In 1996, Bill Gates wrote an article titled Content is King. Fast forward 26 years, the Internet and its role in our lives are quite different, as we are now online 24/7 in a digital world, mobile devices are taking the place of computers, AI is raising, conventional media is lying in its deathbed, and somehow that famous phrase is still widely used, and as relevant as ever- if not more so. This alone should be more than enough to underline the importance of quality website content, but there is a lot more to say, and we intend to leave nothing untouched.
So, let us talk a bit about website content and its importance.
Why is Website Content Important?
Website content is important for two main reasons:
- User experience
- SEO
Now, let’s elaborate. It is estimated that there are close to 2 billion sites on the Internet today, and that number is only rising. That means competition. Yes, whatever you are doing on your website, you are not the only one doing it. You may be selling home security systems, reviewing the episodes of your favorite TV show, sharing your travel stories, or talking about Star Wars memorabilia, and all of them are cool -maybe except the last one- but when you remember that a lot of other people are doing exactly the same, you should ask yourself this important question:
Why would anyone want to visit my site, when dozens -if not hundreds- of others are offering more or less the same?
Obviously, there is more than one possible answer to this question, but content is certainly one of them, and it is one of the most important ones. See, the better your content is, the more likely your visitors are going to;
- View it,
- Check for similar content on your website (which means spending more time on your site),
- Share it,
- -and most importantly- Come back for more!
This means the quality and uniqueness of your content have a direct effect on user experience.
Another reason why good content is important is, of course, Search Engine Optimization. If you have read our detailed post about SEO, by now you should know that once someone searches for something, basically all Google is trying to do is to find the best results in the endless sea of websites. And in order to appear among those best results -which we call the first page- your content should be among the best there is as well.
In other words, if you wish to grow your audience and improve your search rankings, you better invest in good website content!
What is Considered Good Website Content?
There are a lot of criteria for good website content, some of which might be subjective of course, but the most important criteria for quality website content are the following:
- Unique- This is a must. As we have stated above, you are competing with countless other websites, and to stand out, your content must be unique.
- SEO–Friendly – You can’t expect your audience to magically find you! You need to be found, and search engines -mainly Google- are your best bet here. Do your keyword research well, and try to make your content as SEO-friendly as possible, for better exposure.
- Informative- Your content should tell people what they want to know. You can fill an article with high-search-volume keywords, and still not say anything important. Remember, if you can provide benefit to your readers, they will provide benefit to your site in return!
- Easy to Read – If people wanted to read a novel, they would have read a novel, instead of surfing the web! So, don’t write articles consisting of huge chunks of text. Place relevant, interesting subheadings in the correct places so people can easily read your content.
- Always up-to-date – Things change- and rather rapidly, most of the time. Writing good content is one thing, but keeping it up-to-date means checking it regularly and making the necessary touches once in a while. Remember- no one wants to get dated information.
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How to Write Content for Your Website?
They say that writing cannot be taught, and it is true to a certain extent. The thing is, you don’t have to write like Faulkner to produce quality content for a website- actually, you better not write like Faulkner on your website! There are guidelines you can follow, which we will provide shortly.
Here are the basic tips to writing quality content for your website:
- Know who you are writing for – Knowing your audience is a great start, as it helps you decide most, if not all of the following steps. You can do your topic research, choose your tone, even set your posting schedule based on the information you have on your audience. So, starting by getting to know them is always a great idea.
- Topic & keyword research – This should be easier if you know your audience. What would they like to read about? What are their interests? What are the current trends? After finding your topics, you should perform keyword research, so that you can see the popular search words/phrases.
- Set your tone – Do you want to be informal, or would you like to address your audience as they are your friends? There is no wrong answer here, as it might depend on your style, subject, and of course, as we have said before, your target audience.
- Research – So you’ve got your topic, hot keywords, and you are ready to go. Always make sure to research your topic well, so you can provide better content to your audience. Unfortunately, the Internet is full of untrustable content, so be careful with the sources you choose to trust.
- Use a writing tool – No matter how good a writer you are, using a writing tool will always be helpful. Even just spotting little mistakes instantly will save you a lot of time!
- Keep it simple – Don’t overcomplicate things! We are living in the digital age, and people -especially younger audiences- have really short attention spans. Try to get your message through without making it complicated. Remember- being able to really simplify something successfully is a sign that you have mastered it.
Content Writing Mistakes
When it comes to writing content, learning what not to do is equally important as learning what to do, and most of the time it is easier! Here are some of the common content writing mistakes that you should avoid:
- Copying content from other sites- Try to always keep your content unique, and avoid copying content at all costs, as search engines might penalize your website for it.
- Keyword stuffing- Yes, using relevant keywords with high search volume is quite important for search engine optimization, but stuffing your content with keywords just because they are frequently searched is basically spam, and it might get your website penalized as well- and it will also hurt your website’s reputation in the eyes of the users, as it looks really cheap.
- Misinformation – Always double -or triple-check your sources, as providing your readers with wrong information should be the last thing you want to do. Remember that you want to earn their trust so that they keep coming back to your website.
- Not updating your content – Leaving expired content on your website is another thing that will repel your readers, as they desire to obtain fresh, updated information. So, try not to leave your content unattended for long periods of time.
- Too simple – Yes, we have just told you keeping it simple is desirable, but keeping your content too simple is never a good idea. People want to know details, and you should provide them with details- without overcomplicating your content, of course!
- No reviews – All content should be fact-checked and reviewed before being published, not just to check for possible errors, but for final touches/improvements as well. If you have an editor, that’s great; if you don’t, you can always do it yourself.
How to Source Your Content?
You can write quality content for your website? That’s great! But you don’t need to worry if you can’t, or if you just don’t have the time. There is no rule that states you have to produce your own content. Actually, most of the time it is better to hire content professionals to do the job, as they will likely to have more experience in terms of both writing and search engine optimization, and this way you can spend your time on other aspects of your web business.
There are a lot of ways of sourcing quality content for your website, some of which are;
- Working with an agency- Working with a team of digital marketing professionals for your content operations is a very effective solution. They will map out a content strategy for your website, and manage the entire process. Although very fruitful, this is usually a pricy solution, so if you are just starting out or a bit tight on budget, you might want to consider freelancers.
- Hiring a freelancer- Hiring a professional (or a couple of them) is another good option and a much more affordable solution than signing an agency. Although finding the right person might be a painful process. To find freelance writers for your website, you may contact people individually, post job offerings, or try websites such as Fiverr and Upwork.
- Guest posts from industry professionals – You surely know other people working in your industry, who are capable of writing informative, helpful content. You can invite them to write guest content for your website- you can also do the opposite, which is a great way of acquiring links to your website!
Conclusion
Although digital trends change faster than gas prices, it is quite safe to say that quality content will always be a major factor in determining the success of your website/online business. Sure, the prominent formats might change in the future, but the concept of content itself will always be relevant. So, if you are building a website, make sure you have an effective content strategy, and follow it carefully!