What Makes Good Website Content

The most important assest found in your website is the plain-old text content. If you had to choose where to direct time and money resources on your website, developing good content would be the place to start. Here are some suggestions for better website content.

• Something for Everyone
  
  Your website is visited by many people, not just leads or prospects. Don't forget website content for current customers, potential investors and maybe even employees. A good practice is to include a "Freebie", something that first time visitors can benefit from, even before they use your product and services, by downloading a file or signing-up for a service. Make sure to collect their email address.
  
  
• It's not about you!
  
  Don't structure your website like your organization, structure it from your customer's point of view. What visitors care about is finding the answers to their questions, not the photos from your latest company party.
  
  
• Content Creates Traffic
  
  Succeeding with search engines is just common sense. If you post content on your website that matches what people are searching for, the content of your website will generate visitors. Look to customer support tickets, emails from your customers or keyword traffic to your website for ideas to add new information to your website.
  
  
• Carve Out Fresh Content
  
  Identify a few key pages in your website that will require more frequent and maybe smaller updates that could help easily keep the website fresh. Your homepage is a good candidate.

• Review Regularly
  
  Create a schedule to review all pages of your website at least one per year, more often if possible. This will help guard against any content "time-bombs" or out-of-date information that could potentially loose money for your business.

• Have a Plan
  
  Create a pool of content ideas that you can draw upon when things get busy. Plan the features for your homepage for the whole year, so keeping them fresh only takes a few minutes.
  
  
• Add your website to your business processes
  
  Make sure to add website content to your product rollouts, marketing updates or product support updates. When completing a project ask yourself, "is this something that should go on the website?"
  

"We have a website - that's all we need!"

It is not good enough just to have a website. You need a high-performing website.

Your website will be the first impression a new customer gets of your business when searching for products and services online. Information that is up-to-date, changed often and added-to gives the impression of a vital, currently operating business.

Time spent on website content will produce dividends. Start creating traffic momentum to your website with your own attention and watch your site response improve.