26 Small Business Websites You Can Trust

With so many scams and rip-offs prevalent on the Internet, I decided to compile a list of small business websites you can actually trust and rely on.

In order to compile my list, I surveyed hundreds of small business owners, and asked them which small business services they used, trusted and would recommend to others.

Whichever website received the most votes in each category are the websites you see listed here.

I had two main criteria for a website to make my list:

1. Proof of Customer Satisfaction. The website had to have legitimate, verifiable customer testimonials. If I couldn't verify the testimonials, the website was disqualified. It's that simple.

2. Stability. The website had to have a verifiable online track record of at least three years.

Following are the results of my survey, listed alphabetically:

1. Anti-Virus Protection

AVG
http://avg.com
Online since: 2006

AVG is a respected industry leader with award winning free anti-virus protection, serving over 110 million customers worldwide. AVG's customers rely on AVG to protect them 24 hours a day. Unfortunately, today's sophisticated security threats go way beyond viruses, and only AVG has the protection arsenal needed to combat the Internet's most serious online threats.

2. Article Distribution Service

Steve Shaw
SubmitYourArticle
http://www.submityourarticle.com
Online since 2003

Neil Stafford of InternetMarketingReview.com calls SubmitYourArticle the "Rolls Royce of article distribution services." SYA must be doing something right, because Internet Marketing heavy hitters like Willie Crawford swear by their service.

3. Autoresponder Service

Tom Kultzer
Aweber
http://aweber.com
Online since: 1998

Aweber is the undisputed "King" of autoresponder services. Their growing team of knowledgeable professionals share a wealth of experience with over 75,000 clients worldwide.

4. Blogging Platform

WordPress
http://wordpress.com
Online since: 2003

While Google's Blogger may be more popular, in terms of shear number of users, WordPress is the runaway favorite blogging platform among small business owners who responded to my survey.

5. Business Coach

Irene Leonard
Coaching for Change
http://www.coachingforchange.com
Online since: 1998

Just like a good coach in sports can help athletes reach their potential, a good business coach can help business professionals reach their potential in their business and personal lives.

Irene Leonard is just such a coach. She has a sincere passion for helping people achieve extraordinary results in their professional and personal lives. Her extensive training and expertise makes her unusually well-qualified for helping you identify and advance your goals.

6. Copywriting Service

Michele Pariza Wacek
http://www.writingusa.com
Online since 2003

Considered one of the most gifted direct response copywriters and marketing consultants in the industry, Michele PW (Michele Pariza Wacek) has a well-deserved reputation for crafting copy and creating online and offline marketing campaigns that get results.

7. Direct Mail Service

Valpak
http://www.valpak.com
Online since: 1994

Since 1968, Valpak has helped hundreds of thousands of businesses just like yours attract new customers and keep their existing customers coming back for more. In fact, last year alone, Valpak delivered over 20 billion offers in more than 521 million familiar blue envelopes.

8. Domain Registration Service

GoDaddy
http://www.godaddy.com
Online since: 2002

No real surprise here. When it comes to domain registration for small businesses, GoDaddy rules! Their combination of competitive prices and excellent customer service are truly hard to beat.

9. Editing Service

Barbara McNichol
Barbara McNichol Editorial
http://barbaramcnichol.com
Online since: 1997

Barbara McNichol and her team will add credibility to your small business. They will expertly edit your nonfiction books and book proposals, speaker and book promo one-sheets and articles, reports, blogs, ezines, ebooks and pretty much anything else you need to have edited.

10. E-mail Marketing Service

Janine Popick
Vertical Response
http://verticalresponse.com
Online since: 2001

Over 500,000 small businesses and non-profit organizations depend on VerticalResponse to send their e-mail marketing campaigns. Whether you're sending an e-mail newsletter to a few dozen subscribers or an e-mail marketing promotion to thousands, VR simplifies your e-mail marketing to the nth degree.

11. Hosting Service

HostGator
http://www.hostgator.com
Online since: 2002

I've used several hosting companies in the past, but I've never experienced the level of customer service and professionalism that HostGator delivers. They take your business seriously, and they're extremely pleasant to deal with.

12. Incorporation Service

Scott Letourneau
Nevada Corporation Planners
http://www.nvinc.com
Online since: 1997

Looking for a one-stop corporate planner that you can trust? Look no further than NCP. They provide everything you need - and then some! By the way, don't let their name fool you, NCP incorporates in all 50 states.

