Go give backlink power. Articlebase and Searchwarp are no follow but they are great directories for page rank so I wouldn't rule them out.

[K1]

I think all links add value, some less then others. Even PR 0 links add link juice to your site.

[pheonix44]

The key is to use them properly. When you use article marketing you want to use good article directories. You will often here how there are hundreds of article directories, but alot of them are junk. This means google doesn't even know they exist. You want to post to directories that are at least half decent. Then you want to determine if you will use them for backlinks or traffic. If you will use them for traffic then create quality and build backlinks using the other directories by pointing the other articles back to your original on EZA. Of course this works better if you do proper keyword research. If you are using it for backlinks you will need to create unique versions. Then put a unique version on your site and point your EZA article to it. Check your Awestats to see which links are sticking and where you traffic is coming from. Once you see this then scale up the source that is giving you the most bang for your time invested.

1.) Article on EZA first

2.) Article on 20-40 other quality article sites

3.) Make sure you do proper keyword research

4.) Submit slightly unique versions to other directories and point them back to your site and use anchor text to point back to your original article on EZA to get it to rank for traffic. Also submit the Rss feed everytime you create a new article. This way you are getting tons of links per article you write.

5.) Don't forget to build a list.

[Spencer Haws]

Ezine definitely stills gives a link.

However, my Goarticles have not been registering. I would be interested if anyone else has any input on this.

I hate to say it, but so many people are now spinning articles and submitting "unique" versions all over, that its almost pointless. I pretty sure Google has this figured out. I don't think most of the links count for anything at all. Anyone have any DEFINITE evidence?

[pheonix44]

This would only be because the directory had no pr and the page your article is on has no pr. You can always check by posting articles on your own site and then doing a quick backlink check by using a free tool like backlinkwatch.com or something. But even if you can only use the top 5 or ten, then use it the best way you can.

This is a load of hogwash, please STOP giving out "Bad Advice"..

First of all the OP should view this thread - Article on site or EZA first ?

2nd. ALWAYS POST YOUR ARTICLE ON YOUR SITE FIRST - NOT EZA!!!!

3rd. There are many article directories that are way better than EZA and can get you top listings without you pointing all your backlinks to that article directory.

4th. Some article directories are full of junk IM ads and Google ads, but many are good but you want to focus not only on article directories but also blogs and publishers.

5th. You DO NOT have to rewrite your articles, this is your choice... Either way you will still be indexed in google. The purpose of spinning your article is because publishers do not like to post the same article that 1,000 other blogs have. There are other benefits to spinning a article also but frankly I am tired of listing them over and over.

Please again read the thread above as it gives "proven" methods...

James

Originally Posted by pheonix44

The key is to use them properly. When you use article marketing you want to use good article directories. You will often here how there are hundreds of article directories, but alot of them are junk. This means google doesn't even know they exist. You want to post to directories that are at least half decent. Then you want to determine if you will use them for backlinks or traffic. If you will use them for traffic then create quality and build backlinks using the other directories by pointing the other articles back to your original on EZA. Of course this works better if you do proper keyword research. If you are using it for backlinks you will need to create unique versions. Then put a unique version on your site and point your EZA article to it. Check your Awestats to see which links are sticking and where you traffic is coming from. Once you see this then scale up the source that is giving you the most bang for your time invested.

1.) Article on EZA first

2.) Article on 20-40 other quality article sites

3.) Make sure you do proper keyword research

4.) Submit slightly unique versions to other directories and point them back to your site and use anchor text to point back to your original article on EZA to get it to rank for traffic. Also submit the Rss feed everytime you create a new article. This way you are getting tons of links per article you write.

5.) Don't forget to build a list.

[pheonix44]

If his goal is to get traffic then he should definitely utilize the only directory google gives a rats ass about. If he posts it to his site first then that's fine, but getting it to rank there first is going to be much more difficult. But in the LONG run it might be the better choice.

Originally Posted by pheonix44

If his goal is to get traffic then he should definitely utilize the only directory google gives a rats ass about. If he posts it to his site first then that's fine, but getting it to rank their first is going to be much more difficult. But in the LONG run it might be the better choice.

