Questions for those not using spinner software

by Battra
9 replies
I asked a question here few weeks ago and learned that it's ok to submit the exact same article from my website to article directories (except Buzzle), but it may hurt the SERP. Seems that a lot of top marketers don't use spinner and rewrite their articles manually. Right now I'm using spinner but I rewrite & insert the curly braces/pipes manually but I'm curious to know:

1. If you don't use spinner at all, how many versions of articles with the same keywords do you write?

2. Do you always write from different angles, or sometimes just adding/removing sentences to alter the length, or something else?

3. How many article directories do you submit them to? What is your preference, e.g. Ezines always get 1 unique copy but everyone else can get duplicate?

4. If you only rewrite a couple of versions, do you find it hurts your SERP? I assume it doesn't since many top marketers do this but then it conflicts with the theory that submitting the same articles everywhere is not good for SERP. Anyone can clarify what I can expect?

5. Do you use different resource box for each directory?

6. How do you link those articles? Where are the 2 links pointing to? Is it better to build linkwheel? The course that I'm following right now doesn't have particular rules about this.
#questions #software #spinner
  • Profile picture of the author Rory Singh
    I am a ezinearticles.com Platinum author with 173 active articles. It is better to write one high quality unique article that can actually give the reader an answer to their problems. Quality is always much better than quantity.

    I only submit to ezinearticles.com since they give me the best bang for my article marketing efforts.

    Article spinners do not provide unique quality articles, so I do not use them. In my experience, a job well done always provides more reward than trying to cut corners.

    This is just my experience. Other article writers may use and have success with spinners. I rather write original content which will urge my readers to actually click on my website links. I point my 2 links to my main website (which has done wonder for my website on Google page one for both my keywords) and one to my splash page.
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
    Originally Posted by Battra View Post

    1. If you don't use spinner at all, how many versions of articles with the same keywords do you write?
    Over time, as many as I can come up with interesting angles for. Use different templates (tips, faq, etc.) and different target audiences if applicable (wahms, empty-nesters, single, married, divorced, etc.)

    Originally Posted by Battra View Post

    2. Do you always write from different angles, or sometimes just adding/removing sentences to alter the length, or something else?
    Sometimes I'll edit an article on one of my sites to a shorter length, depending on my intent (clicks vs. syndication vs. links). I try to write from a variety of different angles, but I consider these different articles rather than variations of a single article.

    Originally Posted by Battra View Post

    3. How many article directories do you submit them to? What is your preference, e.g. Ezines always get 1 unique copy but everyone else can get duplicate?
    My own site always gets an article first, unless it's something I've done just for my syndication partners. Once it's indexed, the article goes to a combination of feeder sites. Then EZA, followed by a handful of other sites; the exact list varies with the niche. If I'm just looking for links, then the unchanged article gets submitted via software.

    Originally Posted by Battra View Post

    4. If you only rewrite a couple of versions, do you find it hurts your SERP? I assume it doesn't since many top marketers do this but then it conflicts with the theory that submitting the same articles everywhere is not good for SERP. Anyone can clarify what I can expect?
    Hasn't seemed to hurt me yet. Then again, for me, article marketing is about more than just SEO.

    Originally Posted by Battra View Post

    5. Do you use different resource box for each directory?
    Sometimes, especially when trying to find what works in a given niche/sub-niche or a different offer.

    Originally Posted by Battra View Post

    6. How do you link those articles? Where are the 2 links pointing to? Is it better to build linkwheel? The course that I'm following right now doesn't have particular rules about this.
    Most of the time, one link will go to a destination page, like a review page or squeeze page. The other will go to a related article on the site I ultimately want to promote, which will have its own opt-in offer prominently displayed.
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  • Profile picture of the author Tony Dean
    Duplicate articles should not harm in the serps because many newspaper articles get syndicated throughout the blogosphere and look how well they do.
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  • Profile picture of the author LawrenceTam
    you have to remember why your using spinning software.... to get inbound links. Sure some softwares might send to big article directories but really EzineArticles is all you really need to do.