13. Keyword Research Tool

Keyword Discovery
http://www.keyworddiscovery.com
Online since: 2004

With a database of over 36 Billion searches tracked over a 12 month period, KeywordDiscovery is the most comprehensive keyword research service available.

Not only can it can help you identify the keywords your customers are using, it will also suggest related keywords you need to look at, common spelling mistakes as well as how your industry keywords are impacted by seasonal search trends.

14. Logo Design Service

Andre Le Roux
Biz-Logo.com
http://www.biz-logo.com
Online since: 2004

I've actually purchased several logos from this company over the last several years, for my various websites. And I can personally vouch for their talent and professionalism. Not only do they do great work, they do everything they can to make sure that you're satisfied with the final product.

15. Marketing Consultants

Illise Benum & Peleg Top
Marketing Mentor
http://marketing-mentor.com
Online since: 2004

Marketing Mentor is a growing team of experts with extensive experience in marketing and business development.

Their mission is to help you learn the tools you need to market your services, get your ideal clients, grow your business and create the necessary work/life balance that is ideal for you.

16. Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Chitika
http://chitika.com
Online since 2001

It's not exactly a secret that Google is the industry leader, when it comes to pay-per-click advertising. But believe it or not, not everyone is in love with Google's ppc services. So, I surveyed small business owners to find out which ppc company, other than Google they preferred. I got my answer.

Chitika (pronounced CHIH-tih-ka), is a full-service on-line advertising network serving over 2 billion monthly impressions, across more than 30,000 websites. If you're unhappy with Adsense or Adwords, Chitika is an excellent alternative.

17. Payment Processing

PayPal
http://www.paypal.com
Online since: 1999

Again, no surprise here. When it comes to payment processing among small businesses, there's PayPal and then there's everybody else.

18. Press Release Distribution Service

PRWeb
http://www.prweb.com
Online since: 1997

Like GoDaddy and PayPal, PRWeb was a runaway winner among press release distribution services.

19. Printing Service

Got Print
http://gotprint.net
Online since: 2003

Got Print utilizes the most modern and innovative equipment and products in the printing industry. In addition to having excellent customer service, they use state-of-the-art Heidelberg Offset presses, producing the highest quality, brilliant finished products that are also environmentally friendly.

20. Publicity/PR Expert

Dan Janal
PR Leads
http://www.prleads.com
Online since: 2001

Publicity expert Dan Janal and PR LEADS has helped more than 4,000 business experts, solo PR firms, and small businesses get the publicity they need to grow their businesses.

21. SEO/SEM Services

Stoney deGeyter
Pole Position Marketing
http://www.polepositionmarketing.com
Online since: 2005

Pole Position Marketing is a proven and respected leader in the SEO industry helping business of all sizes expand their online presence and increase their return-on-investment. Bottom line: Stoney knows his stuff!

22. Shopping Cart

1ShoppingCart
http://www.1shoppingcart.com
Online since: 2000

Used by over 25,000 businesses worldwide, 1ShoppingCart provides effective online tools to help businesses large and small achieve success online. This, combined with their excellent customer service has allowed 1ShoppingCart to help small start-ups to multi-million dollar enterprises grow their businesses.

23. Social Media Consultant

Allen Mireles
Allen Mireles Social Media Consulting
http://allenmireles.com
Online since: 2002

Allen Mireles is a social media consultant who introduces companies to hidden social media tips, tricks and strategies that will help them grow their businesses. She has been involved in social media since 2006 and was recently called one of "The Top 25 Very Smart Businesswomen to Follow on Twitter."

24. Virtual Assistant

Rosalind Harris
Instant Assistant
http://instantassistant.net
Online since: 2006

I can personally vouch for this outstanding VA, having used her services on numerous occasions. "Roz" provides friendly, personal and professional service with great attention to detail.

25. Website Analytics

Google Analytics
http://www.google.com/analytics/
Online since: 1997

Since I've been online, I've always used paid analytics services. But after Google Analytics blew away the competition in my survey, I decided to try GA...and I like it. I like it a lot. Great, great analytics.

I like everything about GA except the fact, it isn't real-time. There's a significant lag time in the delivery of your stats. Call it nitpicking, if you like, but I like having up-to-the minute stats. I just do. So, in addition to GA, I also use a paid service.

