You have a website? To generate traffic to your website you will need content – or Articles.

The definition of an “Article” in this case is:
“A relatively short and informative piece of writing that conveys the subject’s idea or concept to the reader, which needs to be done in a manner that is both interesting and useful.”

To expand on this definition, there are three key words that will help explain the framework and the content, but first you just need to look in your morning paper to see examples of articles and the variety of subjects covered. Some are very short at around 300 words,
while others can be 2000 words or more.

"Informative" is the most important parameter. An article must inform the reader in a simple and as concise a manner as possible, about the subject, and educate them.

"Relatively short" is another parameter. Obviously the length of an article will depend on the subject matter. An article's length will be determined by the amount of information
that you are trying to pass on to the reader. For example, an article about "Making Home Made Jam" will be far shorter than one on "Dairy Farming".

“Interesting” is another very important parameter. If the reader loses interest part way through the article, then there is a potential customer lost. Ensure the article is no longer than it needs to be.

If you go back to the daily newspaper for a second - after reading an article ask yourself the following questions:
– Was it informative?
- Was it interesting?
– Did I learn from it?
- Was it too long and boring?

A very important characteristic of an article for your website is that the subject needs to be related to the website’s general theme. Articles based on web hosting or domains would not be of interest to the visitors on a website for Acne. At the same time surfers chasing
a keyword on domains would not be interested in landing on a website related to Acne. In other words relevant content/information is essential.

You must not lose sight of the reason for including Articles on your website. Essentially they are there to attract potential customers who are searching the web for specific items. The keyword(s) searched for will find the Article on your website which is set for that
keyword. Now you have a visitor and your article is the first impression he (she) gets of what is available on your website. Make the most of it.

This is where it is necessary to extend the definition of an Article for a website in order to define what it is NOT. An Article is not meant to be an advertisement. No one in their right mind wants to read a three-page epistle to "Your Product", or how great your services to Internet Marketing are.
These types of articles will create a bad impression of your site. Quality articles are circulated and read over and over again, those that simply advertise are tagged as uninteresting and do not get circulated. The result is a drop in traffic to the website.

This crucial concept is missed by so many Marketers and they keep falling into the trap of promoting their products or service in the article. This will only mark the site as having no real content and that it is only an advertising site with nothing of interest to see. The website traffic will slow to a crawl.

It is essential not to lose sight of the power of articles (content). It is the quality of articles (content) that will improve the website's ranking in the Search Engines, thereby generating more traffic. It is the quality of Articles (content) that will attract the visitors to your website again and again, and by doing so, increase your sales.

Though your ultimate goal in generating articles for your website is to increase sales, believe it or not, subtlety still has a place in Internet marketing. By providing people with quality articles at no cost to them, you will reach a far greater audience—and convert more
visitors into buyers.

Author Derek Jones - http://newbieshelp.com