| What is one of the main keys to successfully | | | | higher.b) Detailed information relating to the product or |
| positioning your website in the search engines? The | | | | service being sold: |
| simple answer is, Content! | | | | There are two main types of users that visit websites: |
| Why is content so important to your website? | | | | those that like detail and those that want the |
| Many businesses feel that having a small amount of | | | | information they are looking for delivered in brief |
| content is enough, and the rest of the website will sell | | | | summary. |
| itself! This may be the case with a small percentage | | | | For the purpose of this example, let's refer to: |
| of business websites, but in the majority of cases you | | | | Detailed person - Person A |
| will lose out by not having strong content throughout | | | | Summary person - Person B |
| your site. Read on, and you will find out why... | | | | An article like this is written to target "Person A", as |
| The aim of most businesses with a website is to | | | | "Person B" generally isn't interested in reading an article |
| successfully market their website and increase sales. | | | | of this length. |
| This is a much cheaper form of advertising than other | | | | With this in mind, when writing website content that |
| main stream advertising media. | | | | has a sales focus, ensure that you provide your |
| There are quite a few components that make up a | | | | summary or sales message in the initial one to three |
| successful internet marketing campaign. They include, | | | | -short- paragraphs, and then continue with the detail in |
| 1) Competitor Analysis | | | | the following paragraphs. |
| 2) Keyword research | | | | Alternatively, where it fits the structure of your web |
| 3) Linking - Internal and External | | | | page better, provide your product or service |
| 4) Coding your meta tags i.e. Header Tag, Description | | | | summaries on a main page, with links from each |
| Tag, Keyword Tag. | | | | category to a page dedicated to the full content |
| 5) Well optimised Content | | | | information. |
| The focus of this article is website content. That | | | | The last thing you want to do is overwhelm someone |
| website content is a very important element in most | | | | with so much information that they don't end up |
| successful internet marketing campaigns, cannot be | | | | reading anything, and opts out for a website that |
| stressed enough. | | | | provides information that is delivered in a much simpler |
| Now don't get me wrong; I am not saying website | | | | format. |
| content is the only component you need to have for a | | | | 4) Free information, articles or hints and tips. |
| successful internet marketing campaign, other | | | | Create reasons for your customers to keep returning |
| elements are also very important. Content is a very | | | | to your website! |
| strong element if the search engine is to correctly | | | | How do you create reasons for visitors to return to |
| identify where a website belongs in its search engine | | | | your website? Free information that relates to or |
| listings. Other elements used in search engine | | | | compliments your product or service is a great way to |
| marketing -see the elements listed above- can be | | | | keep visitors coming back to your website, i.e. if your |
| manipulated to try and deceive the search engines, but | | | | website focuses on bathroom tiles, provide free tips on |
| good solid website content will give you an advantage | | | | how to care for your tiles, or on the best method for |
| over your competitors that have little or no content. | | | | laying the tiles for those that want to "do-it-yourself". |
| Why will it give you an advantage? If your website | | | | You could create a dedicated section within your |
| content is dedicated to a particular subject or theme, | | | | website titled "Do-it-Yourself". |
| then search engine logic will be able to determine | | | | By providing free helpful information, not only are you |
| where your website will best fit within its search pages. | | | | adding extra fresh website content; you are also |
| Even though this article is mainly focused around the | | | | providing extra reasons for your customers to keep |
| benefits that strong content brings to your search | | | | returning to your website. |
| engine rankings, don't focus purely on the search | | | | Note: A visitor to your website may not want to buy |
| engines when writing content for your website. After | | | | from you today, but if you can give them a reason to |
| all, the main purpose of having a website in the first | | | | remember your website when they are ready to buy, |
| place is to attract customers who will buy your | | | | there is a very good chance you will get a sale from |
| product or service, not search engines! | | | | them at a future date. |
| Website content should have the following | | | | How often should you add Content? |
| components: | | | | Ideally if you could add or make changes to your |
| 1) Relevance to the product or service you are | | | | website content everyday it would greatly benefit your |
