Article Directories - Instant Traffic Method (Screenshots & Examples)
For most of us, the biggest struggle is getting a substantial amount of traffic to websites and blogs: Meaning thousands of visitors per month (or even per day).
There are, of course, almost limitless traffic strategies. But there is one option that is hardly talked about today anymore: Article directories.
A strategy that I have used many years ago!
I've used article directories in the past to drive traffic to blogs and it has generally worked great for me. Here's a screenshot from an old account that I haven't logged into in years:
As you can see, I've written almost 70 articles on that account. The screenshot above shows only the top 10. What surprises me the most is the high CTR, meaning how many people click the link to come visit my blog.
So it if worked in the past, does it still work today?
Only recently I have created a new profile and submitted a handful of articles. Just to see how it works today.
And only a few days after my articles were accepted, I've already started seeing traffic trickling in:
It's not thousands. Not even hundreds. Like I said, it's a trickle of traffic.
But there are two key differences which make it very interesting for me:
- This traffic was instant! I didn't have to wait, it started trickling in only days after my articles were accepted into the directory.
- It's still more traffic than what I get from social media. And at least for me, this strategy is easier and less time-consuming than posting every day on social media.
In addition to that, each article links back to my blog - which helps with SEO. These backlinks aren't the main purpose of submitting articles, but it's still an added benefit.
So how does it work? Let me give you the rundown of things.
I've used many article directories in the past but the screenshots above are from the one that I've liked the most: Ezine Articles.
Submitting articles is free. Essentially, you are creating content for someone else, which is why you don't have to pay anything - they are happy to get your submissions.
There are guidelines of course, most importantly: No affiliate links or other links in the main article text. (More on that later.)
Minimum word count is very low: My articles are only between 450 and 500 words long. For me, this is easy to write because I really only need to explain one thought or idea.
How to get traffic with this!
Ezine Articles allows us to add a "resource box" to the end of every article that we submit: Your resource box is basically just the very last paragraph of the article, that's how you have to think of it.
Inside this resource box, you can put a link. And that's where you get your traffic from, if you do it right.
How to write resource boxes that bring traffic:
The most important thing in your resource box is that you have a FREE offer with a clear CTA (Call-To-Action).
The articles in the first screenshot above, they tell readers about a quiz that I set up for them. Going through the quiz will tell them how likely they are to achieve their goal. And as you can see from the CTRs, it worked great!
Example 1: "How much weight can you realistically lose in 4 weeks? Click here to find out with the completely free weight-loss quiz on my blog!"
Example 2: "I've created many mobile apps with basic web knoweldge. Click here for a completely free step-by-step guide, where I go over the whole process from start to finish!"
Does that sound interesting to you?
And that's it! Judging from these very early results, I am hopeful about this traffic strategy and I will continue to submit.
Did you find this helpful? Please leave a comment below with your feedback & questions, it really helps me to improve my writing. Thanks! :)
And if you want to see me on YouTube or follow me on social media, go to the "Follow Me On" section on my profile here. You will find all the links there.
Recent Comments
31
Thanks for this great idea. I will be using it in the future when I have many more blogs on my website. I'm only 8 weeks here. It will be perfect for giving away my e books and bringing people to my website.
Wonderful idea.
Lily 😊
Yes Lily, if you have a freeby to give away such as an ebook with a compelling title, it works great! Once you see your own results, let me know :D
Thanks James, I will. One step everyday and people like yourself really keep me motivated and informed.
Lily 😊
I feel the same way, Lily! It's great to be part of a community that motivates us and helps us improve :)
Thanks James, the funded proposal provides good funds to scale and grow as well as being a funnel in its own right
Do you have an example for a funded proposal? And yes, I agree that using it to bring people into a funnel is probably the best way to go about it!
A funded proposal is one where you have a low entry point EG 7dollars, and leads you to other products which are paid for by commissions from sales of the Funded proposal a bit like muccy dees or Mcdonalds
Ahh, I get it! I've just never heard it used under that term. Thanks for the example! And yes, once again, I have to agree with you of course.
