We live in a technological age, where any business that wants to be taken seriously needs to have a visible online presence. These days creating a website isn’t too tricky. There are easy-to-use templates available, and you can hire a professional designer if your budget permits it.
However, it’s not just about having a snazzy-looking website. At the end of the day, it’s not much use if the site never gets any views or customers aren’t impressed by the content on offer. So before you start consulting graphic designers and SEO specialists to help with website creation, you need to start by focusing on creating quality content. By doing so, you’ll ensure you offer a better a user experience for your customers and drive more traffic to the platform via good search engine rankings.
To reiterate the point that content is (and always will be) king, we’ve come up with a list of 7 reasons you need to focus on creating quality web content for your clients. So here goes!
#1. Build an Audience’s Trust In Your Brand
Investing in advertising certainly has value, but did you know that the vast majority of consumers don’t trust ads they see online? In fact, large numbers of people use web browsers while running ad blockers to stop them from being distracted by annoying adverts.
However, most of us will admit to going down a rabbit hole while browsing organic results on Google, YouTube and various social media channels. Consumers aren’t stupid, though. They don’t necessarily trust everything they read, which is why you need to ensure when they do stumble across your website, the content on offer is well-written, interesting and valuable.
#2. Boosts SEO Optimization
Not so long ago, the elements of quality content and SEO-friendly content didn’t sit well together. People became obsessed with keyword stuffing which meant that their site would rank well on Google, but when consumers engaged with the content, they’d likely be disappointed about the standard of information.
Thankfully, search engines have become more innovative in terms of recognizing content that’s useful to the audience, whilst ensuring this ranks well. These days it’s essential for content to be highly readable and properly formatted for mobile devices and feature quality images and links to authoritative sources.
Site owner and brains behind Nodeposit365.ca, Olivia King, knows all too well about the importance of content and its impact:
‘Without beating around the bush, content should pack a punch. It shouldn’t be long-winded or boring, because you’ll lose visitors’ interest quickly. Well-written content informs, educates and engages readers. If these three actions aren’t well executed, you’ll most likely become irrelevant real quick!
As an affiliate site specializing in the online casino industry, I can honestly say it’s as exciting as it is competitive. This rings truer now than it did a decade ago. Moreover, with Google’s algorithms shifting to ‘mobile-first’ usage, keeping it simple whilst educating the reader who’s always ‘on the go’ is imperative. This is why promoting no deposit bonuses needs to be done so in an attractive way, whilst still maintaining their marketability – not always an easy feat!’
#3. Reap the Benefits with Better Sales
Brands that publish content that’s useful to the consumer will position themselves as thought leaders in their field and establish trust. In turn, this can translate to more sales. So ensure you create content that’s informative, educational and showcases your expertise.
To understand what can be deemed useful, it’s worth doing some research into the needs and concerns of your target market. Subsequently, create content that provides the consumer with the authoritative answer they need. While being authoritative is important, you should strike a balance by striving not to patronize the reader or overwhelm them with industry jargon either.
#4. Increase Brand Exposure via Sharing
If people find the content you create valuable, interesting, insightful, funny or engaging, they’re more likely to share it with their network. In essence, they’re giving your brand a positive endorsement by sharing it with their own audience.
It is, therefore, important to enable your content to be shared by consumers, so be sure to include social media share buttons on your website or blog articles.
#5. Think Evergreen Content for Long-Term Results
To ensure that the content you publish will be helpful both now and in the future you need to think in terms of long-term relevance. This is where evergreen content comes in. Of course, there might be a time when you need to focus on a pressing matter, and that’s okay. You could possibly build up on a news or time-sensitive piece and create a related evergreen post.
With all this said, it’s good to understand the difference between an article that’s trending this week or month to one that might still be valid or of interest a year or two from now.
As a rule of thumb, if and where possible, it’s good to try to create content that will last. Where it isn’t possible, be sure to regularly audit content, ensure it’s updated where necessary or, if needs be, removed from the site.
#6. Get To Know Your Audience Better
Once you start creating content, you’ll soon see which pieces grab the audience’s attention and which topics engage them. How? Two words: Google rankings. Analyzing the data behind the content will give your some valuable insights into the mind of your audience segment.
Not only can this information gathered from audience engagement help you tailor content to the needs and preferences of your audience in the future, but it will also help you stay ahead of trends and better yet, even formulate new business ideas.
#7. Ensure Customer Retention and Growing Your Customer Base
The business world is a competitive place, and everyone wants to set themselves apart from their rivals. The better content you have on your website, the more likely you are to retain your loyal customers and attract new clients. As long as you create valuable content, this is totally attainable.
So make an effort to do your market research in order to understand your audience. Also, keep an eye out for what your competition is doing – and figure out what’s working for them. Remember, there’s nothing wrong with using this information to guide your content strategy. Plus, you certainly won’t be the first company to take a leaf out of a competitor’s book!
At the end of the day, creating top-quality content is in your best business interest. It’s one element that contributes to user experience, which in turn drives traffic and increases brand exposure. So never forget that content is (and always will be) king, and commit to prioritizing a content strategy for your business that will help establish your company as a leader in your field.