| offering; | | | | site in terms of search results. However, unless you |
| 2) Incorporate targeted key phrases throughout; | | | | have someone managing your website full-time, this is |
| 3) Focus on the relevant sales message per product | | | | often difficult to manage. |
| service, as well as making it informative. | | | | I recommend that you make at least small |
| 4) Free information, articles or hints and tips. | | | | adjustments/changes to your website on a weekly |
| 1) Relevance to the product or service you are | | | | basis, and add fresh content on a weekly, fortnightly or |
| offering; | | | | monthly basis. This will keep the search engines |
| Many websites make the mistake of covering multiple | | | | interested in your site, and when you do make |
| products or services on a single page. Not only can | | | | changes they will be quickly picked up and listed in the |
| this be confusing for visitors to your website, but it also | | | | search engine results. |
| means that your overall keyword density on each | | | | For any content on your website that is no longer |
| page is weak. The aim is to ensure your relevant | | | | relevant, or is out of date, either remove it, or where |
| keywords appear often enough throught your content | | | | applicable archive it on your site. Blog software is ideal |
| to give you the opportunity to attain high rankings in the | | | | for effectively managing articles or updates on your |
| major search engines for your targetted keywords. | | | | website. Just ensure that if you do setup a Blog on |
| Note: Wherever possible, make the focus of each | | | | your website, that it has the ability to archive and sort |
| web page relate to one particular product or service. | | | | your articles and updates effectively. An example of a |
| For businesses that offer a range of different | | | | Blog used in this way, is the current Search Engine |
| products or services, this can sometimes be quite | | | | Marketing Blog I use on my website. |
| difficult to effectively manage and organise. This is | | | | Writing Articles |
| where it is of more benefit to hire a professional web | | | | Ideally I recommend you write articles or hints and tips |
| designer to manage the structure of your website | | | | yourself wherever possible. The benefits to you and |
| more effectively. Your website needs to be clear and | | | | your business will include; |
| concise for your customers as well as being | | | | - Credibility in your customers' eyes as they will feel |
| effectively optimised for the search engines. | | | | comfortable about your confidence and knowledge of |
| 2) Incorporate targeted key phrases throughout; | | | | your product. |
| Key phrases are an important part of any search | | | | - Fresh original content for your website which search |
| engine marketing campaign. Most search engine | | | | engines (especially Google) love. |
| marketing specialists will tell you that your keywords | | | | If you are unable to write content for your website |
| should make up approximately two to five percent of | | | | due to time restrictions, or feel you don't have |
| your content for optimal results. | | | | sufficient skills to write a professional content, there |
| Note: This percentage range is an estimate as there is | | | | are other resources available to you: |
| no documentation provided by any search engine | | | | - Free articles sites where you can download and use |
| company to support this. | | | | articles on almost any subject you can think of. |
| I will not go into too much detail here regarding key | | | | - Hire a professional copywriter to write your content |
| phrases, but if you would like to find out more, look out | | | | for you. This is a more expensive option, but gives you |
| for my article on researching search engine key | | | | the added advantage of fresh original content. |
| phrases which is coming soon. | | | | Having a website that is rich in well optimised content |
| 3) Focus on the relevant sales message per product | | | | will have your website well on the way towards being |
| service, as well as making it informative.a) Relevant | | | | successful in your search engine marketing campaign. |
| Sales message: | | | | Don't be discouraged if you don't have much content |
| "Click here to find out about our special offer for the | | | | on your website now. It is never too late to get started, |
| month of December!!!" | | | | and no time is better than the present to get started! |
| This statement is referred to as a "call-to-action". A | | | | Note: To-date, no matter what search engine algorithm |
| Call-to-action triggers a user to perform a certain | | | | changes occur, content has always remained an |
| action; in this case the action performed is clicking on | | | | important component for search engines to determine |
| this special offer. Various sales and marketing | | | | where a website will rank for specific keywords within |
| research shows that when a call-to-action is used, the | | | | their results. |
| conversion rate to sale or enquiry is significantly | | | | |