Once you've written and submitted a few articles – hopefully several – it's time to start promoting them. While it's wonderful that you've got your articles out there for people to read and publish, to make the most of them, you have to do a little promotion. There are five main steps you should take to make sure you get the most mileage from your articles:
1. Tweet about your article. 
Let people know when you have a new article listed in a directory by tweeting a link to your followers. Letting them know about new information available from you is a quick and easy way to spread the word. A simple tweet should include the topic and the link. Stick to under 120 characters so people have room to retweet your message without having it get cut off.
2. Post it on your blog.
While you don't want to post the whole article, you can allude to it at the end of another post. For instance, "Want to read more about how to train your parakeet in a week or less? Check out my new article, "Tricks and Treats for Parakeets," and then link to the page.
3. Create a reprints page.
Create a list of your articles on a separate page on your blog or website. Link to it from the main page with a sentence that says, "Want more information on parakeet training, or would you like to reprint my work on your site? Click here for more information." Then include links to all your articles, as well as how interested parties can contact you for more information.
4. Link 'em up.
Tell your audience about the information you have available every chance you get. This is why it's great to have multiple articles out there – you can mention a different one in your newsletter, on your Facebook page, in your signature line on your emails, in forums, etc. If you've created targeted, useful content, people are going to want to know about it!
5. Combine them.
After you've authored 10 or 20 articles on a similar theme, combine them and edit them into an e-book, a special report, or an e-course. Add more information, create transitions, throw in a resource or two, and you've got a product to give away or sell.
Writing and publishing your first few articles is just the beginning of the marketing cycle. Think creatively about who would like the information you've written, and how you can get it to them, and you're on your way to creating a steady stream of traffic to your site.
