Could Your Small Business Web Site Use a New Content Plan?
Wondering why your business website isn't bringing you the traffic you need? The answer may lie in your site's content. Small businesses regularly make two critical errors. Some assume that they don't need much content on their site and that a few pages of basic information are enough, and others simply fail to develop a well-researched, strategic content plan that will give them a boost over the competition.
However, having enough well-executed content adds value to your site by showing users and search engines what you stand for. Here are six indicators that you should consider developing a fresh content plan for your small business website:
Local visitors have trouble finding your pages. How can you tell? Look at your site stats and see if people are finding you with queries like ''Tulsa pizzeria'' (assuming that you are, in fact, a Tulsa pizzeria). If not, you may need to jack up your local emphasis.
You just haven't updated it in a while. Even if nothing's changed about your business itself, fresh content is good for your website. Search engines like it, and you can get repeat visitors out of updated content.
You've added or removed an important service, or you've revised your seasonal menu, or you're supporting a local cancer benefit. Keeping up with your own news shows that your site is active.
You have less content than your competitors. Maybe you just have a basic site about your plumbing business--your rates, a little info about your business, etc. but Joe Competitor offers more--a glossary of plumbing terms and some do-it-yourself tips to try before you call him. This not only builds goodwill among visitors, but also gives the site additional heft in the search engines. (Worded correctly, do-it-yourself tips for a plumbing business can be helpful and make visitors think more favorably about the business, while at the same time making them say to themselves: ''You know, that sounds messy and difficult. I think I'll just give this guy a call instead.'')
All of your page titles (the top bar of your browser window) show the name of your business and nothing more. This is especially problematic if your business name is something that doesn't have any keywords. Even a well-known site like Amazon includes keywords in its title--that's why it says ''Amazon.com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs & more'' instead of simply ''Amazon.com.'' Note that they've listed all of their most important products in the title. This is not coincidental--in fact, you'll also notice that for each of Amazon's product divisions, they've changed the title on the page to reflect what's being sold in that part of the site. Your page titles are one of the most important pointers you have to your site content and therefore your business--don't ignore them. Good titles allow users and search engines to see what you have to offer, and can also entice users to click on your site, bringing you more business.
People are finding your site in strange ways. Sure, you get traffic on your site, but when you look at your visitor logs, you see that people are finding you for phrases that don't have much to do with your main product or service. This is a sign that it's time to add some content that does a better job of reflecting what you have to offer, whether it's an innovative specialty product or free shipping for in-state customers.
In order to develop a fresh web content plan for your site, you'll want to look at the site's current strengths and weaknesses, check out your competitors, and research the key words and phrases that will help visitors find you.
For professional help with web content development and strategic copywriting, visit http://connectedcopywriting.com
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/
Added: July 15, 2008
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