26. Website Design/Templates

Network Solutions
http://www.networksolutions.com
Online since: 1998

No company makes doing business on the Internet any easier than Network Solutions. Whether you need a professional looking website, hosting, e-mail or a domain name, Network Solutions has everything you need all under one roof...at very affordable prices.

Scams, Rip-Offs and the Psychology of Greed

Suppose you won a million dollars in the lottery, and in order to collect your winnings, lottery officials required you to enter a special vault that was protected by a high-voltage electrical barrier.

Would you attempt to enter that vault for a million dollars, or would you walk away and forfeit your winnings?

My guess is while most of you would probably walk away, a few of you would attempt to enter that vault. After all, no risk, no reward right?

Amazingly, every single day, people are performing the equivalent of the aforementioned lottery analogy by entering a vault of scams, despite all the obvious warning signs.

And guess what happens? They get electrocuted...metaphorically speaking, of course.

But why? Why do so many people continue to fall victim to obvious rip-offs and scams both online and off? Personally, I find it beyond comprehension that so many people can be that gullible - but the evidence suggests they are.

A couple of years ago, I remember reading a story about the arrest of the notorious spammer, Robert Alan Soloway. How notorious was he? It is estimated that he sent out billions of e-mails a day. Yes, I said billions with a "B."

Among the myriad of Internet schemes he was involved with, he sent out e-mails claiming he would send as many as 20 million e-mail advertisements in two weeks for $495.

And gullible consumers fell for his scams hook, line and sinker. Authorities estimated he raked in approximately 1.6 million dollars from his illegal enterprise.

Which brings me back to the question...Why? Why do people continue to fall for this nonsense. We've all heard the warning cliches, since we were children:

"Let the buyer beware."

"If it sounds to good to be true..."

Phishing Anyone?

For example, with all the talk in the media nowadays about identity theft, how is it possible that so many people continue to fall for "phishing" scams?

For those of you not familiar with phishing scams, it's basically a spam e-mail or pop-up advertisement stating words to this effect:

"We suspect an unauthorized transaction on your account. To ensure that your account is not compromised, please click the link below and confirm your identity."

Phishing is designed to steal your personal information, credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security number, passwords, or other sensitive information.

If you get an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, delete it immediately. Whatever you do, DO NOT click on the link in the message. Legitimate companies DON'T ask for this information via email.

Another scam that people continue to be victimized by, that always leaves me scratching my head is the "Nigerian Letter Scam." This classic scam has been been around for decades. Here's how it works:

Nigerian Letter Scam

You receive an e-mail from someone claiming to be a Nigerian official, relative or the surviving spouse of a former king or prince. Con artists offer to transfer millions of dollars into your bank account in exchange for a small fee. If you respond to the initial offer, you may receive some "official looking" documents. Typically, you're then asked to provide blank letterhead and your bank account numbers, as well as some money to cover transaction and transfer costs and attorney's fees.

Sensing another easy payday, the con artists keep stringing you along making up excuses for the delay of the transfer, and asking for more and more money. And in some instances, you may even be encouraged to travel to Nigeria or a border country to collect your riches. Of course, there really wasn't any money to begin with, and you can kiss the money you sent them goodbye.

A word of warning...there have been reports of people traveling to Nigeria to meet with these con artists and being murdered.

So, why with a worldwide communication medium like the Internet, where news both good and bad travels at the speed of light do people keep getting ripped-off by same old scams? And why do the con artists who orchestrate and commit these scams do so?

In my opinion, it comes down to one thing - greed. Or as David Hannum once stated, "There's a sucker born every minute." (And yes, it was Hannum who originally coined that phrase, not PT Barnum as has been erroneously reported.)

The Demon Greed

In her book Greed: The Seven Deadly Sins, author Phyllis Tickle states:

"Greed is a sin we see readily in others, but rarely acknowledge as our own--and therein lies its power."

And Chinese philosopher Chuang Tzu once stated:

He who considers wealth a good thing can never bear to give up his income; he who considers eminence a good thing can never bear to give up his fame. He who has a taste for power can never bear to hand over authority to others. Holding tight to these things, such men shiver with fear; should they let them go, they would pine in sorrow."

But this quote by Janwillem van de Wetering is my favorite:

"Greed is a fat demon with a small mouth and whatever you feed it is never enough."

