Article writing has become popular recently. Search engines have changed the way they rank web sites and have begun to place a stronger value on good content. Correction: they have become better at filtering out commercial content, sales pitches, and advertising posing as content. One incredibly good method of achieving a web presence with good content is that of article writing. Why? It provides the content that the search engines are looking for. It provides meaningful content for the individual searching the web for good information. And it provides an avenue whereby the article writer can be noticed on the web. Where does niche marketing come in? First of all, lets define niche marketing as marketing that is designed to meet the needs of a small group of individuals (a niche), rather than the mass needs of individuals. For example, a particular type of pet owner, a particular type of web user, or a particular religious faith might be considered niche markets. For niche markets like these, traditional forms of mass Internet marketing, such as banner ads, classifieds, and traffic generation programs, are not as effective. The mass advertising forms are much more effective, cost-wise, when promoting a product that has wide market appeal. So what does the niche marketer do? Assuming he has a web presence, and provides a quality product or other solution to the niche customer’s needs, he can become involved in article writing. The articles would be of a particular interest to the niche customer. They would contain valuable information that the niche customer cannot find anywhere else. Sometimes article writers will write generic articles that really don’t provide any real benefit to the reader, thinking that an article is an article. That is simply not true. Think about yourself. When you read an article, if you do not learn something new when you read the article, are you disposed to learning more about the person, company, or products represented by the article writer? The key to writing articles for a niche market and effectively gaining web presence by doing it, is to write quality. Fill the article with useful information. Show the reader that you really are an expert in your niche. Give the reader a burning desire to want to hear more of what you have to say about their need. And the only way you can create that burning desire is to give them quality information in the first place. Good, well-written, articles are the key to niche marketing in today’s Internet marketing environment. Write articles, submit them to the most-used article databases, and watch your web site traffic grow. Note: You have my permission to reprint and distribute this article as long as it is distributed in its entirety, including all links. © Sean Mize 2006