The Bottom Line – Content Is King
I’ll repeat this just in case you missed it the first time…..
Content is King !
So why have I gone to such great lengths to state the obvious and even repeat the obvious ?
Because so few of us get that’s why !
The guys that develop the algorithms that create the spiders that trawl the web and decide where to position your site in the return from a potential purchaser’s search for your goods and services know it too.
Their job is to make sure that they return the best possible responses to that potential purchaser and the best responses get to go on page one and, of course, those are the links that get all the traffic.
What Is A Search Engine Interested In ?
So what is a search engine interested in (apart from making money of course) ?
A search engine such as Google needs to maintain its leadership as the premium search engine (and hence the most lucrative) by ensuring that it consistently returns higher and higher quality results for any given search.
The best way to achieve that is to return the sites and webpages that provide the most relevant information – content is king !
Now we are all aware that a good web developer will enhance your site to ensure it is search engine friendly via the arts of Search Engine Optimisation, however, there is only so much they can do. The rest is up to you !
We Are All Experts In Our Field<
During my time as a management consultant and web developer I have noted that every person I have done business with is an expert in their field. Be it beds, real estate, doors, artwork etc. They all know their stuff and are keen to communicate that knowledge to potential clients.
Trying to get that information out of them to place on a website, however, is rarely an easy exercise. People find it hard to write what they so easily can put into words during a conversation or a sales pitch.
I am yet to meet a client who does not want their website to feature on the first page of a Google search for their particular keyword yet suggesting that they need to continue to add relevant content to their website weekly (as a minimum) gains the sort of silence that Hannibal Lecter must get when he suggests that you join him for a cosy late night snack.
The problem is that most people still equate a website with a brochure. We work together, I go away and build the site and then they provide me with small changes every so often to make sure that the products shown are still available for sale. Then, once a year, we change the site a bit to give it a new fresh look.
The Consultative Sell
We are all aware that the consultative sell is the best sales method. You know your product nd your industry and you work with the client to understand their particular situation and requirements and then you match a particular solution to those requirements, negotiate the price and then complete the sale.
As long as you weren’t lying about the capabilities of your product or solution and, if you provide good service, then likely the client will return to you next time for their next purchase either for a replacement product or for a new product perhaps.
Not only that, the client will likely speak highly about your company’s knowledge and capabilities to their friends, work colleagues etc and you may even get referral business from the sale.
Well these days people often do their window shopping on the Internet so you need to translate the consultative sale to your website. You need to position yourself as the expert, the best one to go to first and you will be unlikely to do that with an online brochure that cannot be found because it is returned on page 10 of a Google search.
The Goalposts Have Moved
The goalposts have moved. Once we said you needed a website to remain competitive. The website you need today is not just an online brochure. You must engage (and continue to engage) with potential clients via your site.
Content is king ! Not just the content you enter today but the content you enter tomorrow and the next day and the next………..
