Start by Being Quotable It's tough to stand out online. With millions of experts and websites on the Internet, what are your chances of getting noticed? Long odds, certainly. But that's not your biggest challenge.

Most fail to grab attention because what they're dishing out is dull - rehashing what's already been said, time and again. Content has been over-sold. It is NOT king if it's mediocre. Ezine editors and webmasters are selective about what they'll share with their readers. They know that too much of what's being submitted to them isn't worth passing along.

First, you must have something worth saying that connects with readers in a fresh, engaging way. People are starved for that - it's why they keep looking. There's less good stuff being written than you'd expect, given the vast sea of Web pages.

Jettison the bland and run of the mill. Spend sufficient time at this step because here's where many writers drop the ball. Write from your unique vision and real-life experiences. Make your words so interesting and relevant that people remember them. That's what gets your articles forwarded along and mentioned in passing (making you widely quoted).

Articles can quickly blanket the Internet with your expertise Writing and posting articles to many websites or newsletters rapidly spreads your message. Systematic submissions soon brand you as a trustworthy expert. - Focus your content to satisfy the interests of a definable group or niche - Develop a list of websites and ezines that reach them, where you can submit your output

To illustrate the speed that Google responds to posted articles, this is article #2 for my new website. It just went up November 1 - http://www.promotewitharticles.com

Two weeks after submitting article #1, I queried Google: "What Posting Articles Online did for my Google Page Rank in 90 Days". Results already showed 673 cites (many were repeats), and that's sure to increase. Remember, it's a brand-new site, so Google only learned it existed from that article.

The fact that you're already reading this one (submitted Day 14) demonstrates article marketing is working.

People go to the Internet to get information needed to make decisions Reliance on the Internet keeps growing. A Harris Interactive consumer survey (2004) found that 73% of adults are now online - 156 million users. That's up from 69% eight months before.

The Pew Internet and American Life Project found that most Internet users (80%) expect that they'll be able to find reliable detailed information online. They will go online first when they need information. Internet users say it matters to them that businesses have a Web presence, even if they intend to make purchases locally.

Other studies have found the Web is one of the most trusted sources for making major purchases and decisions - second only to spouses for finding referrals. Your well-placed articles bring you to the attention of people looking for what you have to say (wherever they are).

Get your article and message widely distributed and read

- Make it informative and useful An article is not a sales letter. Resist the temptation to sell. That should be confined to the signature (Sig, resource box) at the end. That's where you provide a link back to your own site from every website posting your article.

- Make it interesting Net surfers are unforgiving. If you're boring they're gone. Flat articles won't enhance your reputation or credibility. Your title needs to be a zinger that pulls the reader into the topic. Most readers won't read more than that.

- Make it relevant to specific people Too many articles fail to connect because they're written too generally to hit anyone's "bulls eye." Attempting to speak to "everybody" results in not speaking directly to anybody. There's no substitute for knowing precisely who you're trying to connect with, so you can address their concerns.

- Make it as unique as you are If you have a distinctive or quotable viewpoint, let it shine. Expose your personality. A little wit or self- revelation is welcomed. And if you can sustain it across repeated articles, readers will search you out.

Better than shouting from the rooftops Your posted articles provide your soapbox - as broad as the Web. So make the most of that exposure, and get you voice heard. Create a ripple of interest which you can continue to build on about yourself, your website, your book, etc. That's how reputations get made.

Discover everything you need at the Article Marketing Academy, http://www.promotewitharticles.com to find in- depth how-to from the experts. You, too can start finding yourself widely quoted in as little as a week. © 2004, Lynella Grant