What is Effective Content?

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On the internet, content is everything.

Some SEO consultants will spin tales of woe, telling you that no one will ever visit your website unless you shell out big bucks. No matter what someone says, none of us have the keys to the secret kingdom of Google rankings.

Instead, you should focus on your content and that will improve site traffic, SEO and your conversion/sales rates.

In this post I’ll explain six things you can do to improve your site traffic.

1. Make sure your messaging is clear and concise.

When someone goes to your home page, do they know exactly what you are trying to do? Is it obvious that you are selling a product, providing a service, sharing your thoughts, or offering information? Too many people muddy their site with multiple messages or try to do too much.

For example, if you’re a freelancer, make sure your website screams to a new visitor what your services are. Alternately, if your primary goal is selling an Ebook, make sure there’s a ‘buy now’ button on your home page.

2. Identify your audience.

Who is the primary audience for your product, service or message? Figuring out who you’re trying to reach will help you decide on an appropriate website design, the kind of messaging you need to use, and effective keyword strategies to employ within your web copy and taxonomies.

3. Invest in effective copy.

You get a lot of bang for your buck with clear and concise writing on your website. This can seal the deal with potential customers/subscribers, who can quickly assess that your site provides what they need.

Are you using as few words as possible to explain your point? Too often people get bogged down in verbiage and no one wants to read a wall of text. If you’re not a writer, hiring a copywriter or an editor (such as myself!) would be a good investment.

4. Make your site as user-friendly as possible.

The prettiest website in the world is a complete failure if people can’t find and use the information they’re looking for. Make sure your menus and other navigation are easy to use, with clear labeling and logical structures and taxonomies. Try to anticipate everything a potential site visitor would want to do, and include a search box for those times when people want to do the unexpected.

An added tip: spend the extra time/money to make your site accessible to the visually or physically impaired. This will not only allow a larger segment of the population (including the elderly) to use your site, but it will also give you bonus SEO points.

5. Don’t forget images.

As I noted in my post, ‘How Images Can Boost SEO’, it’s important to use not only include effective images but also to tag them appropriately to help boost your SEO.

6. Update your content regularly.

Google hates sites that never change. If you don’t already have one, consider adding a blog, events calendar, announcements, or other regularly-updated content to your site, along with a commitment to keep this information fresh and timely.