Revisiting Article Directories & Their Usefulness Today

I recently started to go through some of the articles that I have posted to the article directories over the past three years by updating some, deleting a few, while deciding that I would renew my effort to post to directories again.
Unlike in times past when I would post one article to as many as 20 directories, I’ve decided to change my tactic and limit my distribution to just two directories: Ezine Articles and Article Sphere. I know both both owners, Christopher Knight and Larry Lim, respectively, and know that they provide a consistent and reliable service. I wish I could say that about most of the other directories, but I cannot.
With my current initiative each directory will start receiving fresh articles beginning in May, articles which will not appear on the other directory nor will they have been published elsewhere. I plan on testing the effectiveness of this approach, but I suspect that it will work: quite a few of my articles on Knight’s site have received PageRank, offering excellent link juice for me.
Speaking of link juice, this is the primary reason why I have decided to revisit the issue. I have built or am in the process of building or overhauling several sites and they could use some back links. Submitting articles to article directories allows me to place as many as three back links to three different URLs, a great way to empower any site.
I realize a number of articles will be picked up and posted elsewhere, therefore if the publishers keep my back links in place I’ll get additional link juice. If not, I’ll be content to gain the links from Article Sphere and Ezine Articles as they are both solid sources for this type of marketing.
BTW, both directories are featured on my side bar — the only two.
Matt | Linking Strategies, Personal Marketing, SEO Tools

Thanks for the tip! I’ve had a bit of joy with iSnare but, as they say, variety is the spice of life. Will check out those two article distribution sites.
SEO Ranters last blog post..BT Web Clicks = Bad
yep you deserve a thanks from me for the tips. I had also submitted some articles to some directory but unfortunately some of them are deleted later
i have been posting my articles to ezinearticles and goarticles but after a month, the backlinks are still not showing up. would u be able to advise a little? thanks
jared
Excellent little refresher on why it’s good to keep updated, plus I hadn’t know of Sphere.
Thanks!
How would you rate isnare?
Did you try submitting mass through them?
Chetans last blog post..AT&T to sell 3G iPhone at discount of $200
Article directories are still effective in helping out sites, especially new ones in gaining ground for search engines to index them. However, it’s a case by case basis for me. Some can give a trickle of traffic while there are times when it hits a search engine nerve and you get a good SERP spot, popular directories can send tons of traffic.