Article Distribution Vs. Guest Blogging: Is There A Difference?

[copywriter]

Truth is, article marketing is not devoid of search engine benefits as some claim. While the link quality of article directories themselves may have been degraded over time, they only account for one source of links.

Read the entire article.

[acwebguru]

certainly guest blogging is undoubtedly a new found area of work for SEO executives but it is more than just getting links. It is also about creating an online identity, bolstering reputation and above all, it is a shrewd marketing campaign.

[Jack16]

Does article marketing really helps to get traffic for any business?

[copywriter]

Yes, when done correctly, it does. I get about 1/3 of my leads from people who have read my articles on sites/publications other than mine.

[Tom Lindstrom]

Instead of sending articles to article directories, it´s a much better idea to post them on your blog.When people visit your blog and submit your articles to social sites you will get a much bigger exposure.Also, blog posts get indexed fast (often within hours) when it can take months before you see any results from an article you have submitted to a directory.

[copywriter]

There are pros and cons to both, Tom. Creating a custom list for distribution that includes article database sites, offline outlets, social media and sites specifically targeted to your audience is the best bet. Especially for those who may not have already have a blog.

And, yes, including them on your own site or blog (if you have one), like you said.

IMO, putting all your eggs in one basket with any trend is usually not the best way to go because trends rapidly change. The Internet is proof positive of that, for sure

[Rachel Rofe]

I like to do both. I'll post an article on EzineArticles, wait for it to get approved, and then post to both directories and guest blogs - getting the best of all worlds.

I've gotten a LOT of traffic from EZA. Here's a screenshot of just one of my accounts:

...so I would never write it off. Besides, I have never EVER gotten hit by the "Duplicate Content" penalty that so many people speak of.

Writing articles also helps because then you're a "guest blogger" on all the blogs that choose to copy and paste your article, making it a win-win again!

[copywriter]

I think you may have this backwards. The article directories don't provide quality links. It is when your article is picked up from an article directory and reprinted on another website that good back links come into play.

Blogs (all pages, not just the home page) get indexed and ranked very quickly and - depending on the blog - offer much higher link quality than article directory sites.