Looking at dozens and dozens of business sites on a daily basis, I see the good, the bad, and the ugly all too frequently. Quite simply, too many companies do not invest the proper time and strategy into organizing and properly displaying their web content. What they oftentimes end up with is a compilation of some average content and some less than stellar content at best.

In order to better present your web content to both current and potential customers, keep some of these factors in mind:

• Don’t send visitors on a wild goose chase – Have you ever visited a business Web site and come away shaking your head in a negative way? Trust me, it happens way too often. Make sure your site is easy for visitors to navigate and not an adventure. Have contact information readily available; make sure the grammar, punctuation and presentation are clean; make it easy for visitors to move from one page to another; and be sure you have a reason for visitors to come back to your site.
• Update your content regularly – One of the most annoying things I find on business sites is outdated content. While you are not a news service that is expected to update on the hour, that also does not mean one or two articles a month for your blog and/or press release section suffice either. Keep the content relevant, fresh and inviting. If you don’t have the time to write the content yourself, outsource it;
• Keywords are key to success – You may not be an SEO expert, but that does not mean you cannot either learn it or outsource to someone that is. Using keywords in your copy is important in order to draw search engines to your site. For example, say your business is running a daycare center and you want to bring traffic back to your Web site. Your content should focus in on keyword terms like childcare, parenting, daycare, etc. Whether you are writing in-house content or doing guest content for other sites, link keyword terms to landing pages on your site that advertise what you do. Also keep in mind the importance of studying the data and seeing which terms work and which do not. I oftentimes come across business owners that take the time to utilize keyword terms, yet don’t do the analytic data on them. In essence, you are throwing terms out there and seeing which ones stick and which don’t if you don’t record and analyze the data.
• Promote content – Another pet peeve of mine if you will is the business that does not promote its content. Look, we live in a day and age of promotions, especially via the Internet. I come across business owners that either have social media pages and hardly utilize them or do not even have them in the first place. It is important to be linked in with sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and more. Take the time to develop relationships on these sites, following relevant people in your respective industry. A great way to bring new business to your site is by reciprocating tweets and shares for starters. Essentially you are scratching their back while they scratch your back.
• Write with a purpose in mind – Lastly, know why you are putting content on your site in the first place. Are you doing it to simply drive traffic to your site, to serve as an authority in your respective industry, or a little of both? As mentioned earlier, you need a defined strategy to your reasoning behind placing content on your site and/or guest posting on other relevant sites. If the competition is doing it, that certainly should not be your primary reason for having content on your Web site. The Internet is a free weapon in your arsenal to promote the heck out of your company, beginning with solid Web site content. Take advantage of such opportunities and use it for all it is worth.

Whether you are a long-time business owner or have recently started a business, your Web site will go a long way in defining how successful you can and will be.

With the right content, social media promotion and attention to detail, you can perfect a winning strategy.

For many business owners, their attention is normally directed towards sales and not on online content, social media and other means by which to promote the company.

The problem rests with the fact that not giving enough attention to blogs, online content, social media etc. means your brand is not getting the necessary publicity it needs.

In the event your company is looking for ways to bring more traffic to your site, along with increasing the stream of revenue coming in the door, take some time and look at your blog. As you review the blog, ask yourself and/or the person/s in charge of it the following:

* Is the blog relevant to our industry?
* Are we updating the blog on a regular basis with valuable content?
* Does the blog get enough exposure through our social media channels?
* Would I read this blog if I had no affiliation with the company?

If you answered ‘no’ even one time in reviewing these questions, then you need to reassess what you are doing with the blog. Trust me, turning a blind eye to issues with your blog is like throwing money away.

I have spoken with numerous blog owners over the years and one question they oftentimes have problems answering is what is the goal behind their blog to begin with? It seems like a simple enough question, but you would be surprised how many of them have trouble answering it.

Keep in mind that the company blog is just one component of an overall sales pitch for your company.

The blog can and should be a great tool for your sales team when they are out in the field trying to sell. The bottom line is they can point back to the blog to show current and potential clients how your business can help bring them more attention.

Lastly, your blog should be a strong educational tool that informs any and all traffic that comes to the site.

You may not sell someone on your business this time around when they visit the blog, but there is always that next time when they stop by. As you place more pertinent content on the blog, you begin to stand out from the competition, meaning your site will be a “go-to” destination over time.

Company blogs should not take up an entire day’s worth of time and effort, but they do need attention.

In the event your company blog has not been receiving the necessary attention, take some time today and show it a little love.

Photo credit: wininginweb.com