Writing articles is one of the most effective ways to promote your business regardless of whether you promote affiliate programs, MLM, or your own products and services.

As an article directory owner, and someone who uses articles to promote my business, there are several mistakes I see article writers make that sabotage their articles. Below are several mistakes article writers make, and how you can correct them so you get more traffic and more sales from your articles.

1. Weak Titles

Your title should effectively describe what your article is about. Many writers don't take the time to craft titles that get results. It may be laziness or simply a lack of understanding in how to write good titles. If you want readers to read your article and click through your resource box, you need to craft an effective title.

To do this, you need to treat your title like a headline. Write it as if you are writing a headline. You can search article directories to get ideas. You can also use keyword tools to help you find the right keywords to craft your article titles. Using the right keywords will help your article rank higher.

2. Misplaced Affiliate Links

Most article directories, including mine, won't accept articles with affiliate links in the body. Sites like Ezine Articles, doesn't accept article with affiliate links in the resource box.

If you must use affiliate links in your articles, better buy a domain and point toward your resource.

3. Long Winded Resource Boxes

I have children. Now I have grandchildren. I don't have any pets, but one day I may just buy a couple of Rottweilers as pets because I love them.

Are you bored yet?

Although you may find these facts about your life interesting, readers don't. When I read a resource box about a 34 year old car enthusiast who owns her own auto parts shop, I yawn and then click away.

The bottom line is: readers don't care about the details of your life. They want to know what you have to offer, and what you offer in your resource box had better be the next logical step in your article. Your article gives readers a taste; your resource box had better contain the next course. If it doesn't, readers will click away and you've lost them.

4. Unrelated Resource Boxes

Maybe you've written a great article. You've gotten the reader to read it all because you had an intriguing title and great information that makes your reader want to click through. Now it's time to deliver.

If your article is about gardening, but your resource box is all about the next big thing in internert marketing, kiss your reader goodbye.

Readers want information. Your resource box should tell them where to go to get more information. If it doesn't, you've wasted your time and alienated your reader.

If you're making these mistakes in your article writing, they're easy to correct. Correct these mistakes, and you'll draw your readers in and get them to click through to your site. Isn't that what good article writing is really all about?