LOL .. The only directory Google cares about, obviously you have no idea how many articles I outrank EZA on ....lol Look stop giving out advice when you have no proven methods, these are people business that we are talking about here and your bad advice with no proof could destroy someone elses business due to bad advice.

Sorry post it to your site firstand rank it, it is not hard at all...

And so the OP knows "PR" means nothing at all so do not be taking in by the entire "post only to high pr sites". Fact is you should be posting to thousands of site and who cares what the freaking PR is because the only one that half cares about that is google.

Places like ArticlesBase does have "No Follow" but do not let that fool you because that "No Follow" again means nothing and again only one that half follows that is google. For those self proclaimed experts that keep on saying how high and mighty EZA is ... Well guess what ???

EZA is even "No Follow"

James

[pheonix44]

You keep saying it is not hard at all. But I feel that someone might get their feelings hurt when they see that it takes much more effort then what you make it seem.

I never like to say that something is just so easy, because as soon as I get that attitude I get kicked in the ass. What I was offering was a suggestion, not a stone cold fact that you should go based off of and if you don't you don't know what the hell you ar doing.

Everyone has their own methods that work for them. Some may be good and some may not, but if it makes money for them then so be it. I never mean to state anything as fact. Because I can prove my method works and you can prove yours works. The only difference will be in income to which several other things will come into play. The original question was are article directories useful anymore. Some of them are complete crap and not worth posting to.

I would say that as long as the article belonged to him and had his name on it in his article on his site first then fine, go ahead and submit it there first. Seeing as how you are the originator EZA will except it and you can submit it to as many article directories as you want. You do not have to spin it if you do not want to. I just feel that there is more benefit if you do. But some people may feel like getting an EZA article to rank is the best option for them, and if this is what they feel then it is better to get that article to the top of the ranking then their own site which they may feel will take more time.

Having articles on your own site will help you build a long term business. It will help you establish your own place in your niche. But to those who wish to use the directories as a way to give them a head start, they can always switch their course of action when they are ready and they have gotten their feet wet.

I personally do not put any of the unique content I write onto EZA first or any article directory, but I will write articles just for this purpose and do what I mentioned above. This has worked well for me, my conversions just suck is all, but the traffic is fine and consistent.

If the OP followed my method with the proper keyword research I am certain he would see results. It is up to him if he decided to do it or not. But even if he did not there is more then one way to skin a cat. Whenever I use articles on my own site my goal is to utilize already existing pools of traffic to build a list, get my article republished on other sites, and get backlinks, most of the time I get backlinks from other peoples efforts. But when I first started I followed the advice of one of the best in the business Sean Mize. He knew what he was doing and I followed. His method works as I am sure yours does. The way I learned was not debating in forums, but actually getting my feet wet seeing what would work. The OP will have to do the same, mine is just one suggestion. I do not state it as facts, and if I did I would back it up with proof.

Telling someone how "easy" it is to outrank EZA is like telling a guy who has never approached a hot girl to just have confidence.That confidence has to come from somewhere. You have to tell him how to have confidence. It may be easy for you, but it sure as hell might not be easy for him. It may be proven for you, but not him until he actually proves it for himself.

Originally Posted by pheonix44

Telling someone how "easy" it is to outrank EZA is like telling a guy who has never approached a hot girl to just have confidence.That confidence has to come from somewhere. You have to tell him how to have confidence. It may be easy for you, but it sure as hell might not be easy for him. It may be proven for you, but not him until he actually proves it for himself.

1. What you posted to the OP in your orginal post, you was trying to state as Fact and it is not Fact...

2. LOL - Anyone can outrank EZA, here is an idea post the article on your own site and build backlinks to your own site without using one single article directory. Many seem to think EZA is some kind of GOD, just as you did in your post. Get real, it's your content not theirs... You giving them that content + all those backlinks is what gives them the traffic and rankings...

Reverse that role and post it on your site and build the backlinks to your site first....

