The Number One Thing That Makes the Web Go Round-and-Round!

It’s no secret the Internet has become the number one resource for information. Why has it become the most dominant source for information?

Well, the main reason is simplicity. Just type a keyword in a google search box and wallah: there it is, right at your fingertips. What makes up that information? Something in the internet world known as content. If you follow the intricacies of the internet, you know content is one of the main buzzwords. The internet simply could not exist without it. But what is it?

Content is any information that lives on the web. Search engines love not only original content, but also new and fresh content. Content can be any of the following:

Articles: Articles are an excellent way of demonstrating your knowledge and expertise in a particular subject. You can write as a contributor to a major publication or websites like E-Zine Articles. You aren’t paid, but you gain that all-important exposure. You get to write a little bio section where you describe what you do and include your website. I write for E-Zine Articles. Always include backlinks to your site. A backlink is a link from another site to yours. When someone reads and article of mine on E-Zine Articles and clicks my website in my bio, they are automatically transferred to my website. The beauty of backlinks is that you gain exposure to a much larger audience than you previously would have. Let’s say you write an article for Forbes. You won’t be paid much, if anything, but the number of people who will see your work could be in the hundreds of thousands. Once you become an expert, you can start charging fees.

Blogs: Blogs are a major player when it comes to providing content. They are similar to articles, except they are much less formal. Blogs are usually written in a more conversational tone versus a technical one you would see in articles. Think of them as online journals that can be anywhere from a couple of sentences to an article length. It’s important to update them frequently because of the personal nature between the writer and reader. It’s also important to update them consistently, meaning at the same time each day, week, or month. They allow readers the option to leave comments. Don’t forget to respond to them, whether they are good or bad. Not responding to comments is an excellent way to lose readers. Of course, include a link to your website if you are using a format not included on your site. My blog is included on my site. The two largest platforms are Blogger and WordPress. As you may have guessed, most of my topics are on entrepreneurship. In fact, I based my e-book on many of my posts. Using your blog to create and e-book is an excellent way to monetize your content.

White Papers: A white paper is promotional piece like a brochure in the form of an article. It’s a technical document that introduces a current challenge faced by its readers and offers a solution. The format is as follows:

• State the problem

• Explain and evaluate the current market solutions

• Offer a better solution

Even though it is a promotional piece, it’s a soft sell, meaning it isn’t written like an advertisement. They are educational pieces designed to demonstrate your expertise in a certain area. Only at the end is there any mention of the person/company offering a solution with the call to action. For example, let’s say you are a medical company and develop a drug that reduces side effects of cancer treatments. You wouldn’t have a title like “GlaxoSmithKline develops new cancer drug”. A doctor would probably toss into the trash as they would junk mail. Instead, you have “New drug reduces side effects of cancer treatments”. A doctor would be interested in that. Only after you've made the case would you have something like this at the end: For more information, contact GlaxoSmithKline.

One of my white papers is on tax reform. Click here to read: The Transaction Tax on Deposits

Make sure you include a call-to action on each of your pages. This could be to:

• Call a phone number

• Register for a newsletter

• Click on a link for more information

• Fill out a contact us form

Always give your visitors a reason to stay on your site or come back. Also, post your content on social media. Make sure you include a link to your website, or the page you want your visitors to visit (known as the landing page). An excellent way to keep visitors coming back to your site is offering something free. For example, I give away a report entitled “Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?” It includes many of the things included in this e-book. Some other freebies are whitepapers, newsletters, and e-books. Your visitors will appreciate your knowledge and expertise, and appreciate your aren’t always looking them with dollar signs. Yes, they know you are in business to make money. However, not feeling like a piece of meat or a statistic goes a long way in building trust with your visitors.

What are some other ways you can create content? Remember, search engines love original, fresh, and constant updates.