by Raven Lebeau

Created on: March 26, 2009   Last Updated: March 27, 2009

Self-promotion is a tricky subject to navigate. While your Helium.com articles can be a great way to promote a blog or website, being too obvious about your promotion can backfire. In fact, the "official policy" is that there is "no" self-promotion allowed in Helium articles. Here are a few ways to effectively self-promote without raising red flags:

1. Don't give your name, e-mail address, or url in a Helium.com article.

Including identifying information violates Helium.com rules. Raters will flag your article. At best, the information will be removed. The article may even be deleted.

2. Don't explicitly invite users to visit your blog or website.

Including a statement like, "And you can read more of my articles on InsertBlogHere.net," or "for information about this topic, check out SomeWebSite.com" is blatant self-promotion and will be noted as such.

3. Don't include links to any inappropriate material.

Helium content is intended to be appropriate for all ages. It is never appropriate to link to an adult site or gambling site.

4. Do choose titles relevant to the website or blog you are promoting.

Helium.com has thousands of titles available, so finding one that meshes well with your blog or site theme should not be too difficult.

5. Do use hyperlinks judiciously and sparingly.

A hyperlink should not feel obtrusive or interrupt the flow of the article. You don't even need to say you are giving a link; simply highlight a key word or phrase and make it link to a relevant site or blog entry. For example, if you are writing an article about investing in stocks in order to promote your website on saving for retirement, you will want to use the phrase "saving for retirement" in such a way that it feels natural in your article. That phrase can then become your hyperlink.

Having too many hyperlinks can look distracting, and if they are all to your own materials, then the article will seem like a cheesy attempt at self promotion. Limit hyperlinks to at most one or two per paragraph. If you have several hyperlinks, not all of them should be to your own materials.

6. Do write a quality article.

People who read your article should not feel like it is an attempt to lure them to your blog or website. Do not withhold information or make cryptic statements you do not explain. Your article should "stand on its own" by taking a central idea and developing it thoroughly. The links you include should provide additional, but not necessary, information. Any necessary information should be included in the article itself.

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