James

[pheonix44]

With all due respect. I would like to know what your process would be then for ranking a three week old site. Just for the sake of this thread. So if I made a site around let's say acne, and it was three weeks old. I could add content to it, get it indexed by bookmarking it or submitting the rss feeds and then I would outrank EZA if I were to use that same article on EZA. I am not saying it cannot be done. I guess my concern comes from the Domain authority of EZA versus my own. I always do things like submit to web 2.0 properties, I use scribd and I submit all of those rss feeds as well as those of my social bookmarking profiles. What process would you use. Does the keyword competition play a role? I ask because if this was the case I would certainly submit only to my site. But I have found that both methods are good. I write articles for the sole purpose of implementing what I stated in my original post and it get's pretty good traffic. I think the OP would like it if you gave him an exact process for doing this.

[complete_newbie]

Thank you Robin for your input. Thank you James for your opinion.

James, you also quote that eza is nofollow ? Does it mean that it does not count as a backlink to your site ?

If submitting articles cannot help build backlink, then it has lost one of its sole purpose isn't it ?

Then Robin's method of:

"If you will use them for traffic then create quality and build backlinks using the other directories by pointing the other articles back to your original on EZA. "

will not work if its a nofollow... am i right to say so ?

Sorry for being such a noob..

truely
Joe

[pheonix44]

I check the awestats in my cpanel for my website and I do indeed see EZA in it for numerous articles so I do not know how accurate that information is. But if you take the advice of james then be prepared to build alot of backlinks to your site first. It is not as hard as it sounds really, but it should be used as a long term strategy. For more competitive keywords it will be even more difficult. Proper keyword research is the key.

[Michael D]

Originally Posted by TheRichJerksNet

EZA is even "No Follow"

What?

You say not to make statements as facts if you don't know what you are talking about and then you say this? How did you come to this conclusion?

EZA is not "no follow".

Originally Posted by pheonix44

With all due respect. I would like to know what your process would be then for ranking a three week old site. Just for the sake of this thread. So if I made a site around let's say acne, and it was three weeks old. I could add content to it, get it indexed by bookmarking it or submitting the rss feeds and then I would outrank EZA if I were to use that same article on EZA. I am not saying it cannot be done. I guess my concern comes from the Domain authority of EZA versus my own. I always do things like submit to web 2.0 properties, I use scribd and I submit all of those rss feeds as well as those of my social bookmarking profiles. What process would you use. Does the keyword competition play a role? I ask because if this was the case I would certainly submit only to my site. But I have found that both methods are good. I write articles for the sole purpose of implementing what I stated in my original post and it get's pretty good traffic. I think the OP would like it if you gave him an exact process for doing this.

It is fully explained here - Article on site or EZA first ? - Several of us that do know what we are doing and provide facts and proof..... EZA is only an authority because you call it one, that does not make it one. Big deal it means nothing when a PR0 site can outrank EZA. Yes this is posted on the forum and proven "several times" ...

James

[xiaophil]

1) Begin a thread using incendiary remarks about article marketing (*)

2) Get comfortable with a jumbo sized bucket of popcorn.

3) ...

4) Profit!


(*) (for maximum effect mention 'unique content')



My troll detector is off the scale.

[artsub]

If an article directory did not give backlink juice, there would be no point in anyone submitting to them. There are many 4 or 5 exceptions to this where they actually get enough traffic in their own right to justify the effort of submitting.

Originally Posted by Michael D

What?

You say not to make statements as facts if you don't know what you are talking about and then you say this? How did you come to this conclusion?

EZA is not "no follow".

Because it is a fact they do use "No Follow" tags -
[<a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Types-of-Business-Bank-Accounts&type=sv&id=2706637" rel="nofollow"

James

[Michael D]

Originally Posted by TheRichJerksNet

Because it is a fact they do use "No Follow" tags -
[<a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Types-of-Business-Bank-Accounts&type=sv&id=2706637" rel="nofollow"

James

Where in their category pages? Why would that matter? They don't use "no follow" in the resource boxes where it would matter for you to build links to your sites.

Same article you linked too:

Tom Pretty has written extensively on the subject of <a target="_new" href="http://www.lloydstsbbusiness.com/">business banking</a>

Originally Posted by complete_newbie

Thank you Robin for your input. Thank you James for your opinion.

James, you also quote that eza is nofollow ? Does it mean that it does not count as a backlink to your site ?

