Unique Content
Whether you run a local business, a non-profit organization, or are simply a hobbyist, a website is necessary to reach the widest possible audience. For that website to be effective, it needs to have quality content that will impress visitors and make them interested in what you have to offer. This is content you must find ways to create.
Understanding the various types of content a website needs is key to getting quality, unique content created. There are two types of website content: static pages and blog updates, both of which are important for creating and maintaining a successful website.
Static Pages
Static pages are the basic pages that are always on display on your website. They often include information about yourself, your work, the products or services you offer, and frequently asked questions pages. These need to be produced at the beginning when you are setting up your site for the first time, though they can and should evolve and change as needed.
Because this content represents both the core information your website is trying to convey as well as the first impression it makes to visitors, considerable care should go into deciding what these pages say as well as the types of content displayed on them. Important information and sufficient detail should be included, yet this content should not get bogged down or readers will lose interest. It should be clear and easily readable.
Photos and videos should be displayed on your site’s static pages, if possible. Videos, especially, tend to generate more interest than text or even photos. Both photos and videos are incredibly useful for showcasing examples of your work, introducing your team, and making your site look attractive.
A final content type that is useful for static pages are testimonials. These can be requested from customers or quoted from good things peers have had to say about you. Positive testimonials from previous customers, especially ones that go into detail regarding what they liked about you, go a long way in creating trust with prospective customers.
Blog Posts
Blog posts, on the other hand, are meant to be made frequently. They can contain everything from updates about your business to previews of projects you are working on to information about your line of work that your customers might find useful. This type of content is not limited to written posts and can consist of video updates. Photos can of course be added to blog posts as well. Keeping a blog on your website is a good idea because it provides a growing number of ways customers and search engines can discover your site, and through it, what you have to offer.
It is generally recommended that a blog be updated at least once a week, although it can be done more often if there is a good reason or important information to share. You can do so less often, though that comes with some risk of dipping in the search rankings and readers forgetting about you.
The Importance of SEO
SEO, which stands for Search Engine Optimization, is the practice of using keywords in your content to rank higher in online search engine results, which in turn drives more traffic to your site. Search engines are the #1 way most people discover websites, making SEO a critically important aspect of content creation. You should take the time to come up with keywords and phrases that best represent what your content is about and include those throughout your site. It is important to consider alternative terms people might search for (for example, you can use a thesaurus to find similar words) as well as possible misspellings that might be common. The inclusion of links to high quality sources also serves to improve your content’s SEO.
Google and other major search engines change their algorithms rather frequently, however, so it is important to stay updated on changes to SEO best practices. SEO is important and can help you, but it is more important that you produce quality, unique content that is of use to your website’s visitors.
Creating Content
There are a few ways you can actually get content created for your website. You can produce it yourself, make it the responsibility of one of your regular employees, or hire out contract workers to produce it. There is no best way and you will have to evaluate the best approach for your needs. You can of course try out different methods and see which ones work best for you.
You know yourself, your company, and your industry best. Especially if you are a one-man show just starting out, you may find that simply creating your own content is sufficient. If you do it yourself, you will need to conduct research to ensure your unique content is accurate. You should do research even if you already know a significant amount on the topic you are writing about, such as a complicated one like LSI. If you have other employees, especially one or more who are skilled writers or photographers, assigning them the task of creating content might be wise. The main downside to producing content yourself is that it takes a lot of time you could be using to grow your business or create your products. Many people do not have the skill to create engaging online content either, and that simply may not be one of your strengths.
Most websites and blogs hire content creators to make content for them, at least some of the time. There are a wealth of freelance creators out there willing to create content for you for a fair price. If you find you like someone’s style and ability in particular, you can maintain an ongoing working relationship with them. This is often a win-win situation because you receive regular content and the contractor has regular work. Another option you have is to reach out to others in your field, particularly experts, for the creation of guest posts.
Creating content for your website can be a never-ending task, but it’s worth it to draw in traffic as well as be seen as a qualified, knowledgeable professional in your field.
