Business First Family Business, Accounting, Finance, Investing, Marketing And Management
Some people believe that they should create a blog if they have something to say and a website if they have something to sell. But that’s not the case, because the two functionalities overlap. An owned blog, or a guest post on a third-party site, is a great way to build awareness of a product or service that’s available elsewhere. And, good content on a website is an excellent resource that searchers can bookmark and return to over and over again. It’s also possible to put both platforms in one location, enabling you to both broadcast a message and make money.
Regardless of which platform you choose, first impressions are key. In fact, although it’s not as important as it once was, many people still abandon websites based solely on their appearance. So, it’s important to partner with one of the best website builders to design a site that’s both attractive and functional, because most users simply will not settle for anything less.
Getting Found
Back in ye olden days (any year that began with a “19”), organizations broadcasted their messages through television or other media to get their message out or promote their products. But the world does not work that way anymore, because instead of broadcasting in shotgun style, organizations must connect with individual customers.
Effective use of keywords is perhaps the best way to get customers to find your blog and/or website. There are a number of good keyword research sites that offer statistics on website traffic for certain words and phrases, and by incorporating these keywords into your content, it is easier for searchers to find. Many of these sites are subscription sites, but the small business marketing investment nearly always pays off.
Good content is important as well, because Google recognizes such blogs and sites and rewards them by moving them up on the list of search results for a given keyword. Good content should be lengthy (at least 500 words) but not rambling. Furthermore, while some marketing is okay, it must add value to the reader.
Making Good Content
Once searchers find your site, you must give them a reason to read what’s there, because short searches (the person clicks on the page then quickly leaves) downgrades your rating. Opinions differ greatly as to what makes good content, but here are some suggestions:
Headline: Catchy headlines usually attract readers’ attention. In terms of length, they should usually be between five and seven words.
First Paragraph: If the first paragraph does not establish the page’s theme and give people a reason to stay, they will click away.
Appearance: Most people do not read online content; they scan it. So, include an image to make the page visually appealing. Moreover, short paragraphs (perhaps four lines long) and bullet points make the text easier to skim.
Ending: In a speech or article, people usually remember the first item and the last item. Therefore, the conclusion (call to action in web lingo) must be compelling and prompt the reader to do something, be it click on a link, share social media content or pick up a phone or whatever.
Be sure to edit and proofread the content before publishing it. Visibility is the key to a blog or online store, because the most well-designed site is useless if people cannot find it.
Image from https://www.themetidy.com/blog/shopify-theme-sections-drag-and-drop-page-builder-for-your-online-store/
