Back in 2009, I was genuinely excited about Automatic Article Submitter. I ran a case study using the software to submit articles about chicken coops to article directories, and it actually drove traffic. At the time, article submission software felt like a breakthrough for internet marketers.
That world is gone now, and it is not coming back.
What Was Automatic Article Submitter?
Automatic Article Submitter (AAS) was a desktop application that automated the process of submitting articles to hundreds of article directories like EzineArticles, GoArticles, and ArticleBase. The idea was simple: write an article with a resource box containing your link, submit it everywhere, and collect backlinks and referral traffic.
The software handled account creation, article formatting, CAPTCHA solving, and mass submission. For its time, it was genuinely useful. I personally used it to drive traffic to a niche site about building chicken coops and saw real results: 250 blog visits and 66 clicks to a ClickBank sales page from article marketing alone.
Why Article Submitters Died
Article submission tools became obsolete because the entire strategy they supported collapsed. Here is what happened.
Google Panda (2011) crushed thin content. Google's Panda algorithm update specifically targeted low-quality content farms and article directories. Sites like EzineArticles saw their traffic plummet overnight. The directories that accepted mass-submitted, often spun articles were exactly the kind of sites Panda was designed to penalize.
Google Penguin (2012) devalued manipulative links. The Penguin update went after unnatural link building patterns, including the exact kind of links that article directories provided. Suddenly, those backlinks were not just worthless but potentially harmful to your rankings.
The directories themselves shut down or became irrelevant. Most major article directories have either closed, stopped accepting submissions, or become ghost towns with zero authority. The entire ecosystem these tools relied on simply ceased to exist.
What Replaced Article Marketing
The good news is that the core principle behind article marketing, using helpful content to attract an audience, is more effective than ever. The tactics have simply evolved.
Content marketing on your own site. Instead of scattering thin articles across directories, successful marketers create comprehensive, high-quality content on their own websites. A single well-researched 2,000-word article on your domain will outperform hundreds of directory submissions.
Guest posting on relevant sites. Writing quality articles for established blogs in your niche is the modern equivalent of article marketing. The difference is that you are contributing genuine value to a real publication rather than stuffing directories with recycled content.
Social media and community platforms. LinkedIn articles, Medium posts, Reddit contributions, and Quora answers let you demonstrate expertise and drive traffic back to your site. These platforms have real audiences and real engagement.
Podcast guesting and YouTube. Audio and video content have become powerful distribution channels. Appearing as a guest on podcasts or creating YouTube videos reaches audiences that text-based article marketing never could.
Email marketing. Building and nurturing an email list remains one of the highest-ROI marketing activities. Instead of hoping directory visitors click your resource box, you build a direct relationship with your audience.
AI-assisted content creation. In 2026, AI tools can help you research, outline, and draft content far faster than the old article spinning approach ever could. The difference is that you are creating genuinely useful content rather than mass-producing low-quality filler.
The Bottom Line
Automatic Article Submitter and tools like it served a real purpose in their era. But the internet has matured significantly since 2009. Google is far more sophisticated, audiences expect much higher quality, and the shortcuts these tools provided no longer work.
If you are looking to drive traffic to your website in 2026, focus on creating genuinely helpful content, building relationships with your audience, and distributing your work through channels where real people actually spend their time. The fundamentals of good marketing have not changed. The tactics just look very different now.
I like how you wrote this post, Mark lol
And as I already told you, my parents have a chicken coop. What’s so funny about chicken coops, huh? What are you trying to say? 😉
Seriously though, AAS is the real deal… the best article submission program on the market… nothing compares.
Looking forward to your videos! If I wasn’t so horrible at video I would have done a series for AAS myself.
How about a chicken coop co-op? I must admit it is amazing this e-book has such stout gravity. Good stuff Mark – looking forward to the video as well.
I saw that video as well but didn’t run with it though. Have you asked the people selling the ebook what their actual conversion rate is? It could be pretty low so you might want to create your own?