In the end, what it all comes down to is this structure:
- Intriguing CTA: Click link to my website
- Squeeze page
- Compelling offer
- Another CTA: Opt-in form / Affiliate link / Low entry product ($7)
I'm sure there are even more creative ways to create enticing offers, depending on the niche and the blogger's understanding of the audience!
You can write one yourself, or create a helpful checklist in PDF format yourself. Else, go on Google and search for "free PLR eBooks" to find sites where you can get eBooks for free. But you have to check for each eBook which rights it includes: Not all of them can be given away for free.
Good ol' ezine articles! From my articles you can see that the last time I really used it was when I lived in Mexico. Like your way of enticing people to click.
Hi Rosana, great to meet a fellow EZiner :D Also congrats on selling your website on cleaning houses, good stuff! Yeah, having a strong CTA is important. And the more closely related it is to the article text, the better.
Very interesting article. My first impression on reading it was ezine articles, I've had an account with them for years and they produce excellent traffic as long as you play by the rules
Moving on to what you say about better than social media, well it would be because people Read the content as opposed to scrolling through
Hey Dave I'm glad you've also made a good experience with EZ in the past! Well, I wouldn't say that it is better than social media per se. As a matter of fact, I still think that if done right, social media will bring more traffic and scales better. However, my personal issue is that I'm still not very good at social media (I have very small accounts) but I'm accustomed to writing / blogging. Hence, article directories play to my strengths right now.
Social Media done right is very simple and an extension of what we do here. Networking and engaging.
You also need to choose the right platform or platforms to do this. Then it needs to be done daily making sure everything is channelled to your list
In terms of instant traffic though then yes using EZ is good and, if you are using similar type platforms then you will get instant traffic, with Twitter being the best example of this.
EZ is good, I have had an account for years and enjoy success with it
Thanks James,
This needs me to look further into your suggestions. (My daily “to-do-list seems to get longer, the more I understand, the more there is to understand. Just had an email from Google about fixing my breadcrumbs (not a clue..?)
Hi Cordelia, it is true, the "to-do" list grows longer and longer! I have the same issue :D Your breadcrumbs are the links at the top of your blog posts, showing in which category / subcategory / tag they belong to. For example "blog / reviews / ebooks". Check the top of your blog post to see! I hope this helps :)
A good article and a great reminder of the use of articles posted in article directories James.
Derek
Thanks for your comment Derek! It's true, there are so many things to do in an online business, sometimes we forget about certain strategies :D
Great minds:)?
I have been having a niggle about ezinearticles lately and looked up their spam score which was hit high from penguin and panda.
It seems they have recovered from that, and I have been noticing a few articles from there turning back up in google:).
I have written a couple of articles there to recently, mainly to see any impact for SEO but I do feel if they updated the editor to include more SEO features it could have another chance to reclaim it old Mojo.
nice work James time should tell
Cheers Rob
Robert, those are incredible traffic stats!! :O And CTRs of over 25% or even over 30%!! What's your secret CTA? :D
I've never written for EZ with the purpose of them ranking highly, to be honest. My plan was always the same: Tap into their existing reader base and forward traffic to a high converting page (step-by-step guide, squeeze page, or special offer).
And yeah, in the past it was also good for SEO through backlinks but I'm not sure how much of an impact this still has today.
I'm excited to hear you're also getting back into article directories, gives me confidence we might be onto something here :D
Thanks a lot for your comment and screenshot!
Thanks James. my highest was 48% lol
Writing for page one results was the in thing back then.
I am treading carefully CTR from there is practically non existent for me so far, but I aren't employing killer techniques like you...yet.
One article has been copied and pasted to a few non compliant publishers which is annoying but I think google is pretty smart now days and eventually gives all credit back to original.
As for SEO the spam score for them is currently 1 out of 10 so I don't think it will hurt at all.
It would be nice to keep in touch with each others results?
As far as I understand, EZ makes money by giving away their articles. So if someone needs an article for their website, instead of writing it themselves they can get it from EZ. I don't know what the exact terms are but it's something like this.
And for us that's great too because then more people see our resource box with the CTA and link :D
Yes, would be awesome to connect! I am most active here on WA and in my Discord group chat: https://discord.gg/yW3EnWM
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I need to start doing this ^.^
Let me know how it works out for you :D