I’m not big on article marketing. I know a lot of affiliates that do it and I know it works, it’s just not an area I’ve ever focused my consulting or blogging efforts on. I think in part because so much of the affiliate article marketing I see focuses on selling ebooks and biz opps. But done right, article marketing can be used to sell physical products as well.

I just discovered a really great blog on the subject of article marketing for retail products that I thought would be really helpful to affiliates. The key is to NOT sound like you are selling a product but to write interesting, informational copy that publishers will accept and consumers are going to want to read.

Steve, from Submit Your Article gives a great example about a fictitious site owner who is selling Brand XYZ gourmet chocolate. She knows she can’t just write: “Buy my chocolates, they are so yummy.”
So what could she write about that doesn’t sound like a sales pitch?

What is the best way to write articles to drive traffic back to my product website?

Here are some ideas (and I’m putting these ideas in the form of article titles):

* “5 Ways You Can Tell If The Chocolate You’re Eating Is High Quality”
* “What is the difference between Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, and Semi-sweet Chocolate?”
* “The Health Benefits Of Eating Chocolate”
* “3 Restaurant Inspired Chocolate Dessert Recipes Made From Chocolate Bars”
* “The History Of Chocolate”
* “Is White Chocolate Really Chocolate?”

Now, it goes without saying that as the owner of this gourmet chocolate website is writing the above articles that she cannot mention her own business, website, products or affiliate products within her article. She cannot allude to or make reference to XYZ brand of chocolates in any way, shape, or fashion in her article.

She knows that her well crafted resource box (rather than her article) is the appropriate place to talk about herself, her business, and her website.” More…

Note: Even if you don’t do article marketing, the tips here can be used to optimize the pre-sell copy you use on your own site. Sometimes the best way to sell is NOT to sell, but to offer enlightening content that gets them in the mood to buy.

Hat tip to Belle who has tips about how she does affiliate article marketing.
Here’s her blog on the subject. Article Marketing for Affiliate Sites