The Psychology of Greed

I completely agree with the aforementioned quotes, and I think they accurately explain why people like Bernie Madoff - individuals who have so much want so much more. It's almost like they're drug addicts - junkies addicted to material wealth, and they'll do whatever it takes to get that next fix - including rip-off family members and friends.

In fact, in his article "Looking at Greed as an Addictive Dysfunction," psychotherapist Mel Schwartz writes:

"The saga of the Bernard Madoff debacle, AIG bonuses and the host of other repugnant behaviors actually reveal a terrible dysfunction in our culture, which has now come to our screeching attention. We are a society that is addicted and ultimately maddened by our obsession with profligate abundance and extravagance. How inconceivable is it that a man who has attained so much success and wealth and earned the rewards of privilege and prestige, feels compelled to ruin himself and his investors in his vainglorious attempt to have yet more? When is enough yet enough?

Madoff is a sick man; not simply due to the devastation that he unleashed on so many, but because his craving is no different than a junkie prepared to do anything for their next fix."

Well said, Mr. Schwartz, well said. And I couldn't agree more. Bernie Madoff and his ilk are scumbags, plain and simple.

How to Avoid Being Scammed

So how can you protect yourself from being scammed?

First of all, you should realize, at some point in their life, everyone has been scammed at some level. And if you haven't yet been a victim, it's probably just a matter of time.

That being said, there are definitely some common sense steps that you can take to greatly reduce your chances of becoming a victim:

1. Unless you signed up to receive e-mail solicitations from a particular company, DELETE all spam. DON'T open it, and DON'T send scam artists your hard-earned money!

2. DON'T EVER respond to any e-mail or pop-up that asks you to login to your account to confirm your personal information. Legitimate companies would NEVER ask you to confirm your personal information via an e-mail.

3. DON'T EVER accept offers or business propositions at face value - not even from friends or family members. ALWAYS check things out with with the Better Business Bureau, Department of Consumer Affairs and the Attorney General.

In addition, websites like Scam.com and RipOffReport.com can be very helpful in avoiding scams.

4. Use common sense. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

Article Marketing Success Tips: How to Write and Promote Articles

One of the most powerful and effective ways of promoting your business is through the method of article marketing. However, like any other marketing method, in order for article marketing to be successful, it has to be executed properly.

This article will teach you how to properly execute the method of article marketing.

In order to get the absolute maximum potential out of your articles, they must not only be appealing to potential readers, they must be appealing to search engines as well. Therefore, this article will discuss both the research you must do before writing an article, as well as provide an outline on how to actually write an article.

Before writing your article you must:

1. Create an outline

The outline of your article should include a headline or title, an opening, body, or what I like to call the "heart," close and resource box. Let's discuss each of these components in detail:

Headline - The purpose of the headline is to get the readers attention, and compel her to read your article. But if your headline is weak, chances are, your article won’t get noticed, and won’t attract nearly as many eyeballs as it could have.

Here’s an interesting stat that will help drive home my point. On average, 8 out of 10 people will read your article's headline, but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest of your article?

That means most people will decide whether or not to read your article, based solely on how compelling your headline is. In other words, if your headline doesn’t capture the readers imagination, your article simply won't attract as many eyeballs. That’s why it's critical to get the readers attention with a compelling headline.

This is especially true for online copy, because Internet users are notorious scanners. Here are a few examples of compelling headlines:

The 10 Biggest SEO Myths Exposed
The Seduction of Internet Marketing Newbies
Obama, Giant Lollipops and Unique Selling Propositions
How to Write Headlines That Make Readers Slam On Their Eyeball Brakes

By the way, those are all real headlines from real articles. In fact, I'm the author of each of those articles. Notice how each headline peaks your curiosity, and makes you want to read more?

If you would like to learn how to write compelling headlines, I suggest you Google my article, How to Write Headlines That Make Readers Slam On Their Eyeball Brakes.

Opening - Your opening paragraph should pick right up from where your headline left off. Don't waste your readers time with a bunch of irrelevant fluff, for the purpose of filling out your article. Get to the point. Be concise with your words, and explain what the article is all about in your opening paragraph.

Body - The body or "heart" of of your article is where you provide the beef. In other words, this is where you explain in detail how you can help the reader solve her problem. Be specific, and give verifiable facts, figures and proof whenever possible.

