This is one of the methods used to communicate the products or services you advertise, by using marketing articles as a method to build a list and find new readers in exchange for quality content or knowledge someone is looking for.

Using articles to build a list is most definitely all in the style of writing, and is a means to develop a communication connection with your readers. If the topic provides useful information, readers may decide to visit your site via the (back-link) URL you have provided when submitting the article.

This URL link is normally directly back to your blog, or in some instances a squeeze page; the “author resource box” is provided by the article directory submission site, read the instructions before posting. Make use of the Resource Box wisely to benefit from readership growth to your blog, keep them spellbound throughout the article using the closing paragraph to lead naturally into the resource box as a follow-through!

Personally I use EzineArticles, this being my preference because of the:

• detailed reports made available
• assistance and online guidance is offered
• articles must be your own content
• to top it off they have a high page ranking due to popularity.

This does not mean to say that just because you have submitted articles and they have been accepted, that your articles attract readers immediately, it may take some time before being recognized. Patience is an ingredient to success.

Like everything else you have done to get your blog up and running, keywords play an important part in the presentation of articles. Keywords used in the right places will assist people to find your publication. Find keywords on Google with low competition, if the words are highly competitive, look at ‘local’ or be more specific.

Example of a Google Search: List Building (results = 95 600 000) “List Building” (results = 135 000): now try - List Building New York (results = 167 000 000) and “list building New York” (results = 3). Use Google Ad Words: Keyword Tool and you will find some great tutorials, so give it a bash, if you haven’t done so already.

Keyword cramming is not acceptable, take the time to go through tutorials available online, and learn effective ways to use your selected keywords. Normally a mention or two of the keywords in the first three sentences, then referred to again in the closing sentence or paragraph are felt to be the norm.

For exceptionally long articles a 1% keyword density to a maximum of 3% is felt to be acceptable. This means an article with 1000 words will have no more than 10 to 30 keywords. Keep in mind to spread the keywords out over a long article, do not overuse keywords and make the article sound like a cheesy sales pitch.

Keep in mind what the goal is; by using articles to attract people via exceptionally good narration to your site, in the attempt to get subscribers to sign up onto your email list. Once signed up, you can go into more depth in Newsletters on a follow-up sequence via an auto responder.

Articles and Newsletters run on a similar path and must be, entertaining, contain knowledge being sought after or interesting content that will have people coming back. Remember writers are competing with video and audio, so be creative, very creative! Readers must be eagerly waiting to hear more of what you have to say, no matter what your topic, the goal is to get it going with list building - the ingredients to success.

Joan Stewart an entrepreneur living on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Currently assisting online business’ with solutions in Marketing and Social Media invites you to take up the challenge of List Building.

Visit http://blogbizbuzz.com to learn more.