The principle of viral marketing works very much like a computer virus. Left unchecked, a computer virus will affect one PC to the next. But unlike a computer virus, which is harmful, viral marketing is harnessed for good. It is very effective in spreading word about your business. The logic is very simple. Catch it, and then pass it on.

So, how does viral marketing fit with content distribution? I'm glad you asked. If you offer high quality articles, white papers, reports, ecourses or ebooks, you can be sure that they will be passed around to others, and others will pass them on to others and so on and so forth thus producing a 'viral' effect.

Unlike a computer virus, this kind of virus works for you and it harms no one. Soon you'll find your writings circulating around the Internet.

Drive targeted web traffic to your site

An effective way to introduce your website is through content distribution. Targeted visitors will arrive at your website when they click the links in your ebooks or resource box at the end of your articles. You stand to gain more website traffic through the 'viral' effect of content distribution.

Earn credibility

Writing quality articles, ezines, ecourses, ebooks, white papers and reports will quickly establish you as an expert in your field. You will earn credibility if the content you have written provides solutions to people's problems. That's the reason why 'How tos' articles and ebooks are popular and in great demand.

Increase link popularity

Another advantage of distributing free content is gathering inbound links. When people post your articles or distribute your ebooks on their website they are in essence providing one-way links to your website. If these one-way links originate from quality websites it will boost the pagerank of your web page. Writing and distributing quality articles or ebooks will increase your web page link popularity.

Make backend sales

The primary reason experienced marketers offer free content is to build their opt-in lists. They offered what they termed 'front end products' in the form of free content. Their strategy is to get people to their website to signup for their mailers. Eventually through the mailers they make 'backend sales'.

Make extra income through affiliate programs

Another added advantage of distributing free content via ebooks is the opportunity to make extra income through affiliate programs. You could easily insert affiliate links into your ebooks. Some words of caution here though...

1.You must insert affiliate links that are relevant to the content of your ebook.

2.Insert affiliate links strategically, discretely and sparingly. Don't turn your ebook into one mega sales promotion. Provide your readers with quality content, not sales pitch.

Most newbies to Internet marketing do not take advantage of the effectiveness of viral marketing to make profits and build their opt-in lists. Their hands are already full, learning how to start and run their online business, that they have no time to write quality content for distribution.

Any aspiring online marketer should invest time to research and write quality content for distribution or invest money to hire someone to do the job. After all, the Internet is about information. Majority of people surf the Net to harvest information first and foremost. So, quality content is in great demand now and will still be in the future.