    Save your time and do there DIFFERENT types of links vs worrying about mass distributing one article with different revisions.

    Unless of course you want to repost onto squidoo or hubpages then you gotta change it up regardless but those are the big 3 in my book and article content marketing should only be one form of exposure.
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    The 17 Affiliate Programs and platforms I've worked with and how Some Sucked while others pay out like a boss.
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    • Profile picture of the author Battra
      Originally Posted by Rory Singh View Post

      I only submit to ezinearticles.com since they give me the best bang for my article marketing efforts.
      Does it mean you get traffic from your syndicated articles and not relying on being on page 1 of Google?

      Originally Posted by Rory Singh View Post

      Article spinners do not provide unique quality articles, so I do not use them.
      Actually I'm rewriting paragraphs, sentences, and words myself and using the spinner just to create combinations of them.

      Originally Posted by Rory Singh View Post

      I point my 2 links to my main website (which has done wonder for my website on Google page one for both my keywords) and one to my splash page.
      Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

      Most of the time, one link will go to a destination page, like a review page or squeeze page. The other will go to a related article on the site I ultimately want to promote, which will have its own opt-in offer prominently displayed.
      Got it! Thanks!

      Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

      Use different templates (tips, faq, etc.) and different target audiences if applicable (wahms, empty-nesters, single, married, divorced, etc.)
      Thanks for the ideas! I wasn't sure how to rewrite my articles as there are only so many possible sentences that I can come up with. But presenting it like you do is much better.

      Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

      article marketing is about more than just SEO.
      Do you mind to clarify? Isn't the purpose of article marketing is to bring traffic, which mostly come from SE? Does it mean you are not trying to get your website on 1st page of Google but rather getting traffic from other source?


      Originally Posted by LawrenceTam View Post

      you have to remember why your using spinning software.... to get inbound links. Sure some softwares might send to big article directories but really EzineArticles is all you really need to do.

      Save your time and do there DIFFERENT types of links vs worrying about mass distributing one article with different revisions.
      I only submit to about 6 - 8 directories manually including Ezine. That's why I'm wondering if that is enough to bring in traffic to the site. Some people mass submit to hundreds of directories but I don't feel comfortable having no control over where my articles are submitted to (e.g. very hard to keep track)
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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        Quote:
        Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe
        article marketing is about more than just SEO.

        Do you mind to clarify? Isn't the purpose of article marketing is to bring traffic, which mostly come from SE? Does it mean you are not trying to get your website on 1st page of Google but rather getting traffic from other source?
        Maybe I should have phrased that just a bit differently...

        Article marketing, for me, is about more than just backlinks.

        Traffic, targeted, eager traffic is the objective, yes. 'Mostly comes from SE', no.

        My first objective is getting my articles placed on high-ranking, high-traffic relevant sites, where I can borrow both some of their traffic and some of their authority and ranking. Posting to article directories is one means to that end.

        Secondary benefits from posting to high-traffic article directories are siphoning off some of that traffic, and possibly a little link juice.

        For me, at least, chasing inclusion on high ranking, high authority sites - through either article directories or private syndication - produces both higher quality traffic and higher rankings for a variety of keywords than busting my butt trying to rank for one keyword.

        At this stage, the 'draw interested people to MY sites' stage, I'm usually also aiming a step or two back in the buying process.
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  • Profile picture of the author Battra
    John,
    Please bear with me, I'm just starting to understand more about article marketing and keep having new questions ...

    So, for example, one of your articles is targeting 'deep sea fishing'. When someone search the keywords, your article in the high-ranking site should show up. People click and read the article, and hopefully they read the resource box and go to your website and buy a product. I assume you are promoting an affiliate product on the website?

    Do you have a rough estimate the % of people who do the search and become buyers? The chain seems long and if they don't bother to read the resource box, you won't get the traffic, right?

    A step or two back in the buying process - meaning giving information about the product and do soft selling?

    Btw, I love your sig!!
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Originally Posted by Battra View Post

      John,
      Please bear with me, I'm just starting to understand more about article marketing and keep having new questions ...

