Archives for April 2007

This tip is for those who have already drafted (or contracted out with a professional copywriter to have written) some unique, original content for their website. If you’re not one of those people… Come back here once you’ve installed multiple pages of copy on each of your web pages.

This tip is for the person who is now wondering “what more can I do other than wait?” Well, I’m sorry to say it, but you can ALWAYS use more relevant content. The search engines will send their spiders to your site more often if they notice that you regularly, relevantly, and significantly update your site. If you update your site frequently enough, they may even spider your site multiple times a day. Imagine that, getting daily attention from some of the most powerful companies in the world. It can happen, but you have to be willing to put in the work, and do it wisely.

Now when faced with what to write about, the most important thing is knowing how to “fill in the gaps” of the content you’ve already written. Go back and look at all of your copy. I’m certain that on each page there are several missed opportunities. Things mentioned, but never fleshed out. It is now your job to go back in and think like a search engine; visualize scanning your pages for additional links to drill down into. It should become obvious what things you can continue to expound upon in additional pages of content.

This new content will not only continue to build your website to the search engines, but it will make it a more entertaining, informational read to your visitors. Which leads to them spending more time on your site, becoming familiar with your branding, and perhaps even doing you the ultimate favor: linking to your site from their trusted site because they value your wealth of knowledge.

There is little to no debate that duplicate content is going to hurt your natural rankings in the search engines. However, there is plenty of debate as to how much duplicate content actually hurts your marketing strategy. There is, of course, no absolute answer to this question so why take a chance…write something original. There is plenty of knowledge and insight on just about every subject so why not share your spin? You might not think it is going to benefit someone or be read, but do not underestimate the plethora of inquiring minds on the Internet.

The best thing you can do to expedite the process of your site’s content being indexed and being ranked high, naturally is to share your own knowledge on a subject. Do some research, try not to regurgitate someone else’s knowledge, and let loose with what you have learned, gathered, and experienced. You will be surprised at the audience you attract. I know that I do not speak for myself when I say that I am always looking for as much information on a subject as possible. And that includes any and all sides, views, and opinions on every subject matter.

As more and more people turn to the Internet each day as their primary source of research, the demand for as much information as possible increases exponentially. When you can provide even the smallest piece of information that no one else has replicated many times over, you are going to gain a strong following and a certain amount of respect as a resource on the Internet. And, in turn, your site/blog/forum is going to gradually leap frog your competition for those natural spots you have been longing for ever since you were a novice SEO’er.

It is no doubt that providing original content on the Internet is one of the most difficult things to do, hence the respect it is given, but if you are able to share your own knowledge, no matter how minuscule you may think it is, you will most definitely reap the benefits. Just think – one little piece of information that is brand new and informative on the Internet is going to cascade into thousands of pairs of eyes on your hard work. How do you think the tabloids sell so many magazines and distract you when you are standing in line at the grocery store? When we see something that we have never seen before we are immediately and sub-consciously attracted to it. Use that mind set when you are writing your next blog entry or page of copy for your website. It is going to be harder to start that typing, but the end result will surpass your initial frustrations.

You came to this page because you were looking for something, anything that will help your new (or older) site climb up the natural Google or Yahoo page rankings to the first page. That’s where everyone wants to be! Unfortunately, figuring out how to get there is a little like turning a blank canvas into a masterpiece. Fortunately, there are a lot of things you can do that, when combined, will shape your website slowly into the ‘something to behold’ that you want it to be to the search engines.

The first thing we always ask someone is: “What is your site about?” Often proud site owners will go on for hours about what they are trying to accomplish, the services they offer, and why they are the best. And then we open up their site to see nothing more than a (sometimes) flashy domain name and some contact information. That means little more to the search engines than a flimsy digital business card: maybe they’ll tuck it in a folder somewhere. Though they might just wash it after leaving it in their jeans, or worse yet decide after getting it that they really don’t need it.

What Google, Yahoo, MSN Live, and the other engines really need to deliver relevant content to their searchers is substance; meaning professionally written, captivating content that keeps visitors on your page once they get there, and most importantly, gives the search engines something meaty to spider onto. Without in-depth SEO content, all the work in the world on page tags, domain name research, and other considerations will be pointless, because in the end anyone who visits your page will still be asking “What is your site about?”

BigSERP.Com provides professional SEO content solutions for businesses of all sizes.