Content development describes the process of researching, organizing, writing, editing and publishing information on website pages. This content includes text, images, videos, charts, audio files, and various other mediums.

Why does website content development matter?

Business owners are often disappointed to discover that first-page search engine results and increased traffic to their website does not automatically increase sales. You have to invest time into website content development.

Effective content that reaches your target audience and impresses them with the appropriate emotional appeal is what is going to make the difference. When you can get your customer to think BEYOND the sale, making the decision to buy your product or service NOW is much easier for them!

Since every page on your website has the potential of being the FIRST IMPRESSION the customer has of you, it is important to look at each of your pages independently. If your site is set up and optimized correctly, clients can enter your site and access the information they are looking for from any point.

How to Approach Content Development

1) Know your target audience.

• Who are they? Know your demographics: age range, gender, profession, income level, etc.
• Put yourself in their minds. Where do they typically spend time on the web? How do they search for information?
• What keywords or keyword phrases would they use to find your service or products?

2) Review your competition.

• Who are your main competitors and what keywords and phrases are they focusing on?
• What sets you apart from your competition? Are there keywords and phrases that you can focus on that set your products and services apart?

3) Define Your Primary Keywords.

• Choose keywords and keyword phrases best reflect your objectives and audience.
• For each page, incorporate these phrases often throughout your website content and Meta data, but be sure the content flows and doesn’t sound like spam.

4) Create Title Tags.

• Title tags are the headings for your pages that appear at the top of the browser window.
• They also appear in the search engines when your content matches a particular search query.
• Create unique title tags that are relevant to the content on each individual page.

5) Take Advantage of Alt and Title Tags.

• Alt tags are the text that appears when you hover over an image on your page.
• Title attributes are the text that appears when you hover over a link on your page.
• By taking the time to incorporate relevant keywords in the ALT and Title tags, you increase your search engine optimization.

6) Use Video.

• Incorporating professional looking video on your website is one of the best ways to increase your search engine and website results.
• Creating a video and placing it on YouTube and other video libraries and incorporating keywords and linking back to your site increases visibility and gives added credibility to your products and services.

Website Content Tips

It is well worth it to take the time to carefully evaluate the content on every page of your website. While reviewing your pages, consider the following questions:

• How long would it take me to determine the primary purpose of this page?
• Do you help customers imagine already owning the products or using the services you provide?
• How are you communicating VALUE to your audience?
• Do any of the images you provide show the product being used or service being carried out?
• Do you show pictures of your products that customers can click to enlarge? Do you show more than one image?
• Do you speak to customers as if they already USE the product or service?
• If you claim that buying your product or service will save your customer MONEY, did you explain exactly HOW?
• If you claim that using your product or service will save your customer TIME, did you explain exactly HOW it will save time?
• Do you give any special offers or incentives to buy right now?
• Looking at your site, would a customer feel placing a order is secure and safe?
• How difficult would it be to purchase your product or service using your website?
• How easy is it to find shipping information and payment options?
• Is your contact information easy to find on EVERY page?

How intuitive is your site? Can your visitors easily find what they are looking for? This can easily be tested by having several people who have never been to your website test it out and provide you with feedback.

By combining your SEO efforts with content development you will begin to realize the online success you have been striving for.

For more information on how Empire Creative can help you manage the content of your website for maximum results, contact us at 281-486-8882!