Giving away free information can generate a steady stream of highly targeted traffic to your site.

By Corey Rudl

Q: What, in your opinion, is the best way to market on the Internet for free?
A: I'm going to assume that you're asking about the best, most inexpensive way for businesses that are new to the Internet, or small sites that are not generating much traffic yet, to attract qualified visitors. You're probably already familiar with techniques such as link exchanges, search engines and "send-to-a-friend" offers, so let me share an undervalued source of traffic that I've seen a number of my clients having a great deal of success with lately.

Have you ever considered writing an article that sheds some light on a hot topic in your industry and includes valuable, rare or hard-to-find information? Once an article like this is written, you can allow other sites in your industry (or a related industry) to use it as content in their newsletters and on their Web sites, free of charge. It's a great way to drive quality traffic to your Web site, build your credibility and increase your link popularity--all without spending a dime on advertising!

Think about it: The people who visit your Web site after reading your article will not only have a proven interest in the product or service that you offer, but will also be that much more receptive to your offer when they visit your site. After all, you've already established your credibility by giving them free, quality information.

Once you've discovered that you're able to drive good, profitable traffic to your site using this strategy, you'll probably want to consider contributing articles to other sites on a regular basis. Not only will this ensure a constant flow of qualified traffic, but it will also help you develop your reputation as an expert in your field. Once you become known on the Web as an expert, the sales can really start pouring in.

Because quality content is so hard to come by, it's shockingly easy to persuade other sites to post your article with a link back to your Web site--as long as you follow a few important rules:

Provide quality information. If other sites are going to post your article, it has to provide something of real value to their visitors. Remember, there is an incredibly strong demand for quality content within every industry.

Tell, don't sell. Your article should not be a sales pitch for your product or service. Instead, focus on establishing your credibility by providing quality information.

Include a bio. You'll be able to drive traffic to your site with a bio included at the end of the article. It doesn't need to be any more complicated than this: "Joe Smith is a recognized authority on the subject of widgets. His website, www.joeswidgets.com, provides a wealth of informative articles and resources on everything you'd ever need to know about widgets."

Be professional and proofread the article. If you want other sites to take you seriously and post your article, you need to be positive it's error-free. Proofread it at least twice, and then have two other people proofread it for you.

Format it in HTML. Rather than e-mailing unstable Word documents, include a link to the article, formatted in HTML, on your Web site. This will ensure that the article looks professional to everyone who reads it and also make it extremely easy for business owners to take the pre-formatted HTML and add it to their own sites.

Once your article is ready, you'll need to prepare a professional-looking "free content offer" e-mail. Remember: Despite the fact that you're going to be offering these sites free content, you'll still need to sell site owners on the benefits of posting your articles on their Web sites.

Make sure to remind them that information is the number-one thing people are looking for when they go online. If their site is the one that provides the kind of credible information people are looking for, they stand a much better chance of earning their visitors' confidence--and business!

Corey Rudl, president and founder of the Internet Marketing Center, is the author of the best-selling course Insider Secrets to Marketing Your Business on the Internet. An internationally sought-after Internet business consultant and speaker, Corey focuses his energy on the research and development of practical, cost-effective Internet marketing strategies and software for the small and homebased business owner.