Do you know that many business owners market their businesses by writing content for their online newsletters (e-zine)? And if you don't enjoy writing, the authors make those articles available to you.

You can find both articles in article directories and article bank located on the Internet. Do you know the difference?

Article directories are one-way places on a Web site where the site's owner lists their articles. The articles maybe available as free or paid content for other publishers. View an example of an article directory at http://coachmaria.com/subscribers/subscriberarticles/

Article banks are two-way Web sites or pages within a Web site. They are places where authors "deposit" articles to invest and where lenders "take" the article to use. The "interest" someone pay for using an article consists of a bio or resource box. Each article bank site includes guidelines for authors and potential publishers. Authors retain first rights - retain ownership - to articles placed on article banks. Some article bank sites publish e-zines that include recently submitted articles, ad swap requests and/or an "articles wanted" area, too. You'll find many article bank Web sites listed below. If you know of a bank I've missed please send them to me.

Both article banks and article directories may provide you with content for your e-zine, magazine, Web site, e-book, etc.

With the permission of an article's author and some times the article bank owners themselves, you will be provided with free content. In return, the author will provide you with copyright information, a brief bio and link to their Web site. Many of the sites below contain both article banks and e-zine directories.

When you visit article banks, look for the other services that the site owner provides for you as a publisher and utilize the other helpful services, too. If you find yourself using an article bank over and over again, consider providing a link from your site to their site - maybe on a "recommended links" page. It's an excellent way to thank the site owner for providing such a valuable resource.

For a list of article banks, go to http://coachmaria.com/articles/articlebanks.html

? 2005 ? 2004 Maria Marsala, Business Growth Specialist. Helping business owners leverage their services and products by designing, packaging and promoting their business with ezines. Author of the most comprehensive ezine marketing program on the Internet. Since 2000! Learn more now. Visit http://www.CreateEzine.com