I am not sure if I will write the articles or resource them out, but either way, if they are done and submitted to the free submission sites will they do the following: 1. Generate a decent increase in traffic? 2. Help with search engine placement in the big 3 3. Generate a revenue increase through adsense or other similar products? 4. Provide potential long term growth through search engine queries? Your thoughts...
My thoughts are that article submission can generate a decent increase in traffic, although the quality of the article effects how much traffic is generated direct from the article directories I believe. This of course is because if an article interests the reader then they are more likely to visit the site in the resource box, whereas an uninteresting article will result in a reader clicking "back" before the end of the first paragraph. 1. A well-written, interesting article also increases the chances of other website owners publishing the article on their site. In fact from using my article submission service <shameless plug>http://www.articleblotter.com/aboutarticlesubmission.php</shameless plug> which submits to over 200 article directories, I have seen some 700-odd results in Google for one of my articles. This can only be from other website owners syndicating the article. 2. I've also noticed better search engine placement from article submission, especially with MSN. I have a few sites that I've promoted only using article submission and they are on the first page of MSN for my keywords. I guess this depends largely on the niche and the competition there is for high placement. 3. The sites I mention before are sites that i've targeted for adsense, so the answer to your question is yes it does increase revenue if traffic and search engine placement are also increased (it does for me in any case). 4. My opinion is that regular article submission will do this. Aswell as your article always being available through the article directories, there is also always going to be the potential for other site owners to publish it, so there really is no limit to the number of backlinks/traffic/increase in search engine placements that article submission can have. Just my thoughts and experiences. Hope this helps.
I agree with above, but keep in mind article submission should be just one part of your link building, along with directy submittals, reciprocals, one-way link requests and linkbaiting. You don't want all of your inbound links to be of the same type.
I have been doing the other things that you suggested. Of course, decent results, but now I am thinking that branching out may also work. When you hire someone to write, do you receive rights to the article?
I have recently submitted two articles and I think they are helping with traffic and rankings. My daily log does show visitors from various article directories. And, I believe my rankings have improved since submitting articles. I have, though, decreased the number of directories I submit to, though. After analyzing the results, I have removed any directories that did not a) post my article, b) provide me with a backlink and/or c) send me any visitors. I think I am down to 50 sites from the original 175 I submitted to. Good luck!