Although the cry "article marketing is dead" can occasionally be heard on certain forums, I would be surprised if there is an online entrepreneur left who does not recognize the immense power and potential that article marketing offers. Sure, text links and banner ads are great, but when it comes to creating the kind of advertising vehicle that consumers will hold on to and even pass on to others, you cannot beat article marketing! Of course, like any other good thing there are pitfalls to navigate around and blunders which must be avoided at all cost if your company's reputation is not to suffer!

So here, for the record, are 10 common article marketing mistakes:

1. However else you may want to promote your affiliate marketing article, do not use it to spam a blog or a forum. Some self proclaimed marketers have attempted to use such articles as forum posts and while they might write different introductions for the article to make it look like an ad hoc posting in response to another forum poster, within a few short sentences it becomes painfully obvious that the post is little more than an unwelcome sales pitch. (Actually, some forums such as Warriorforum and Conquer Your Niche have special sections where you can legitimately place your articles.)

2. Unless you are an experienced and fluent writer, have your affiliate marketing article ghostwritten. The sheer volume of badly written articles - be it diction, grammar, or punctuation - is legion and there is little more embarrassing than having your customers point out a number of mistakes and errors.

3. Fact-check your articles. This is vital when you use statistical data or quotations.

4. Keep it pithy. 400 to 500 words are more than sufficient to write a worthwhile piece of non fiction to market your company, product line, or service. Exceeding the 800 word count is pushing it.

5. Don't put all of your eggs in one basket. Write, or commission a number of articles that look at the topic and product from several different perspectives. This puts volume behind your marketing campaign and gives it a more impressive platform of authority. Also, while one approach may not appeal to some of your readers, another one might have just the hook you need to turn them into buyers.

6. Don't overdo the pitch in your affiliate marketing article. Sure, you want everyone to know that your products and services are wonderful, but if you fail to offer value beyond a sales pitch you will not find too many readers.

7. Do not promote more than one thing per article. Choose your product, your company, or an email newsletter you are offering for free. Cutting down on the things you are promoting will enable you to employ greater focus and more convincing detail throughout the article.

8. Forgetting to include an opt-in link to your mailing list or email newsletter subscription database is perhaps the most egregious of affiliate marketing mistakes. Any article that goes out without a link back to your main website is simply not working for you!

9. Having too many articles that differ in tone or style is to be avoided. While some articles may lend themselves being spiced up or more intellectual, the failure to have your article ghostwritten by one writer will lead to a number of different voices and styles in your writing. Instead, request that one freelancer be given the assignment to make sure the tone remains consistent from article to article.

10. Last but not least, cutting and pasting freely available material from the Internet might not get you into trouble, but it will convey the impression that you have nothing new to bring to the market.

Article marketing is very much alive and well. It is one of the cheapest and most effective ways of getting your message in front of a wide audience on the Internet and beyond, provided you avoid the 10 article marketing mistakes outlined in this post.