Looking forward to your video review.
No, Mikael — I assumed with a gravity of 100 that the conversion rate was decent enough. It was just a fun experiment — not really that serious about it. Now, if it looks promising after I start getting some traffic, then I might do a little more research. For now, I am just messing around with it.
Okay I see. It is still a great experiment though. It just shows that there are a lot of potential for almost anything 😉
Mark I think it’s very cute that you have a chicken coop site!:)
Loving the traffic details you’ve shared here. I have AAS, it is the best submitter going and you’ve inspired me to use it more! Looking forward to your videos.
Hey Mark or anybody, I was wondering about support and money back guarantees for this software. Ok, I admit it, I just skimmed the sales letter. Don’t we all? Overall it appears to be a great value, but as we all know, we need software that’s easy and WORKS. Cheers.
Mike
No problem, Mike. The guarantee is easy — 90 day unconditional money back (check sales page for latest information). As far as I know, it is the best in the industry.
Support for me has been excellent. Milan is very responsive, and I am hearing good things in the support department.
Hope that helps!
Hi Mark, and thanks for this article. I assume I bought this product via your affiliate link 😉
It’s the least I can do for those great videos you made tutorialing this program.
Anyways, my questions: How many articles did you write&spin in order to start receiving ~56 visitors/day. How many visitors are you seeing per day 2 months after this article was written?
Thanks a bunch.
Thanks for your purchase. 25 articles. The site averages 25 visitors per day from the combination of article traffic and SE hits due to backlinks from articles.
hope that helps.
So you are looking at about a sale a day?
Thanks.
I submitted a few articles for the first site I ever did and it got the ball rolling. Now it’s at #1 in that niche, so article marketing does have it’s uses. Yes, it’s tedious if you do it yourself and hate writing but so much promotional work is mind-numbingly boring anyway, and far less creative.
Buying AAS in 3..2…1!
I look forward to seeing some results. I have researched most of the article submitters and this one seems to be the only one of it’s kind, at least that doesn’t have a monthly fee like UAW.
Hi Mark,
Interesting stuff! Hey I bought AAS too, and really like it but I have to say Milan’s support seems to be sadly lacking. He responded to a couple of my emails (maybe that was the limit?) but now nothing. I really wish he, or someone would put together some instructions explaining all the buttons and links, etc. so a real newbie (I’m not so new) could know how to use it. Isn’t that the way instructions should be? So most anyone can understand the software?
Sorry for the rant, I just want to learn everything about the software without having to spend so much time experimenting with it.
Maybe you could get with Milan and let him build the software, and then you write the instructions?
I think you would be a little better then he at that end of it.lol
Anyway if you know how I could get a few answers to my questions about AAS I would really appreciate it!
Jerry
Jerry — sorry you are having problems. Feel free to post your questions here and I will try to either get you an answer or answer the questions for you. Regards,
Mark
Hey thanks Mark! I really appreciate it. Here are a few questions I have:
1. I’d like to know about the “Directories” button in the New Article Directory Wizard (I haven’t seen any instructions on the NADW’s use.)
2. In the “Jobs-Submitting” tab I want to change some marked “false” back to “true” (I think that might be done by checking, or unchecking the “auto before manual sub” box.
3. How to delete a directory completely (some are no longer working at all.)
4. In the notepad and under the “all articles” tab, an explanation of the single and double arrows (I keep playing with stuff, and figuring it out as I use the software, but dang, wouldn’t it be nice to have everything explained somewhere!)
Thanks for any and all help you can offer Mark, I know you are doing this out of the goodness of your heart, and I thank you! I think software developers need to spend some time and effort on instructional materials for their products…Hey maybe I could offer to put some together for Milan, naw, heck he won’t even answer an email.
Thanks again Mark,
Jerry
Jerry — I am on the road and do not have AAS with me. So, I will forward these to Milan and see if I can get an answers for you. Otherwise, I will answer when I get back to my computer at home. Sorry for the delay.
