As an article directory operator I find myself in a somewhat delicate position. I need authors to write and submit content. I therefore view them as valued customers, whilst also understanding that we both stand to benefit from our business arrangement. However, there are some things that authors must understand about directories, and their owners and operators.

For the owner, an article directory is an investment in terms of both time and money. By hosting the content submitted by authors, the directory hopes to recoup their operating costs and preferably turn a profit. They also exist to serve up quality content for their visitors and publishers, who, just like the authors, are also customers. If you write articles, your aim in submitting them to article directories is to spread your message to a wider audience, which is exactly what the directories help you to do. You also hope that third parties will find your work interesting enough to syndicate on their own websites and blogs, thus spreading your e-footprints even further.

Now, do you want to see your hard work buried in the middle of a pile of badly written barely understandable rubbish? If this happens, the chances of your well crafted articles being found are that much slimmer. Publishers soon tire of having to wade through 30 pieces of crap just to find one good article and will likely give up before ever reaching yours.

Using the same argument, do you really want to associate your name, your business and your reputation with very poor quality writing? If you are guilty of submitting rehashed PLR content, or repetitive strings of sentences "written" by software and passed off as an article, maybe you should reconsider your strategies.

There are too many mistakes made by would be article marketers to go into them all here. Making yourself look foolish by pontificating about a subject and then making rookie mistakes is a classic example of why you should not 'wing it' when writing articles. Using a title such as, 'How To Do Article Marketing", is a classic example, causing you to fall flat on your face before the first word of the first paragraph.

A few words to the wise from the other side of the fence. If an article directory is worth submitting to, they will insist on certain quality guidelines. They are often operated by just one person who acts as webmaster and editor. They will probably receive hundreds of articles every week, all of which have to be approved - this means they have to read them. If the title or the first few lines are badly written, you stand a very good chance of being declined or deleted. There is a difference and much of the time it is far more expedient to just vaporize your article completely - no explanation, no second chance.

They will also recognize the names of individual authors very quickly, so if you submit rubbish on a consistent basis, they are likely to delete anything with your name on after a short period of time, often without even reading it. Like it or not, mud sticks, so recovering a position of trust might take some time. Don't get off on the wrong foot by ignoring the rules of the directory in question, as you will probably find yourself reciprocally ignored in short order, defeating the entire purpose of your article writing.

So, my message to article directory owners and authors is simple. Focus on quality writing and quality content. This must be placed above all else if the benefits of articles as a means of promotion are to remain. No quality means no winners. Get tougher on the spam, the ad copy, the irrelevant linking, the keyword stuffing and demand basic literacy before blindly publishing to the world at large. If you do not, the barbarians will soon take over the city.

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