If submitting articles cannot help build backlink, then it has lost one of its sole purpose isn't it ?

Then Robin's method of:

"If you will use them for traffic then create quality and build backlinks using the other directories by pointing the other articles back to your original on EZA. "

will not work if its a nofollow... am i right to say so ?

Sorry for being such a noob..

truely
Joe

It means they use No Follow because they only want the authors to benefit so much.. Ofcourse they will not use no follow on "related articles" and such because that would hurt their rankings.

I never stated submitting articles do not give you backlinks... The fact is NO FOLLOW & DO FOLLOW mean nothing but many self proclaimed experts will try to tell you otherwise. I have said it time and time again you should be posting on sites that are do follow or no follow both. Fact is that tag is only used by google... Google is not the only search engine and certainly not the only source of traffic.

There is no way I would waste my links on my articles to point to EZA just to give them a higher ranking. You think you are helping your article but trust me you are helping them more than you are yourself.

Read the thread I posted above it explains it all in details...

James

Originally Posted by Michael D

Where in their category pages? Why would that matter? They don't use "no follow" in the resource boxes where it would matter for you to build links to your sites.

Same article you linked too:

Tom Pretty has written extensively on the subject of <a target="_new" href="http://www.lloydstsbbusiness.com/">business banking</a>

I said they use No Follow .. The reason why it matters is because it limits your ranking while helping their own. That no follow is directly on the articles ....

Do you think EZA is going to help you more than they do their own site ???????

James

[Michael D]

Originally Posted by TheRichJerksNet

I said they use No Follow .. The reason why it matters is because it limits your ranking while helping their own.

Do you think EZA is going to help you more than they do their own site ???????

James

You never answered where they use "no follow". I was wondering where. The only spot I could find was in the citations at the bottom of the page.

I thought that "no follow" didn't matter? You said this yourself, so why should it matter if they use it themselves, or not?

Actually, they are using it to sculpt their Pagerank which will in turn help your articles rank better. Which helps them as well with ad revenue.

I am not disagreeing with your point about people building their own business first. I completely agree with that. But, you are so quick to lash out at other people and tell them they are "giving bad advice" because it isn't what you do. Well, I can guarantee that not that many people do everything exactly the same and many people still make money. There really isn't a complete right way and a complete wrong way.

edit: nevermind see that you said direct on articles for "no follow"

Originally Posted by Michael D

You never answered where they use "no follow". I was wondering where. The only spot I could find was in the citations at the bottom of the page.

I thought that "no follow" didn't matter? You said this yourself, so why should it matter if they use it themselves, or not?

Actually, they are using it to sculpt their Pagerank which will in turn help your articles rank better. Which helps them as well with ad revenue.

I am not disagreeing with your point about people building their own business first. I completely agree with that. But, you are so quick to lash out at other people and tell them they are "giving bad advice" because it isn't what you do. Well, I can guarantee that not that many people do everything exactly the same and many people still make money. There really isn't a complete right way and a complete wrong way.

edit: nevermind see that you said direct on articles for "no follow"

I said it is on the article page.. Matter fact it is next to the resource box.. The link that goes to the users profile. This keep google from going to the profile and grabbing up more links from the same author.

No follow does not matter, again the only one that half uses it is google itself. They do not always pay attention to it as sometimes thier spider gets a mind of its own.

And you are wrong... I posted because the advice given to the OP was "Bad Advice" as it was stated as facts and they are not facts.

James

[Emily Meeks]

Originally Posted by selectwholesale

Does anyone know anyone where I can get someone to build back links for my website

Hi there, selectwholesale! I will be perfectly happy to build 2239988907689437481291301589037 backlinks for you if you can tell me how your post is relevant to the rest of the thread.

Anywho...

Article directories: quality over quantity. EzineArticles, GoArticles... never tried iSnare but they might be worth looking into as well.

Keep in mind quality over quantity when it comes to articles themselves. You're far better off with a few phenomenal articles than a million crappy ones.

Originally Posted by moneysoapbox

Hi there, selectwholesale! I will be perfectly happy to build 2239988907689437481291301589037 backlinks for you if you can tell me how your post is relevant to the rest of the thread.

Just loved that post ....

James