Much has been published lately touting writing articles as a good means of promoting online businesses. I couldn't agree more. However, the vast majority of those writing these articles are missing the big picture.

Writing articles which carry a byline describing yourself and your business - including a link to your web site, is a great way to gain traffic and new customers. This is a win-win situation, as the writer gains exposure for their business, while the publisher gains free content for their web site or publication. However, most of the writers today are not taking full advantage of the power these articles can produce.

As the owner of a company which publishes nine daily and two weekly newsletters, I belong to numerous content announcement lists which supply us with many of the articles we publish in our various newsletters. Unfortunately, a very high percentage of the articles submitted to these announcement lists have a business or marketing theme. None of our newsletters carry these types of articles. As a result, the authors attempting to gain exposure for their businesses by writing business and/or marketing related articles are missing out on a very large segment of the potential market place.

There are many quality business related web sites, newsletters and e-zines which need web business and marketing content. However, as more and more people are writing these types of articles, competition for getting your article published is ever increasing. Moreover, the redundancy of subject matter is also a growing problem. These two issues combined makes it more and more difficult for writers to get their articles published. So what's the answer? Expand your horizons!

As I mentioned before, none of our network of newsletters carry business or marketing related articles. Furthermore, we are only one company out of literally hundreds who need non-business related articles and content on a continuous basis. This means there are hundreds of thousands of potential customers out there who could be reading your byline right now - going to your site and purchasing your products, but aren't - simply because you're limiting the subject of your articles to business and marketing. Bing! Is the light bulb coming on?

You may have a business on the Internet, but that doesn't mean web business and marketing are the only subjects you can write about, nor should they be. Besides being an Internet business owner, you're a person - one who has a wide variety of interests, hobbies, and experience. Use these other aspects of your life to write about - parenting, non-business motivational/inspirational, romance, topics of interest to women - to men, humor, marriage, family, hobbies such as crafts... the list goes on and on.

By expanding the subject matter of your articles into these new areas, you will greatly increase, not only your chances of getting published, but the number of people who will read your articles. Just because someone subscribes to a parenting newsletter doesn't mean that same person isn't looking to buy your product, use your service, or start their own business.

Promoting your business through writing articles is a wonderful means increasing traffic and profits. So go to it, but this time try it from a new perspective.

About the author: Todd W. Winslow is the co-owner of TADD Publishing Group which publishes a variety of free, quality e-mail newsletters. For newsletter and advertising information, please visit our site http://www.taddgroup.com or write: info@taddgroup.com