There are several different things you can do with an article to aid your SEO and online marketing, including:
- Posting it on your main website
- Posting it on another website you own with a link back to your main website
- Syndicating the article to a large number of relatively low quality article marketing networks
- Syndicating the article to fewer higher quality websites
- Using the article as a guest post (one location)
| Article Use | Pros | Cons |
| Main website | The article can rank and attract traffic to your website | There are no guaranteed links generated from the article |
| Another website you own | Guaranteed link back to your main website and the article can attract traffic to your other website | Have to divide your content over two websites |
| Low quality syndication | Potentially large number of links from low-medium quality websites and some exposure | Many links are low quality and will produce little traffic |
| High quality syndication | A small number of medium-high quality links, exposure to a new audience and likely to send some relevant traffic | Limited number of links generated |
| Guest post | Guaranteed link from a potentially high quality site, exposure to a new audience and likely to send some relevant traffic | Only one link generated |
The traditional use would be to post the article straight onto your main website where it can rank in the search engines and attract visitors for years to come. The article can also be shared on social media and linked to from elsewhere to give your website traffic and an SEO boost to lead to better rankings overall. However, there is no guarantee that you will get links, unlike the other article uses mentioned. Earning links simply by writing good quality content is getting harder and harder so perhaps leveraging your article to obtain value exchange links is a better use of your content.
These are links that are gained by giving something of value in exchange for a link back to your website. Money is a common form of value that is exchanged for links but in this case, the 'value' is the right to use a piece of content on a website. The three uses in the diagram above are value exchange links where you grant another website owner the right to use your content on their website in exchange for a link pointing back to your website. These techniques produce guaranteed links which reduces risk and increases the efficiency of your SEO efforts.
The lower quality method at the bottom of the pyramid has the potential to deliver tens - hundreds of links from low-medium quality websites. The links are likely to have a lower life time value so this technique has less long term value but the sheer number of links, with desired anchor text can still have a good effect on your rankings in the short term.
The higher quality techniques will produce much fewer links but they will have a greater long term value, greater authority and link value and have other benefits such as increasing your reputation and gaining exposure from a relevant audience.
For more information about the SEO value of 'value exchange links' see my recent post discussing whether article syndication is white hat.
Posts
