Why all the fuss about content? Writing is writing, right? Sure, as long as you are relevant and writing for your audience. Think about how a customer uses your site. Be sure your site architecture is solid, easy to navigate and focused on audience usability. Stay flexible. How the audience uses technology today will be different tomorrow. Users no longer wait to get to their computer to find what they need. Phones and tablets are “always on”. Looking for a place for lunch? Ask Siri or Google. Typing in “Mexican Restaurants in New York” has been replaced by “What is the closest Mexican restaurant to me?”
As you consider what content to implement on your site, think about the following.
- Write naturally. Using a keyword or phrase four times in one sentence is not natural.
- Search engines have semantic capabilities. Use different forms of words that mean the same thing. Lodging, hotel, inn, Google knows you are talking about a place to stay.
- Keep as much content above the fold as you can (as long as it makes sense). If you have long paragraphs, start them above the fold and move the balance lower on the page with an anchor link (this simply points the user elsewhere on the page with a “more”).
- Use keywords/phrases rather than generic terms, but use sparingly. Once or twice is enough, it is not necessary to repeat the terms over and over.
- Include parts of your phrase in the content (if it makes sense). For example, if “Walt Disney World Family Hotel” is a key phrase, include “family” or “hotel” or “Disney” as is appropriate in your content.
- And…repeated for emphasis…write for the user, not the search engine.