Also, when making your case in your article, break up each point into separate paragraphs or bullet points. Better yet, create subheads for each point. This will make your article easier to read, as most Internet users are notorious scanners, as I stated earlier.

Close - There is no iron-clad rule for closing an article. Some experts suggest closing your article by briefly summarizing your most important points. Others suggest closing with a call to action. My position is don't worry about how you're going to close your article. Just write, and let the flow of the article and your writing momentum lead you to a natural conclusion.

Besides, some would argue that the resource box is the actual close anyway, since it's the last thing that readers see.

Resource Box - In essence, a resource box is classified advertisement about your business. In fact, the resource box is the only place in your article that you should promote your business.

You`ll get far more click-thru's from your resource box, if you provide a benefit to the reader, as opposed to just nonchalantly listing what product or service you sell.

For example, instead of just saying "Visit David Jackson`s Website Design, " which is weak and ineffective. Say "Visit David Jackson`s Website Design - Award Winning Website Design At Small Budget Prices!"

Again, always provide a benefit to the reader, so that she is compelled to click-thru to your website or landing page.

As a rule, I tend to keep my resource box relatively short - no more than a two or three lines. However, it is permissible to have a resource box that is five or six lines long.

Oh, one more thing. For best results, make sure your resource box is relevant to the overall theme of your article. For example, if your article is about pet grooming, your resource box should be relevant to pets - not how to grow the world's largest tomato.

2. Choose a topic

Your number one goal for writing an article should be to write about a topic that solves the readers problem - not promote your business . Unfortunately, many article marketers make the fatal mistake of writing about themselves or their business, instead of writing useful content that solves the readers problem. Then they wonder why article marketing isn't working for them.

ALWAYS think about the reader, and solving her problems first. If you do that, chances are your article marketing efforts will be successful.

So what should you write about? Write about things you know, and are passionate about. For example, I love marketing. I have a twenty year background in sales and marketing, so those are the topics I write about.

Perhaps, you have a passion for cooking, or scuba diving, or building model trains, or barbie dolls. Whatever the topic, it's important that you have a real passion for it. Why? Because that passion will shine through in your writing, and make your articles much more effective and enjoyable for readers.

If you have difficulty coming up with a topic you feel passionate about, visit topical forums, and read online newsletters or magazines related to your field of interest. One of my favorite ways of coming up with ideas to write about is by watching the news on tv.

3. Research your topic

Even if you have complete mastery of a topic, do your research. Double-check your facts and figures. Why? Because nothing stays the same, things change. New technology comes along. Improvements are made. What may have been a working concept a year or two ago may no longer be viable. Be sure that what you're writing is well-researched and completely accurate. Otherwise, you will damage your credibility.

4. Research your keywords

I said earlier, in order to get the absolute maximum potential out of your articles, your articles must not only be appealing to potential readers, they must be appealing to search engines as well. This means sprinkling searchable keywords throughout your articles (including your title) that attract search engine spiders. The best way to research appropriate keywords is through the use of keyword suggestion tools.

An excellent keyword suggestion tool can be found at:

http://www.keyworddiscovery.com/search.html

By the way, when interspersing your researched keywords into your article, be careful not to repeat them so often that they looked forced. Overdoing it with keywords (keyword stuffing) will make your article read unnaturally, and will lead to an unpleasant experience for your readers.

In addition, if search engine spiders discover too many of the same keywords in your article they will penalize your article for spamming. This will adversely affect the search engine ranking of that article. It might even get your site blacklisted if the spiders detect a pattern of keyword stuffing on your site.

So, what is the correct density of keywords for an article? Personally, I don't think keyword density even exists as a calcuable numeric constant.

5. Write your article

Remember, and I can't emphasize this point enough. Your goal should NOT be to promote your business in your article. Your goal should be to solve the readers problem - period. That's the only thing you should be focused on. The place to promote your business is in the resource box - and that's the only place.

When writing your article, write in a folksy, conversational style, like you're talking to your best friend or a family member.

Also, don't worry about the length of your article, just write. It's more important to let your thoughts and ideas flow freely, than worry about the length of your article. Besides, after you finish your article, if you feel it's too long, you can always break it up into two or more parts.