      So, for example, one of your articles is targeting 'deep sea fishing'. When someone search the keywords, your article in the high-ranking site should show up. People click and read the article, and hopefully they read the resource box and go to your website and buy a product. I assume you are promoting an affiliate product on the website?
      Again, it may seem counter-intuitive, but it isn't all about search. If I can land that deep sea fishing article on the right sites, people will be visiting the site directly, they'll be visiting via links in RSS feeds, links from still other websites and blogs, and so on. Regardless what their marketing department says, the world does not begin and end with Google.

      What I really want them to do is opt into MY list for that niche. I want them coming to my site and subscribing to MY RSS feeds. If I can do it, I want to marginalize the effects of any search rankings.

      Originally Posted by Battra View Post

      Do you have a rough estimate the % of people who do the search and become buyers? The chain seems long and if they don't bother to read the resource box, you won't get the traffic, right?
      That's one area I'm weak in. I haven't been tracking all the way from search result, to syndicated article, to purchase. I can tell you that on a couple of my highest ROI sites, only about half of the traffic comes from search.

      If I can get people onto an email list or subscribed to a feed, I can communicate with them. Another area I want to get better at is creating traffic with social media like Twitter and Facebook.

      Originally Posted by Battra View Post

      A step or two back in the buying process - meaning giving information about the product and do soft selling?
      Quoting from my marketing blog:

      Once you get past the "do you want fries with that" impulse purchase, most buyers go through a similar 5-step process before they buy. Here are the five steps:
      1. Your prospects first realize that they have a problem they want solved, or a desire they want filled.
      2. Your prospects seek to educate themselves and look for the options available.
      3. With an array of options, your prospects try to narrow down their choices to the ones they believe will best solve the problem or fill the desire.
      4. They decide on a course of action.
      5. They actually pull the trigger and act on their decision.
      Most marketers want to start with #5 - people trying to buy. So they go after exact match keywords. I leave that to the actual sales page, whether it's mine or I'm acting as an affiliate.

      Most of my 'money pages' seek to help people at #4. I want to help them decide on a course of action, preferably by buying through my links.

      Most of my article marketing is for people at steps #2 and #3. I want them to trust me and look to me for advice and guidance as they move through #4 and #5.

      Originally Posted by Battra View Post

      Btw, I love your sig!!
      Thanks...
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      • Profile picture of the author Battra
        Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

        Again, it may seem counter-intuitive, but it isn't all about search. If I can land that deep sea fishing article on the right sites, people will be visiting the site directly, they'll be visiting via links in RSS feeds, links from still other websites and blogs, and so on. Regardless what their marketing department says, the world does not begin and end with Google.

        What I really want them to do is opt into MY list for that niche. I want them coming to my site and subscribing to MY RSS feeds. If I can do it, I want to marginalize the effects of any search rankings.
        Ah, that makes sense! The course that I'm following is focusing mainly on SEO and a little bit on PPC (which I avoid at least for now). It's only the past few days I realised that there are other ways to generate traffic using articles, thanks to WF

        That's one area I'm weak in. I haven't been tracking all the way from search result, to syndicated article, to purchase. I can tell you that on a couple of my highest ROI sites, only about half of the traffic comes from search.
        I admit my eyes start to glaze when people talking about metrics, split test etc. I guess one day it's something that I have to learn as well.

        Another area I want to get better at is creating traffic with social media like Twitter and Facebook.
        Me too but as a newbie I think I'd better focus on few areas first. I have a whole different set of questions about social media and it's just overwhelming.


        Most marketers want to start with #5 - people trying to buy. So they go after exact match keywords. I leave that to the actual sales page, whether it's mine or I'm acting as an affiliate.

        Most of my 'money pages' seek to help people at #4. I want to help them decide on a course of action, preferably by buying through my links.

        Most of my article marketing is for people at steps #2 and #3. I want them to trust me and look to me for advice and guidance as they move through #4 and #5.
        Great info! I've bookmarked your site, will read more of your articles later

        John, thank you so much for patiently answering my questions!!
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