Have you ever visited a website only to find that the content hadn’t been updated since your last visit?  Did you feel let down?  Google feels the same way.  If you want your website to be important to Google and other search engines you have to regularly update the content.

What does content development mean?

Content marketing (also called content development) is the process of consistently adding value to your website by sharing information that your visitors, customers (and website search engines) will find interesting.  More than just updating your specials or switching some text, effective content marketing means expanding your website presence with additional information.  Think of your website as a book with great covers and a few pages when you begin.  By regularly adding new content, you fill the pages with value and expand the size of your ‘book’.  If you were a customer, you’d prefer a well-written book to a short brochure too!

Why is good content marketing important?

There are two primary reasons that quality content marketing is important:

1)       Page Rank

Page rank is how valuable website search engine think your website is.  Search engines decide which websites to list first based on page rank.  It’s influenced by several factors, one of which is your website’s content and how frequently it’s updated.  A website with good page rank will show up high on search engine rankings, which means when potential customers search the internet for your product or service, your website will be included.  It’s pretty clear why this is important!

2)      Customer Impression

Aside from the role effective content marketing plays in helping your business with search engines, it’s also important to remember that the ultimate goal of the effort is to get customers to visit your site.  If they land on your website and find that the content is outdated or stale, what impression does this give them of your business?  A website with frequently updated content illustrates that you value your product enough to want to share information about it with your customers.  This is a perfect opportunity for you to get people excited about your business.  Tell them why you’re in the business you’re in, why you are an expert and why they should choose you over your competitors.

Is content marketing hard?

Content marketing doesn’t have to be hard.  With a commitment to providing content on a regular basis, you’ve taken a step in the right direction. Many factors play a part in an effective content marketing strategy including long-tail search terms, page optimization and other factors that relate to SEO.  If you need assistance taking advantage of this opportunity to help your business and website stand out from the competition, give us a call.  Our experts are here to help.