3 Things You Must Do Before You Submit to Article Directories

To all writers and aspiring content creators: now is the time to revive your creative writing skills. In today’s digital world, information-based marketing has become one of the most powerful tools for attracting prospects and turning them into customers. This is why article writing, submission, and publication have grown in popularity—they’re a low-cost, high-impact method for building brand awareness and generating leads.

There are numerous tools available to make article submission easier, but convenience doesn’t guarantee results. Before hitting the submit button, you need to avoid some common mistakes and understand the key elements that make your article successful.

Here are three essential things you must do before submitting your content to article directories:

1. Understand the Purpose: Write to Inform, Not Just Promote

One of the biggest mistakes writers make is confusing why they write an article with why they promote it. While the promotional goals of article marketing—branding, lead generation, and exposure—are valid, the primary reason to write an article is to inform and provide value.

If your article is solely promotional or filled with fluff, no one will want to read it—let alone click on your resource box. And without engagement, even the best promotional strategy fails.

To write articles that resonate:

Focus on solving a problem or answering a common question in your niche.
Keep your tone informative, neutral, and credible.
Use a clean structure: headline, intro, key points, and conclusion.

When you prioritize value and clarity, your readers will naturally follow your call to action.

2. Maximize Promotional Opportunities Strategically

Many writers are aware that submitting articles to directories creates backlinks, which help SEO. However, they often fail to optimize these opportunities to their full potential.

To boost the effectiveness of your article marketing:

Strategically place keywords within the title, introduction, and subheadings to improve search engine visibility.
Avoid keyword stuffing—focus on natural language and readability.
Use anchor text for backlinks when possible, though be aware that many directories do not support HTML formatting.
Write articles that other publishers want to republish, increasing your exposure exponentially.

Don’t stop at the backlinks. Focus on writing articles that demonstrate authority and are worth syndicating. This increases your chances of being picked up by publishers with large audiences, giving your content far greater reach.

Also, have a clear plan: know the goal of each article, whether it’s driving traffic, boosting SEO, or positioning yourself as an expert.

3. Ensure Your Content Helps Readers—and Meets Submission Guidelines

Some writers fall into the trap of focusing only on link-building. They throw together content with little regard for quality, assuming that any article will get accepted. But not all directories accept low-quality content, and many have strict editorial standards.

Here’s how to ensure your article gets accepted and widely shared:

Provide useful, original, and relevant information.
Avoid overly promotional language or generic fluff.
Run your article through spell check and grammar tools.
Follow the editorial guidelines of each directory—some may require word counts, formatting, or topic restrictions.
Hire a professional writer or editor if needed to ensure your article meets quality expectations.

Remember, one article published in a reputable directory can reach thousands of readers, especially if it’s picked up by third-party publishers. Writing for quality—not just quantity—is the smarter long-term strategy.

Final Thoughts:

You have a choice: submit quick, low-quality articles that may get rejected or buried—or invest a bit more time into creating high-value content that brings traffic, authority, and real results.

Understanding the difference between general-submission articles and niche-targeted content will help you determine what kind of articles to write, and where to submit them.

In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, quality and strategy always win over shortcuts. Follow these three essential tips, and your article marketing efforts will yield much better returns.