Providing unique, relevant, good content is crucial in Internet marketing. Having a high-authority website can give you a huge advantage in gaining visitors and potential customers.
Types Of Content
There are different ways you can deliver content but you only need the ones that will captivate your audience and keeps them interested.
Text Content
Text content is the basic building block.
Common types of text content are articles, news, guides, how to's, reviews, and blog posts.
Text content doesn't necessarily mean just plain text. A wall of text is boring to most people. You can add any of the other content types to your text.
Video Content
Video cameras and smartphones with hi-resolution cameras are so affordable nowadays that capturing videos for interviews, tutorials, press conferences and what not can be done just by anyone.
Upload them to video hosting websites like YouTube, Dailymotion and Vimeo for free and you have instant content.
Image Content
Text contents are usually spiced up with images to convey the message. If some people can't find joy in words, maybe a picture can help.
An exciting way of providing information nowadays is through infographics. These graphics present all the needed information visually. The advantage of infographics is that they are easily shareable while the information they provide is much easier to digest than plain text.
Audio Content
Audio content is pretty much like video but without the visuals. Examples of audio content are podcasts, music and audio programs.
Do note that these types of content should always be accompanied by text to help search engines see and "understand" your content.
Ways To Get Content For Your Website
One of the main problems of some website owners is generating content for their website. What if you don't have any literary skills whatsoever?
1. Hiring web content specialists
Not being a writer is not an excuse for not providing useful content. If you have the money, you can hire writers to do the writing for you.
There are numerous places you can look for web content specialists. It is essential that you check how they do their work. This will give you more bang for your buck but good articles usually cost more.
2. Blogging
Blogging is an informal way of writing and it's so easy that almost anyone can do it.
Also, informal articles are more engaging because blogging shows your personality which your readers can easily relate to.
3. PLR (Private Label Rights) articles
Purchase PLR articles and alter them. You basically "own" the article when you buy them.
The quality of PLR articles is usually better than the ones you get from cheap article directories. And the bad thing? You're not the only one who will be using the articles which kind of beats the purpose of providing "unique" content.
4. Other types of content
If text-based content isn't your thing then you can use other types of content as outlined above. Do a video or a voice recording of interviews, for example. I personally find it easier to simply talk than to write a very long article. After you finished recording, you can choose to publish it or hire someone who can transcribe it for you.
Or create infographics and create a visually engaging content that your readers will love.
Content Mistakes To Avoid
Don't try too hard to "score a point".
1. Keyword stuffing
Keywords are important for your website to be ranked but they should be used naturally. Make sure you include them but don't force it.
- MORE: The Keyword Density Myth
2. Flash-only pages
If your content relies on Flash make sure it is indexable by search engines. Consider adding an alternative presentation layer (text).
Don't forget that many mobile devices don't show Flash at all.
3. Hidden text and keywords
There was a time when people tried to use hidden text to trick Google into ranking their site. Today, search engines have become more advanced and recognize the "evil" things that you do; it can be your downfall.
4. Cloaking
Much like hidden text and keywords, cloaking is where you are showing different content to users and the search engines. Note that these black hat techniques are now slowly being wiped out to make Google a happy place.
5. Low quality content
Great content! That's what you need if you want to rank high and earn tons of money.
Consider the content you provide as proof that you can be trusted.
6. Duplicate content
Duplicate content is simply a no-no.
Duplicate content is "substantive blocks of content within or across domains that either completely match other content or are appreciably similar", as quoted from Google Webmaster Tools).
7. Old content
Because of the "Freshness" update of Penguin, most sites are now regularly updating their content and you should do the same because letting your content putrefy will make your website look bad.
8. Copying content
Plagiarism is a mortal sin for any web content writer.
Never copy content from competitors because not only it will hurt your website, it will make you look bad. I personally think it's okay to look for ideas but make it original by adding your own flavour to it.
9. No content at all
Seriously, how will Google index a site if it has nothing to crawl to? As stupid as it sounds, some websites do really have little to no content at all. Some are just Flash presentations that search engines can't even read. You don't really have to write a ton of pages of content for your website but you should at the very least provide content with the right keyword placement so Google can index and rank your website.
- MORE: Content With Benefits
Kyle, one of the reasons why I like your list so much is because it is one of the most succinct articles that I have read about content post Panda in quite awhile. Great job.
Very thorough! Would like to add that one thing that has really taken off recently (at least as far as images are concerned) is Internet Memes. I genuinely believe that memes are/will be the ‘next big thing’ when it comes to online marketing.