An excellent tool for counting the number of words in your article can be found at:

http://www.wordcounttool.com/

Most online publishers prefer articles that are between 500-800 words and will not accept articles that exceed those lengths. Others prefer longer articles, over 800 words. So be sure to read the publication's guidelines, before you submit your article.

6. Overcoming writer's block

Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, ideas and thoughts just aren't forthcoming. When that happens, don't force the issue. Put the writing aside for awhile, and go listen to your favorite CD, go for a walk, take a long drive, go see a movie.

Do whatever you like to do to relax your mind. Then come back later, and try writing your article with a fresh outlook.

7. Let your article marinate

After you finish writing your article, let it marinate for a couple of days. Then come back and proof-read it with fresh eyes. This will enable you to find any spelling, punctuation or grammatical errors you may have missed the first time around, as well as rewrite or change certain parts to make the article flow better.

8. Spell Check your article

Once you're completely satisfied with the final version of your article, ALWAYS run it through spell check a couple of times to check for any spelling errors you may have missed when reading your article. A word of caution, however. Spell check is a great tool, but it's hardly infallible.

After running your article through spell check, re-read it a few more times to be certain there aren't any spelling errors spell check might have missed.

You also want to make sure that your article has a nice rhythm and flow to it, and doesn't go off on tangents. If you're unsure about the flow of your article, ask other people to read it to get their feedback.

An excellent spell check tool can be found at:

http://orangoo.com/spellcheck/

9. Should you format your article?

Most ezine publishers prefer articles to be formatted to 60-65 characters per line. This is mainly for the convenience of their subscribers who receive their ezines via e-mail. If the sentence length is longer than this, the article may break up during delivery and be impossible to read.

However, if you plan on submitting your article to article directories exclusively, it probably isn't necessary to format your articles, as nowadays, most article directories will automatically format your article.

This is also the case with many online publications. However, whether you're submitting to article directories or publishers, ALWAYS read the article submission guidelines, before submitting your article, to prevent your article from being unnecessarily rejected.

In the event you need to format your article, an excellent formatting tool can be found at:

http://bookyourselfsolid.com/format_text_tool.php

10. Write Consistently

Writing one or two articles and then quitting isn't article marketing. Article marketing requires writing lots of articles, consistently over time. You must be totally committed to article marketing, or it simply will not bear fruit.

That means that you must write articles - even on days when you don't necessarily feel like writing. You must set-up a writing schedule and strictly adhere to that schedule. Article marketing requires discipline and consistency.

11. Publish your article

Before submitting your article elsewhere, ALWAYS publish it on your own website first. Then wait approximately 48 hours, before submitting it elsewhere for publication.

The reason for publishing your article on your own website first is so that spiders crawling your website will recognize your article as original content. As a result, your website will be indexed in the search engines as being the original source of the content.

12. Submit Your Article For Publication

So where should you submit your articles? The popular thing to do is to submit your article to top article directories, or article distribution services that promise to blast your article to thousands of publishers that you may not even want publishing your article.

But is that the most effective way to promote your article? I think not. Here's why: When you submit your article to article directories or use an article distribution service, chances are your article will get buried among the thousands of other article submissions.

Instead, why not choose one or two quality publications that you would like to be featured in, then focus on developing a relationship with those publications?"

That's exactly the method I use, and I can tell you from first-hand experience, it's extremely effective. I've established a relationship with a couple of select authority sites, and I submit my articles to them exclusively. If you want to have some control over where your articles are published, I advise you to do likewise.

That being said, I realize that it's not realistic or even appropriate for everyone who writes articles to submit them for publication. After all, not everyone who writes articles writes well enough to be published in reputable, top tier newsletters and magazines.

Unlike most article directories that will publish virtually anything that's submitted to them, authority sites reject far more articles than they accept. That's just a fact.

That's why it's important to be completely honest with yourself about your writing ability, and give yourself a reality check. Compare your articles to the ones that are published in top tier newsletters and magazines in your chosen field. Better yet, get an honest assessment of your articles from friends and family members.

After that, if you honestly feel that your articles are as good or better than the articles in those publications, then go ahead and submit to them. Otherwise, submit to article directories whose approval process is much less stringent.

Top article directories include EzineArticles.com, ArticlesBase.com, GoArticles.com and IdeaMarketers.com.

In closing, article marketing can be an extremely powerful tool in your marketing toolbox, but like any tool, it is only as good as the execution behind it.