One of the free online marketing strategy is online article writing, creating Squidoo lenses and Hubpages. And then you create three way links between your web site and those articles, lenses, and hubpages. This techniques helps in rapid search engine indexing and improved ranking of your site. It is a proven and effective technique.  If you want a step by step video guide for implementing this technique, you can check out this Web 2.0 video course.

However, in order to write an article in a niche, you need to gather information and put them together in a way that is easy for your reader to absorb that information and implement it effectively. They don’t have to spend hours researching the subject. So, how do you find information for online article writing?

Here is a list of some authoritative sources for doing your research on your niche for online article writing.

Wikipedia It is a the online equivalent of printed encyclopedia. The only twist is that anybody can add and modify its contents. It is what is called a “crowd sourced” encyclopedia. There are no designated authors and board of editors. Anybody can be an author and contribute to its growth. There is a group of moderators who check everybody’s contribution and approve them to avoid spams.

Wikipedia is an excellent source for doing your preliminary research on a niche. You can find information on any subject under the sun. It also has a list references at the bottom of the page. Starting at a Wikipedia page, you can check out out those references for more materials on your niche.

WebMD An extremely authoritative site for all kinds health related information. Their contents are objective, trustworthy, and timely. You cannot go wrong here. However, it is always prudent to cite the source of your information. Bad health related information and advice can get you into the court of law. So, you’re warned.

Encyclopedia Britannica Yes, this is the same Britannica sold by door to door sales men 20 years ago. Now it has an online presence.

iVillage It is a product of NBC Universal that is dedicated exclusively to connecting women. It has diverse contents related to woman’s issues like parenting, pregnancy. beauty, style, etc. If you are researching for online article writing in niches related to woman’s issues, this site is a must visit.

AskMan is the opposite of iVillage. It is a man’s magazine on dating, entertainment, sports, cars, and living – all related to men.

Congoo A real time news, networking, and information portal. Using this site, you can get access to information only available in some sunscription based sites, e.g Consumer Report. Type your keywords in the search box and click on the links.

If you know or are using any autoratative sources for online article writing, please post them in the comments. Your contribution is highly appreciated.