Foolproof Ideas for Creating Great Web Content

How many times have you performed a Google search only to be taken to one of those lackluster "spew" blogs where you see words on the page but no one appears to be there?

Did you know that someone can mistake your website for this same type of content churn if you aren't careful about what you publish there?

Today we're going to talk about how to write website content that makes folks feel like they just pulled up a chair to talk face to face with you about what you do best. In other words: lively, inspiring web content that's both conversational and informative.

Be enthusiastic. First things first: you really must be enthusiastic about your craft, trade or business. I truly enjoy creating websites, blogs, email newsletters and print ads for clients. This shows in my online writing voice.

If the labor you chose for yourself isn't one of love, it's no wonder you're having so much trouble talking about it. Maybe you're in the wrong profession!

Relax. Assuming you are in the right profession... quit thinking and worrying about how you may be coming across. Did you know that this actually can hurt rather than help your writing?

It's pretty easy to see who's trying too hard in their written communication; they choose words that they think will impress people, rather than selecting the ones that clarify meaning in the most straightforward way.

The best way to cure yourself of this writing affliction is to simply stop worrying about how you sound, and instead focus on just "talking" to your reader.

Write often. If you want to write well, then write often. Get into the habit of publishing website (blog) content at least twice per week.

Not only is this excellent for your search engine positioning (the more often you post pages, the more often Google comes around); but it will get you into a groove and greatly increase your speed of production. As they say, practice makes perfect. To improve the quality of your writing, then simply write!

Tackle reader questions. Think about what people want to read. What type of business do you have? Whether you're an electrician, a landscaper, a business coach, an editor or a tech consultant, people all over the world want answers to specific questions in your field of expertise.

The best way to assure them of your competence is to address those questions right on your website. Keep a running list of topics to cover whenever you have a free moment or two.

Once you get good at explaining your trade in terms people will understand, you'll be able to bang out a new blog post or website article in under an hour.

Include details. A lot of online marketers use the "dangle the worm" approach to their website content. Meaning, they don't offer much in the way of actual advice, but instead try to bait folks into signing up for their lists.

I believe that competition out there is so fierce that if you want to be noticed and remembered, you've got to provide real value to your readers. Don't worry about giving away trade secrets; very few people will actually put your advice into action, let alone build their own, competing empire!

Add keywords. Make your website content easily searchable. That means your page title and article headline or blog post should incorporate commonly searched keyword terms. This doesn't have to detract from the creativity; after all, there is such a thing as a subheadline.

Play around with different word order in your page headers, and see what results you get when people land and click on your website.

You can also include a search box on every page (as of this writing, mine is currently in need of repair, and it's killing me!). This will help people satisfy their curiosity immediate, and therefore hang around longer.

Instruct, inform, organize. Write your web articles or blog posts in an instructional way. Think step by step, lists of reasons, and how-to articles. Include images whenever possible.

The best website content is written much like an informational guide with visual aids. Think about how to make things crystal-clear for your reader. Use links to redirect people to different parts of your website where they can get more information.