''Creating Great Content for Your Website.''
In their book, Million Dollar Web Presence, authors Chad Barr and Alan Weiss present tactical strategies to build a brand and a business by harnessing the Internet. In the following section, the authors describe tried and tested methods for developing engaging and provocative content as well as the essentials of a successful website.
Your site has only seconds to capture interest. Think about the articles you read, the speeches you've heard, and the books you've started. The initial exposure helps people determine if they want to spend more time reading, listening, or viewing. There is simply too much competition for time to wait for people to invest too much in an attempt to overcome a tepid introduction.
The provocative content of an accounting firm may include six reasons why you are paying too much in taxes; because the top line is more important than the bottom line; and how to get your customers to offer more than you ask.
You have to be nervous, but do not poke someone in the eye.
You have to be willing to challenge and entertain, as long as you do not boast or boast. Your website, and particularly your home page, should be provocative enough to be memorable and get others to tell colleagues, "You should visit this site."
Let's explore some of the best ways to get the thought-provoking ideas you need:
? Read relevant books and publications and summarize your readings and document your ideas.
? Brainstorm with others. Involve a team of trusted consultants. Being part of a powerful group of trusted mentors and consultants is a great way to improve your ideas and creativity.
? Invest in self-development. A Japanese proverb says, "I'll dominate something, then creativity will come."
? Question the basic assumptions. This applies not only to your own assumptions, but also to those of your consultants and clients. You gain new insights to come up with the right solution.
? Take a contrary view. Discuss the pros and cons of a concept. Customers hire us not necessarily to agree with them, but to question their opinions and basic premises in order to improve their business.
? Create a story. Using a story to convey a particular concept forces us to develop ideas to make it more effective.
? Interview others. This is a great way to learn, gain new ideas and leverage effective marketing while developing new audio and video content for your website and the person you are interviewing.
? Social network. By joining efficient and intelligent online communities, you can quickly gain insight into what is being asked and discussed, and how you can help others.
Among our own content "musts" for your site are a homepage that includes typical customer results, at least one video testimonial plus testimonials in rotating text (at intervals of about seven seconds) and a dramatic and attractive value. The menus should include case studies, customer lists, positioning documents, biography, contact information, product and service offerings, and video explanations of various offers. Give each page a different look.
After reviewing probably thousands of websites over the years, we come to the conclusion that for your organization to succeed on the Internet, three key elements must be met:
? To draw. Your website should be professionally designed, attractive and engaging, and be easy to navigate in order to quickly get the attention and interest of visitors. The good use of images is important, as well as the use of taking action from you with your clients.
? Content. Your website should focus on the interests of your visitors and address the issue of what's in it for them and how to improve their business and lives. To achieve this, strong content must be developed in the form of products, services and intellectual property, while constantly evolving.
? Strategy and tactics. Determine how the business should be, how it should position itself online, and what components of the Internet are essential to make the business a success. Decide how you should reach out and communicate with customers: Do they buy products, read articles, subscribe to newsletters, communicate through blogs and online communities?
Without all three, the effectiveness of your site is greatly reduced. For example, a well designed site with great content but no strategy and defined tactics is like driving a big car without a GPS system or an effective map. You will be wondering why you are not reaching your destination.
If you have great content and effective strategies and tactics but still poor design and navigation, visitors will close browsers or press the "Back" button to go to the previous site.
Do not try to mark, label, and identify all items. Focus on those things that are most important to your credibility. If leadership is your strong point, do not worry about highlighting blog posts in your movie reviews. Use a device such as Google Alerts to tell how you're being perceived and detected. If your positioning is for questions that are only peripheral to your actual value, change what you are emphasizing.