Today, article marketing is a significant trend in Internet marketing. Many marketers use articles as their major, if not single, means of generating traffic and optimising their websites for search engines. Some marketers, on the other hand, complain that article marketing isn't working for them, especially when their article submissions are frequently rejected.

I am the owner and operator of three article directories. Two of them are broad directories and the other is a specialist directory. Every day, I receive dozens of article submissions and reject hundreds. I used to meticulously write a precise rationale for each rejection when I first started, but now the volume of submissions is so enormous that it's all I can do to keep my head above water.To be honest, I believe it is more vital to attempt to turn things around as quickly as possible, thus I am now all about speed (and am still weeks behind with my general directory).

However, I can offer these suggestions in an open letter to article marketers who don't understand why their articles are being rejected by mine — and possibly other — directories.

The following are the main reasons I reject articles:

The first reason is that the article's body contains active links. The author resource box is the only location where I want to see an active link. Most article directories follow a similar pattern.

Reason 2: This article isn't appropriate for this directory. This is usually the case with a substantial portion of my specialised directory rejections. Don't submit articles regarding breast augmentation to a directory concerning Internet marketing!

Reason 3: The article was placed in the incorrect category. If I'm in a good mood or the article piques my curiosity, I might reclassify it. I might reclassify an author if I notice that they consistently produce high-quality content. I might shift it to a more precise subcategory if it's in the correct general category.

I will, however, most likely reject it if it was provided without obvious thought or effort. Why should I care if the author can't be bothered to choose the appropriate category?

Reason number four is a lack of proficiency in English. I am not pleased if the headline or summary contains typos or bad language, and I will most likely reject the application.

Reason #5: Spamming of the subject. I'll suspect article spamming if I receive several articles on the same topic from the same author with similar titles and summaries. Rather of sorting through whether articles could provide unique and high-quality material, I simply reject all of them.

Obscure subjects are reason number six. If I do not believe that your item on New Jersey Divorce Lawyers will add value to my directory, I may opt to reject it. I won't read any further if I can't determine what your article is about from the title, synopsis, or first few lines.

Reason #7: Overt marketing. I don't want press releases or plain advertising in these article directories. Articles should provide information on anything other than the company you're promoting.

Because these are my directories, I make my own editorial decisions regarding what should be included. I use feeds and articles from my directories on my websites and blogs, and the bottom line is that the article should provide the target audience with useful and/or attractive information. If it's not an article I'd like to have on my site, I'll reject it.