Content is King
Posted on March 18, 2010
Filed Under Web Content | 1 Comment
If you’ve done a bit of reading about search engine optimization online, you probably have seen “Content is King”, or “Content is Queen”. A little over used, this term is all true. Yet, what does it really mean?
Let’s talk a bit about what this means to you and your online business.
One of the biggest mistakes that businesses and individuals make when creating a web site is to leave the content to last, AND to minimize it. Business owners like to be brief and to the point when they promote their business. Unfortunately, this is a huge mistake online. First, when visitors come to your site it is usually because they’re looking for answers to questions. Internet users have come to learn that they can get their questions answered online without ever having to talk to someone. This makes it un-threatening and eases the search process for their goods and services. For those that wish to speak to a live person, they’re likely to look for a phone number and pick up the phone.
So, why is it not optimal to summarize your message on your web site? Well, there is a number of reasons. Let’s back up a moment and examine why a business would build a website. Typically it is so customers or potential customers can go online and learn more about the company. For smart marketers, its a way to bring in new customers when they look for services/products on the search engines. Uh, some people want a website so they can put it on their business cards and brochures. But, why waste that money when you’re handing someone your contact information or “brochure”. The web site adds no value in this case. A web site should always be a marketing and communication tool to reach customers just as much as any other business promotion tool.
I can think of three top reasons to have a content rich web site. On my list, first would be to present a positive business presence and answer important questions that potential customers may have. Promoting your business, products, and services is critical whenever presented to prospective customers and existing customers. Take the opportunity to have enough content on all products and services that will answer questions about your business, interest new prospects, and give customers what they need.
Second on my list for a content rich web site is to give all the search engines plenty of fodder to index the business for the types of information that customers are looking for. This isn’t an easy task, and it takes time and the right combination of content for search engines to list a particular business. It is always worth the effort, though. A consistent effort to add and refresh content on a web site with a focus on key elements that potential customers look for can be rewarded with a constant flow of new customers.
My third reason to have a content rich web site is to use it as a very effective sales tool. A properly written set of web content can lead prospective customers through your site, qualifying them along the way, and ultimately directing them to either contact the business or actually make the purchase. Like any sales material, it must have the right information to keep the prospect interested, and lead them to the next step in the sales process. The advantage to pre-selling online is to save a lot of time and money pre-qualifying the prospects.
A well written set of content for a web site will definitely give a business an advantage in this competitive economy. Reassess your old offline standards for sales and marketing information. Building an online presence takes an investment of time and money. So, use it to your best advantage, invest in a long term strategy to build the content and tracking.
“Content is King”. I’ve just outlined several reasons why that term is so common in online web promotion. Don’t rely on the old, offline, marketing strategies of sound bites. Expand your site content regularly, focusing on your business topics and leading readers through your site. If a business does no other “promotion” or “optimization”, writing rich content, refreshing it regularly, and carefully crafting it for your target customers is the best starting point you can have.
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