Preventing Self-Promotion Overload

Yet another trick to get your articles approved faster:

Blatant Self-Promotion CartoonIn the realm of article marketing, self-promotion is a good thing… but like all good things it needs to be done in moderation.

One quick look at our editorial guidelines will tell you that we allow up to (2) active URL’s in the Resource Box that are self-serving (any link that you own or control). This guideline is designed purely as a quality control measure to help keep self-promotion to a minimum.

There is no technical reason why we couldn’t allow more active links, but an article stuffed with self-serving active links looks “spammy” or closer to “article vomit” than a clean article with a single or double URL in the Resource Box.

It’s also well-established that ezine publishers and webmasters value articles with LESS links, not MORE when it comes to their decision as to which articles they are going to reprint. MORE links creates more metaphorical link payments that have to be made to the author to use his or her article… thus articles with fewer links get higher distribution.

This issue is ripe for abuse and every single day we turn away dozens of articles (more than ten thousand articles a year) that are sent in with more than 2 active self-serving links.

Keys to Preventing Self-Promotion Overload:

  • Keep your active self-serving URL’s to 2 or less per article and preferably in the RESOURCE BOX.
  • If you put an active link in the first sentence, your article will be rejected for selling too hard and may be removed from our queue.
  • If you put a link in the first half of your article, it will be frowned upon and potentially rejected without notice.
  • If you put more than 3 active self-serving links in your articles, we’ll problem status your article for being too self-promotional.
  • Try to keep non-self-serving links at the bottom of the article body below above the fold.
  • If you’re including anchored text links, we limit the # of words that you can anchor to no more than 3 words. [source]

Simple Solution: If you want more inbound links to your website from us, send in more articles. =)

Posted by Marc, Product Marketing Manager on March 9, 2009 at 12:52 pm | 3,364 views

15 Comments »


1
Jerry Smith writes:

Good points. It seems to me that there are some natural links in most articles but many (including blog posts) seem to be written with the links coming first, and the text fitted around them.
Writing in this way tends to look “forced” and therefore fails to flow the way a great article should.

Personally, if I like the content of an article I will read it to the end, and then follow the link at the bottom to find out more

Comment provided March 9, 2009 at 2:07 PM

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2
Edward writes:

More than fair. Most article submission sites only let you have one link in the resource box.

Comment provided March 9, 2009 at 2:25 PM

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3
David Quimby writes:

I agree with Jerry Smith. If the article is good do not mark it up with a much of links. Put them on the bottom were they belong.

Comment provided March 9, 2009 at 2:58 PM

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4
Takuya Hikichi writes:

It’s fair. Not sure if it’s true, but I’ve personally noticed with articles with one link get republished more often.

Comment provided March 9, 2009 at 4:45 PM

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5
Aminuddin Siregar writes:

More than fair. Most article submission sites only let you have one link in the resource box.

Personally, if I like the content of an article I will read it to the end, and then follow the link at the bottom to find out more.
Thank’s opungregar

Comment provided March 9, 2009 at 8:25 PM

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6
Ian R Kelly writes:

Before logging to this Blog for the first time, I had no idea one could get paid by a third party picking up an article. I’m a newbie and you’ve just given me another reason to feel passionate about EzineArticles. Well done!

As for the article itself, I fully agree with Gerry. If the writing doesn’t drag the reader’s eyes down to the resource box, it’s not worth submitting. Jerry has hit the nail on the button, if you’ll excuse the mixed metaphore.

Comment provided March 10, 2009 at 12:31 AM

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7
Geoff writes:

Putting myself in the position of an ezine publisher I`d likely choose those articles which don`t obviously self-publicize.

Comment provided March 10, 2009 at 4:42 AM

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8
Anthony writes:

Good post! I am still confused about the number of words to use as anchor text? I personally use 3 words max, as the number of words for my anchor text. Although, I still see a lot of people who are still using more than 3 anchor text words. I also, have been looking at how recently the article has been received, and most of these articles with more than 3 anchor text words have been submitted and published very recently. So, I don’t really understand how some authors can get away with submitting articles with 4,5 or even 6 words as their anchor text? I thought the rules are equal for everyone, right across the board? I guess they are not?! Some of these authors, have anchor text like these, i.e. “how to look great this summer”, as their anchor text. This is just an example of course, but I’ve managed to see articles with anchor text like this.

