Many people are trying to get in on the "writing and distributing articles online" bandwagon. Although an incredibly effective online marketing strategy, when done incorrectly it can be a complete waste of time.

I have been advocating article writing and distribution for years. I have built incredible online visibility because of it. And, I have made more money than most from my strategic use of articles as part of my overall online marketing strategy.

When I work with clients, whether it be one-on-one or in my group mentoring courses, I teach people about the effectiveness of using articles to reach your market. However, many people think there is only one aspect to the process. Notice I just said process. The reason I use this word is because article marketing is a process. It takes more than simply writing and distributing articles to create a successful outcome for your efforts.

Before you begin you need to consider the following:

Who are you writing for?
What do they want to know?
Why do they want to know this?
How will you help them solve their problem?
What makes your information different than anyone else who claims to be an expert on the topic?

By answering the above questions you are in more of a position to effectively reach those people who are interested in reading your information.

Here's an example of a good answer for the first question. When I ask myself who I am writing for the answer is simple. Speakers, trainers, authors, consultants and entrepreneurs who want to gain visibility on the Internet by optimizing their marketing dollars.

From there, I must clearly answer the other four questions. By doing this I am more likely to write articles specific to my market; speakers, trainers, authors, consultants and entrepreneurs who want to gain visibility on the Internet by optimizing their marketing dollars.

Take time upfront to think through why you are writing articles, for whom you are writing and what problem you are helping them solve. You will gain a greater result in your online marketing efforts by doing so.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBlast.com