In the world of digital marketing, content is king – and has been for a while. Though website styles and layouts have evolved, user preferences have changed and algorithms have been adjusted, great content has remained a key staple of successful websites. And that likely won’t change anytime soon.
Creating content can seem like a hassle, whether you’re creating the content yourself or paying a copywriter by the hour to do it for you. But what many people don’t realize is that the time, effort and money put towards developing high quality content for your website is always well spent. If you want to maximize the return you see on your investment in a website, ensuring your site is populated with relevant, accessible content is absolutely imperative.
Why Is Website Content So Important?
Content is the meat and potatoes of your website. Though it works closely with the other aspects of your site’s design, content is essentially the star of the show for a couple of reasons.
1. It Enables You to Connect with Clients and Potential Customers
Website content often gives potential customers their first glimpse at your business or organization. Ideally, it informs them of who you are, what you do and how you can help them. It also serves to showcase your knowledge and expertise, assisting in establishing you as a valuable resource and authority in your industry in the eyes of potential customers. If all goes well, content helps to convince potential customers that they should choose you over your competitors. While a fantastic website design can engage clients and potential customers, it is the content and information they find on your website that ultimately helps most consumers to decide whether or not they want to work with your organization.
2. It Influences Where You Place in Search Engine Results
While potential customers are one primary audience for your website content, another equally important audience spends time perusing your content as well: search engines. If you want to be found on the Internet, creating search engine friendly content that is infused with keywords, phrases and concepts related to your organization is a must.
Search engine results are very much content driven, meaning that where you rank in the search results on Google, Bing, Yahoo and other search engines has a whole lot to do with the content on your website. Having a plethora of relevant, search engine friendly content on your website will help you significantly when it comes to being found online. Search engine optimization (SEO) can be tricky, making SEO specialists a valuable resource when it comes to developing website content that is both user- and search engine friendly.
What Are The Benefits of High Quality Website Content?
There are many benefits to having your website populated with relevant, up to date content that is accessible to both potential customers and search engines. These benefits include:
1. Consumer Education
Most consumers do online research before purchasing a product or service. Answering frequently asked questions and sharing information that is useful to clients and potential customers on your website helps to establish you as both a valuable resource and an authority in the industry. By building trust and helping consumers to educate themselves, your website will help to guide customers to the decision to give your organization their business.
2. Increased Conversions
High quality websites with high quality content often result in higher conversion rates. Consumers appreciate useful, accessible content and if they find it on your website, they will be more apt to contact you for more information or inquire about the products and services you offer.
3. Qualified Leads
A website filled with valuable information will help consumers to gain a complete understanding of what you do, the services you offer and, perhaps most importantly, how you can help them. As a result, your website will generate high quality leads from consumers who are truly interested in utilizing your products or services.
4. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
High quality content that is search engine optimized will ultimately result in improved search engine rankings, helping consumers to find you online when they search. By placing higher up on the search engine results pages and showing up for key search terms that consumers are using, your business will gain additional visibility and exposure to potential clients.
Want Your Business to Thrive? Improve Your Website Content!
Your website must showcase your organization’s strengths and encourage potential customers to trust you. It is the place where you will make your first impression on many consumers and ultimately convince potential customers to give you their business. A website that is engaging, effectively designed and filled with fresh content that is accessible to both customers and search engines is imperative for businesses hoping to thrive today and in years to come.
Ready to enhance your web presence by revamping your website content but not sure where to start? Contact our digital marketing team today to learn more about how to develop and optimize high quality content for your website. Whether you need help with copywriting, search engine optimization or brainstorming ideas for new website content, our digital marketing strategists can help.
Learn more about our Copywriting & Content Marketing services here.
Editor’s Note: This blog post was originally published in 2015 and has been updated as of October 2019.