Milan is a good guy — just really busy.
Mark
What about hamster cages? I find your promotion of chicken coops at the exclusion of hamster cages discriminatory and you will soon be inundated by herds of furry protesters.
Kevin;
You promised that you would not force me to reveal my secret hamster niche.
I cannot believe you put me in this position. I thought we were friends.
Sadly,
Mark
LOL
I know Mark, sorry about the complaining. The fact is I love the software, it is truly amazing, and I would suggest to all your readers, if they are looking for an article submitter, well there is no reason to look any further. Just find Mark’s link and buy Milan’s Automatic Article Submitter, cause bottom line: it’s head and shoulders above any other submitting software out there!
I’m glad I bought it and even without much support and I wouldn’t even think about returning it!
Thanks again Mark.
Thanks for understanding, Jerry —
Here are some answers from Milan….
1. The directories button shows the (raw) database entries. I can’t
expect anybody other than me to understand how to make these manual
entries.
3. The same “Directories” button can be used to easily remove a
directory, there is a Delete button at the bottom of the form. But the
best is to report those which don’t work back to me and I replace them
for everybody.
2. I assume it’s about auto submission flag. If the program forces
“false” for auto submission it’s because only semi automated
submissions are available for that particular directory. This flag
cannot be changed to “true” in such case. The check box only changes
the order of the submissions (which go first)
4. I guess including such minor things would make the Manual too
long… It’s nothing too important, just like on the tape recorder
these icons “rewind” to the begining or move far forward. So, it’s an
easy option to jump to the first article or last article.
Milan says — A pretty big update coming very soon! Some very important new features
are coming and the submitter will be faster than ever.
Regards,
Mark
Thanks so much Mark. I think if milan took a survey he would find a lot of people would agree that instructions (whether “too long” or not) really should cover the features that are offered. I mean you could have a customer who has absolutely no computer skills at all.
I think customer service is just important, pure and simple, and should be addressed. If Milan doesn’t have the time he should hire someone.
Just my two cents, thanks again Mark,
Jerry
Hmmm, I have to agree with the others – I am tempted to buy the software but as a Developer myself I can see the GUI is very complicated so a manual or “how to” would be very useful. I’m also fairly new to Article Marketing so I need to know it’s easy for a relative noob to pick up.
I also (and I’m sorry to say this) found Milan’s video mostly completely confusing… half the time there were windows flying all over and he was pausing, clicking the wrong thing, etc, etc. Given this is a marketing tool I think you guys really need a proper video to reflect this! (i:e do it in small sections, have a set script and rehearse before hitting the record button!!)
Anyway, having said I think I am going to buy it as it does seem to have genuinely good reviews and I am confident it really does the job well.
I get that. I started some tutorial videos. Have you seen them? They are not finished yet, but will be some day.
http://www.masonworld.com/internet-marketing/automatic-article-submitter-tutorial/
Hey Mark,
I know I’m a little late on this blog post but what the hell right? I have had this software for a while now and am really just now starting to get any idea of how it works. I was searching for the software on YouTube to find tutorials and found you.
You have the best tutorials that I have seen on YouTube for this software by the way…
So my question for you is regarding your videos. You have them listed as 1a 2a 2b etc… but I never saw a 1b? Is there a 1b or am I missing something?
LOL — nope. Not sure where you are seeing 1a.
There is 1, 2a, 2b, and 3.
4 and 5 are planned but not complete (I got distracted).
Thanks,
Mark
Hi Mark,
I love your blog, but I was wondering if this still works? I don’t know if you will respond or not but I am worried that this post is outdated?
Thanks!
-Dan
Yep — this is way out dated and I need to fix this post.
The product I recommend now is Article Marketing Robot.
But, article marketing is somewhat less effective than it has been in the past.
Hope that helps,
Thanks,
Mark