| Writing articles is an excellent way to promote your | | | | comes to search engine rankings. By using HTML in |
| website. Links from your articles drive traffic to your | | | | your article submissions, every link that you acquire will |
| site; they aid in your search engine optimization efforts. | | | | be fully optimized for the search engines. |
| These two facts lead to the simple conclusion that the | | | | Without HTML, your links can not be optimized to the |
| more an article is redistributed and republished, the | | | | same degree. While it is true that the text surrounding |
| more traffic a site will acquire. | | | | an active link is taken into consideration by search |
| A few well known methods for ensuring that your | | | | engine algorithms, it is not weighted nearly as heavily |
| article is republished are: | | | | as the actual anchor text of that link. |
| - Writing unique and useful content | | | | Anchor text can only be manipulated using HTML. |
| - Writing articles between 600 and 1000 words | | | | 4.) Speed of Submissions: |
| - Optimizing your articles for high traffic search engine | | | | Most article submission software or automated |
| keywords | | | | submission services will speak to the contrary of this |
| These are all excellent methods, but much like a glass | | | | point. They do not allow HTML formatting in their mass |
| of orange juice, scrambled egg and slice of toast | | | | submissions and they generally cite two reasons why |
| aren’t "complete" without a bowl of Cheerios, | | | | not: |
| neither is your article submission without HTML. | | | | - Most article directories don’t accept HTML |
| Below are 4 reasons why you should be using HTML | | | | - With all the variances in article submission sites, |
| every time you submit. | | | | it’s too slow to submit HTML |
| 1.) More Traffic: | | | | Both of these statements are false; submission |
| Internet readers are lazy. According to renowned web | | | | software and services haven’t taken the time to |
| usability expert, Jakob Nielsen of Useit.com, readers | | | | compile the proper resources that make these |
| are much more likely to read web copy if it is | | | | statements true. Fortunately, I have. |
| "scannable." | | | | I have compiled a list of 80 HTML-friendly article |
| Scannable web copy: | | | | submission sites, complete with statistics detailing Page |
| - Bolds important points in paragraphs | | | | Rank, domain backlinks and more. Using that list and a |
| - Breaks long paragraphs down into shorter ones | | | | plug-in for the Firefox Web Brower called "Fireform," I |
| - Makes use of bulleted lists | | | | am able to submit to all 80 of these sites in about an |
| - Clearly marks off new thoughts with section headers. | | | | hour. |
| Text that is scannable will yield readers that get to the | | | | Both of the resources I use to submit to all of these |
| end of that text, which in turn will yield more clicks on | | | | sites are free. |
| your links i.e. more traffic! The scannability of your text | | | | A Few Notes on HTML Submissions: |
| is severely limited without the use of HTML. | | | | - When submitting, make sure you use only simple |
| 2.) Formatted Text is More "Publisher Friendly": | | | | HTML. I stick to a, br, b, u, i, ul (not ol), li, and blockquote. |
| Publishers are looking for scannable web copy in the | | | | - Nobody likes p tags. Don’t use them. |
| articles they publish. Take for example this excerpt | | | | - Make sure you close all of your tags. |
| regarding preferred formatting techniques from one of | | | | - Test your HTML in a simple text editor before you |
| the Internet’s most trusted domains, | | | | submit it. |
| "Avoid lengthy paragraphs and provide the [article] in | | | | - Put the entirety of your HTML on one single line for |
| Web reading format where people tend to scan and | | | | faster submissions. |
| read less. Include bullet points and sub headings to | | | | HTML-formatting is to article submissions what Lucky |
| make reading easy and enjoyable. Please provide | | | | Charms is to "this complete breakfast." While a tall |
| additional links to web sites that a reader may explore | | | | glass of orange juice, slice of toast, and ruby red |
| the topic in greater depth." | | | | grapefruit half are pretty good, it just isn’t right |
| This particular subdomain boasts a Google Page Rank | | | | without those purple horseshoes, yellow stars and red |
| of 7 as well as thousands of visitors every day. Along | | | | balloons. |
| with other standard submission techniques, HTML in | | | | Likewise, make sure you are writing fresh content, |
| your submission will give you the best chance of | | | | using keywords, connecting with your audience, writing |
| getting featured on this site. | | | | articles between 600 and 1000 words, AND formatting |
| 3.) Control of Anchor Text: | | | | using HTML to make the most out of your article |
| Anchor text is one the most influential factors when it | | | | submissions. |