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First, is there anything I should consider when choosing a site to distribute the article? (I know we can't discuss specific sites, but I'm sure I can research a general suggestion to find a good distribution site).
Secondly, is it at all advantageous to have anchor text links in the article to various sub-pages of my site, or should I just have a link at the end of the article to my home page?
I see some sites that charge for distribution. Is paying necessary for better results, or would Google view an article submission to such sites as a form of paid links?
Thanks for any replies.
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... and there's plenty of similar threads!
There have been so many posts on the subject of article distribution that I'm completely confused as to whether articles are a good idea or not.
What I do know is that getting one way links or even reciprocal links, especially in a very competitive niche, is much harder than it was just a couple of years ago.
The article I was thinking about writing would be a balanced one covering a very timely topic. Perhaps an article that gets attention by making some pretty controversial statements would get more notice. But, if such an article is not going to be of any value to Google, then why write it?
The issue about publishing on other sites is mostly (I think) about the quality of those sites.
While the there's little argument about some sites (New York Times?), once you get to article farms, it's a very different story.
Most have virtually no readership, no 'link value' - nothing. Except they exist, and can often give you duplicate content problems.
A few - mostly the more specialized - may get you a few referrals.
But the article on your own site, in the long term, would probably of much greater value; helping you to 'critical mass', getting return visitors, getting your site discussed, referred to, bookmarked and linked to.
In most cases, a much, much better deal. Article Farms do little for you; why give them a free gift of your work?
From the posts I've read, it seems that many people think that the danger of duplicate content would arise from more established sites publishing an article from a new site. The new site doesn't have the TrustRank, and so the content is viewed as duplicate, even though the owner of the new site was the original author.
As much as anything regarding Google makes sense, that point does. Which is why I was considering writing an article that wouldn't appear on my own site.
Give the article sites a smaller 'teaser' article.
