Increase website traffic with the right content. Your content is at the centre of your website. Without content, your website pages are just empty frames of HTML, CSS and PHP.

You may have discovered that planning and creating the very best content isn't easy. It's not always easy to produce the following:

• Content that is at least 10 times better than your competitors

• A logical UX (User Experience) that engages visitors and keeps them on your site (this lowers your bounce rate which is a key SEO driver)

• Useful and entertaining resources delivered on your website that add value and showcase you as the absolute leader in your field.

Stop doing this.

It's time to stop creating a website or adding content that is thin and mediocre and start creating useful, powerful and engaging words, images and resources. Every aspect of your website needs to be meticulously planned. Set out a clear content production process, right from the start of your website or new content, together with a process for continued content creation after launch - read my article "Just launched your new website? Here's what you need to do now".

Start doing this.

Put your customers at the forefront of everything. Start to gather and gain a much clearer understanding of what your audience is looking for and their problems and why you are the best company to solve them. Next, plan your content around their needs rather than your own. With clever creativity you will be able to weave in the promotion of your products and services, gently intertwining them within the content that provides the value your audience craves.

Core website content will be your foundation, with every page providing a purpose for the visitor, who are typically only interested in what's in it for them.

Formatting and design is your saviour

There was a time when content and blog posts with a few hundred words would rank well in search. In rare occasions that can be true. Now you need to be writing pages and posts with more than 2,000 words if you want them to rank the highest in search. Write for the web; people scan so write using short paragraphs, no jargon, clear subheadings, bulleted lists, pull quotes and creative Calls-to-Action.

Space is your friend, use it wisely on your pages. There is a trend for a minimal feel to web layouts, reducing on page distractions that can lead your reader away from the core message on that page.

Once you have your core website content in place (and you're tracking it - see Element 3 below) you need to focus on an ongoing content strategy. Google always favours up-to-date content, but this additional content needs to serve your business goals as well as providing value to your visitors. Types of new, regular content include:

• Blog posts

• Case studies and success stories

• Industry insight

• Podcast with transcript and show notes

• Video with transcript and show notes

• Infographics with insight and downloads

Key posts and content silos can showcase your difference, and you're 'why', building your site into a useful and logical resource for visitors.

Find out more in my article:

"Why you need to make your website content awesome."

More about business blogs in my article:

"How to start blogging for your business."

Start with why. Simon Sinek TED talk

Not sure where to start? We provide content planning workshops for you and your team, just drop us an email: [email protected]