I have submitted articles with 4 or 5 anchor text words before, and I had my articles fail. Whereas, I see authors getting their articles approved with 5 or 6 anchor text words! I believe this isn’t really fair to the rest of us, or to new users of EzineArticles.

There have been many times when I found an excellent long tail keyword phrase that I wanted to use as anchor text, but since it was over 3 words, around 4 words I believe, I refrained from using it, and just offered my website URL in the resource box. Again, not equally fair for everyone! Some authors I feel are allowed more leisure than others when it comes to having their articles approved! EzineArticles, should and must enforce the anchor text rule of 3 words to everyone. It should matter if you are a basic member or are a platinum member who has been submitting articles since 2007!!

Thanks for reading
Anthony.

Comment provided March 10, 2009 at 6:21 AM

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9
Christopher M. Knight writes:

Anthony,

3 words max for the anchored text is our guideline.

5 words max is at the discretion of our Editor if he or she believes your content is more than just content spam… ie: If your article rocks, is exclusive rights, original and unique in value, you may be allowed up to 5 words.

Most members obsess way too much on anchored text links and shoot themselves in the foot by failing to include a full http://Your-Company-Name.com/ url in their Resource Box as at least 1 of the links.

Show me a recently approved article with 6 words in the anchored text link?

The 3-5 word max rule went into effect back in June of 2008.

Comment provided March 10, 2009 at 6:30 AM

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10
Kevin Dervin writes:

Some people just don’t seem to get it.

Self-Promotion Overload is sort out like spraying client/prospect repellent. The more someone is practically screaming, “Look at Me! Look at Me!” with over self-promotion, the more they turn people off. You tend to look needy and obnoxious.

Article marketing is very well suited for following the “Give to Get” principle of marketing that’s been working for highly successful marketers for years.

I love this quote I came across a while back… “You need to be willing to GIVE without WANT before you can HAVE.” Just focus on providing good quality content to help someone answer questions, solve problems, or achieve outcomes. Then one good link to your website at the bottom should be all you need.

Last line of the post is the best… if you want more inbound links, just submit more articles. I love it!

All my Best!
Kevin

Comment provided March 13, 2009 at 12:14 PM

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11
Nancy J writes:

I am new to ezine. I am somewhat confused about some of the guidelines and while I am trying to satisfy them , my question is…if I submit an article that does not meet guidelines will I be told what is wrong? and if it is not accepted for some reason, will I be able to submit other articles in the future??

Comment provided March 18, 2009 at 10:17 AM

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12
Penny, Managing Editor writes:

Nancy,

Each article that does not meet our guidelines is given a detailed emailed explanation so that you may fix/edit the article and re-submit it.

If for any easy reason that article cannot be accepted, you can submit additional articles so long as they adhere to the guidelines.

In a Basic Membership you have 10 initial submissions to start out with. After those initial 10 submission are gone, you can request us to review your account for an upgrade to receive more.

Learn more about this process here: http://blog.EzineArticles.com/2009/03/learn-the-secrets-of-membership-levels.html

Comment provided March 18, 2009 at 10:47 AM

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13
Nancy J writes:

Thanks Penny, I will take a look at the link you provided.

Comment provided March 18, 2009 at 11:08 AM

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14
Clarine Marquis writes:

I am new to writing articles and blogging. I have been told to try and link with in your article, but like most have said it feels wrong. Like in the middle of a sentence you say come visit me and by the way here is the rest of my article. I myself do own a website and it feels better to do this at the end of my story. If you have any other comments for me here is my blog info.
clarsbabybaskets.blogspot.com

Comment provided March 20, 2009 at 11:40 PM

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15
Christopher M. Knight writes:

Clarine,

We call that the BAIT AND SWITCH article and reject it.

Each article must stand alone to deliver on the promise made in the article title WITHOUT the user having to go to your website to finish the article.

Frequent submissions of this type of article can lead to account termination.

Comment provided March 21, 2009 at 9:38 AM

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